LINK TO NSIC PRESEASON POLL

MINOT, N.D. – While first pitch to the new season is more than a month away for the Minot State baseball team, the season got a jump-start today as the NSIC released its preseason poll and announced the league's Preseason Players of the Year.

The coaches voted and the Beaver baseball team was tabbed an underdog this season, picked to finish 12^th in the 2025 NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll, while senior outfield Brent Riddle and redshirt-junior pitcher Colton Bagshaw were named the player and pitcher to watch this season for Minot State.

The Minot State baseball team opens its season in Arizona at the Tucson Invitation tournament on March 1, playing 8 games in that tournament over two weeks. The Beavers also play a 4-game NSIC series against Concordia, St. Paul and Winona State during that two-week stretch in Arizona.

Riddle, in his third season with the Beavers, is a 5-foot-8 right-handed hitting outfielder from San Clemente, California who in 101 career games has a .338 batting average with 17 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases for Minot State. He earned 2^nd Team All-NSIC honors during the 2023 season.

Bagshaw, who is in his fourth year with the team which includes a redshirt season in the spring of 2022, has played in 53 games as a hitter and position player and pitched in 12 games on the mound for Minot State. The 6-1 right-hander from Lake Havasu, Arizona has a 1-0 record and has pitched 17 innings with 16 strikeouts in two seasons. Offensively, he has added a .281 batting average with 5 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases for Minot State.

Riddle and Bagshaw lead the way for the Beavers who were picked 12^th with 41 points in the preseason poll.

Three-time defending champion Augustana was a slim favorite to win a fourth straight NSIC crown with 165 points and 9 first-place votes, while Minnesota State, Mankato was picked a close No. 2 with 161 points and the other 5 first-place votes.

Minnesota Crookston was picked 3rd with 136 points, then St. Cloud State was 4th with 123 points, Wayne State was 5th with 120 points, Concordia, St. Paul was 6^th with 98 points, Winona State was 7^th with 97 points, Mary was 8^th with 92 points, Southwest Minnesota State was 9^th with 77 points, Sioux Falls was 10^th with 63 points, Minnesota Duluth was 11^th with 57 points, Minot State was 12^th with 41 points, Northern State was 13^th with 31 points, and Bemidji State was 14^th with 13 points.

Augustana senior infielder Jack Hines, who was named D2CCA and NCBWA National Player of the Year last spring, was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and his teammate, junior left-handed pitcher Ashton Michek who was 1^st Team D2CCA and NCWBA All-Region last spring was named the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
 
2025 NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis
Rank     Team    Points
1             Augustana (9)               165
2             Minnesota State (5)      161
3             Minnesota Crookston   136
4             St. Cloud State             123
5             Wayne State                120
6             Concordia, St. Paul      98
7             Winona State                97
8             Mary                             92
9             SW Minnesota State    77
10          Sioux Falls                    63
11          Minnesota Duluth          57
12          Minot State                  41
13          Northern State              31
14          Bemidji State                13