Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Assistant Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
 
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Blueboys have been tabbed to repeat as Midwest Conference (MWC) champions in the 2022 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced Friday.
 
Voted on by the league’s head coaches, the defending MWC champions earned seven first-place votes and 62 points. Illinois College won its program’s first MWC baseball championship and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance last season.
 
Picking up the two remaining first-place votes and 54 points, the University of Chicago lands in second place, just ahead of Beloit College in third with 52 points.
 
One-point separates fourth, fifth, and sixth place as Monmouth College, Grinnell College and Cornell College receive 37, 36, and 35 points, respectively.
 
Rounding out the nine-team field are Lawrence University (22), Ripon College (18), and Knox College (8).
 
The season gets underway this weekend with three league teams in action against non-conference opponents, while league play begins March 26. 
 
The 2022 MWC Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 13-14. The double-elimination tournament will feature the league’s top four teams, as determined by winning percentage in MWC competition. The winner will receive the league’s berth into the NCAA Baseball Championship.
 
Full preseason results and quick facts for all nine teams can be found below.
 
2022 MWC Baseball Preseason Poll Results – Team (first-place votes), points
1. Illinois College (7) - 62 points
2. University of Chicago (2) - 54 points
3. Beloit College - 52 points
4. Monmouth College - 37 points
5. Grinnell College - 36 points
6. Cornell College - 35 points
7. Lawrence University - 22 points
8. Ripon College - 18 points
9. Knox College - 8 points
 
Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Dave DeGeorge (32^nd Season)
2021 Season: 24-6 Overall; 19-3 MWC North
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Seth Wing (9^th Season)
2021 Season: 14-24 Overall; 11-13 MWC South
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Tim Hollibaugh (29^th Season)
2021 Season: 16-8 Overall; 18-8 MWC South
All-Conference Returnees: Sean Richardson (So)
 
Illinois College Blueboys
Head Coach: Jacob Waddle (4^th Season)
2021 Season: 21-19 Overall; 16-8 MWC South
All-Conference Returnees: Peyton Abbott (Jr), Tyler Blum (Jr), Griffin King (Jr), James Marcinkowski (Sr), Bailey Reed (Sr)

Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Jami Isaacson (23^rd Season)
2021 Season: 4-30 Overall; 2-22 MWC South
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Chris Krepline (4^th Season)
2021 Season: 15-19 Overall; 8-16 MWC North
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
 
Monmouth College Scots
Head Coach: Alan Betourne (7^th Season)
2021 Season: 17-11 Overall; 15-9 MWC South
All-Conference Returnees: Addison Fletcher (Jr)
 
Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Eric Cruise (9^th Season)
2021 Season: 8-29 Overall; 4-20 MWC North
All-Conference Returnees: N/A
  
University of Chicago Maroons
Head Coach: Kevin Tyrrell (1^st Season)
2021 Season: 19-10 Overall, 14-6 MWC North
All-Conference Returnees: N/A