LAKE CHARLES- A day after placing two players on the 2019 Preseason All-Southland Conference Baseball team, McNeese was selected for a fifth place finish by league head coaches and sports information directors as the preseason poll was announced by the conference office on Thursday.
 
Sam Houston State, last year's conference regular season champion, has been picked to repeat, notching 22 of the possible 26 first place votes. Southeastern La. picked up three first place votes and was picked to finish second.
 
Last season's tournament champion, Northwestern State, picked up one first place vote and was picked to finish third, while Central Arkansas and McNeese round out the rest of the top five.
 
Picked at No. 6 behind the Cowboys is Houston Baptist followed by New Orleans, Lamar, Nicholls, and Incarnate Word to round out the top 10. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is picked to finish 11^th, Stephen F. Austin 12^th , and Abilene Christian 13^th.
 
The Cowboys continue to prepare for the February 15 season opener at UTSA and the home opener February 19 against Houston.
 
 
2019 Southland Conference Preseason Poll
School (First-place votes)                       Total
1. Sam Houston State (22)                         284
2. Southeastern La. (3)                               258
3. Northwestern State (1)                            250
4. Central Arkansas                                     200
5. McNeese                                                 187
6. Houston Baptist                                       169
7. New Orleans                                            130
8. Lamar                                                      128
9. Nicholls                                                    120
10. Incarnate Word                                      104
11. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi                     97
12. Stephen F. Austin                                   63
13. Abilene Christian                                    38