GREENSBORO, N.C. - The North Carolina Tar Heels are ranked 4th in the 2012 Collegiate Baseball Top 40 Pre-Season Baseball Poll.
The team has five players from the Triad on its spring roster.
Sophomore outfielder Chaz Frank is attended Central Davidson High School.
Junior shortstop Levi Michael attended North Davidson High School.
Sophomore right handed pitcher Chris Munnelly attended Forsyth Country Day.
Former Glenn High School standout Parks Jordan and Graham High School's catcher Matt Roberts will join the Tar Heels this season as freshmen.
Six Atlantic Coast Conference teams are ranked in the 2012 Collegiate Baseball Top 40 Pre-Season Baseball Poll, including two among the Top 10.
North Carolina, which returns a strong cast from last season's College World Series team, is ranked No. 4 in the poll released by the publication on Monday. Georgia Tech, with several key players from the 2011 Coastal Division co-championship team set to return, is ranked No. 9.
Florida State is ranked at No. 13, Miami at No. 14 and Clemson at No. 25. Virginia, which joined UNC in the 2011 College World Series, is ranked No. 33. NC State is listed among the teams receiving votes.
Florida received a No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by two-time defending NCAA champion South Carolina at No. 2 and Stanford at No. 3.
For a detailed rundown on the top 40 teams, see the Jan. 6, 2012 edition of Collegiate Baseball newspaper, which also includes a complete look at every NCAA Division I Conference with pre-season rankings and a listing of top players in each league, including projected pitchers and players of the year.
In addition, this issue of Collegiate Baseball features a draft preview of all potential college players who may be picked in the first two rounds of the 2012 Free Agent Draft next spring and Louisville Slugger pre-season All-American teams.
The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1958 college baseball season.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's
NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Top 40 Poll
(As of Dec. 19, 2011)
Rank School ('11 Final Record) Points
1. Florida (53-19) 497
2. South Carolina (55-14) 494
3. Stanford (35-22) 490
4. North Carolina (51-16) 488
5. Texas (49-19) 485
6. Texas A&M (47-22) 484
7. Rice (42-21) 482
8. Arkansas (40-22) 479
9. Georgia Tech. (42-21) 476
10. Texas Christian (43-19) 474
11. St. John's (36-22) 470
12. Louisiana St. (36-20) 468
13. Florida St. (46-19) 465
14. Miami, Fla. (38-23) 464
15. Louisville (32-29) 460
16. Oklahoma (41-19) 458
17. Arizona St. (43-18) 457
18. Georgia (33-32) 455
19. UCLA (35-24) 454
20. Arizona (39-21) 452
21. Cal. St. Fullerton (41-17) 449
22. California (38-23) 447
23. Vanderbilt (54-12) 445
24. Oregon St. (41-19) 443
25. Clemson (43-20) 437
26. Stetson (43-20) 435
27. Oregon (33-26-1) 432
28. Baylor (31-28) 430
29. U.C. Irvine (43-18) 425
30. Southern Miss. (39-19) 422
31. Missouri St. (33-23) 419
32. College of Charleston (39-22) 417
33. Virginia (56-12) 413
34. Georgia Southern (36-26) 412
35. Texas St. (41-23) 408
36. Central Florida (39-23) 406
37. Wichita St. (39-26) 403
38. Jacksonville (37-24) 400
39. Florida International (40-20-1) 397
40. Southern California (25-31) 395
OTHER TEAMS RECEIVING VOTES: Coastal Carolina, Oklahoma St., Charlotte, East Carolina, Kent St., Creighton, Oral Roberts, Troy, South Alabama, San Diego, Gonzaga, San Francisco, Fresno St., Hawaii, Dallas Baptist, N.C. State, Mississippi St., Auburn, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Stony Brook, Maine, Connecticut, Seton Hall, Notre Dame, South Florida, Liberty, Winthrop, Purdue, Michigan St., Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas St., Texas Tech., Missouri, Cal Poly, Long Beach St., U.C. Riverside, James Madison, Tulane, Houston, Manhattan, Rider, Central Michigan, Illinois St., New Mexico, San Diego St., Nevada-Las Vegas, Austin Peay St., Samford, Elon, N.C. Greensboro, S.E. Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, San Jose St., New Mexico St., Cal. St. Bakersfield.
ACC/WFMY News 2 Sports