PORTLAND, Ore. --- The two-time defending GNAC champion Western Oregon baseball team has been picked to win the conference when the GNAC released its preseason coaches poll on Thursday.

The Wolves, who have won both the regular-season GNAC title and GNAC postseason tournament the last two years, picked two of the five first-place votes and finished with 21 points, a point ahead of Northwest Nazarene - who had one first-place vote. Central Washington and Montana State Billings each received a first-place vote as well and tied for third with 13 points while Saint Martin's finished last with eight points.

The rankings are the same order the conference finished last season with the Wolves atop the conference with a 20-9 record (30-15 overall) - 4.5 games ahead of second-place NNU.

WOU, which also had made three straight NCAA appearances, opens the season Feb. 1 at Fresno Pacific.