Jan. 7, 2006

The Tennessee baseball team garnered a top-10 preseason ranking earlier this week, when Baseball America tabbed the Volunteers as the nation's ninth-best team entering the 2006 season. This comes on the heels of UT's berth in the 2005 NCAA College World Series and a final ranking of No. 8 last year.

This poll marks the third time in UT head coach Rod Delmonico's 17-year tenure that Tennessee has earned a top-10 preseason ranking from Baseball America. It is the seventh time UT has been ranked in the publication's preseason top-25.

Defending national champion Texas was the top-ranked team in the new Baseball America poll, and seven Southeastern Conference clubs earned a place in the top 25.

In total, seven teams on Tennessee's 2006 schedule were included in Baseball America's preseason top 25. The Vols face No. 4 Georgia Tech Feb. 24 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in a rematch of last year's NCAA Atlanta Super Regional. Tennessee also hosts No. 3 Florida for a three-game series in Knoxville April 14-16.

To date, three organizations have released 2006 preseason polls. Tennessee has been ranked in the top 20 in each listing, with an average preseason ranking of No. 14.

The Vols -- under 17th-year head coach Rod Delmonico -- open the 2006 season with a three-game series against Florida Atlantic Feb. 3-5 in Boca Raton, Fla.

ARENCIBIA NAMED FIRST-TEAM PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA
Tennessee sophomore catcher J.P. Arencibia earned his fourth 2006 preseason All-America honor this week when he landed on Baseball America's first-team squad. The Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year a season ago, Arencibia batted .322 with 91 hits, 14 home runs and 71 RBIs during his rookie year on Rocky Top.

The Miami, Fla., native also starred the USA Baseball National Team this past summer, pacing the elite club in hits (23), RBIs (12), total bases (33) and slugging percentage (.579).

Baseball America asked MLB scouting directors to vote on the preseason All-America teams, with selections based on performance, talent and major-league potential.

Historically, Baseball America's preseason All-America teams have been strong predictors of MLB draft stock, as 10 of the 14 members of the 2005 first team ended up as first-round picks. Two others were second-round selections, and the two sophomores on last year's preseason first team repeated as first-teamers again this year.

The SEC ranked third in the country with nine preseason All-America selections and was tied with the Atlantic Coast Conference for the most first-teamers with four.