Wayne State College was picked fifth in the 2025 Northern Sun Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll released Thursday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota.  The Wildcats received 120 points in voting conducted by league coaches after posting records of 29-23 overall and 21-16 (fifth place) in the NSIC while placing third at the NSIC Baseball Tournament to end the season. 
            Three-time defending NSIC regular season champion Augustana was the choice as the team to beat in NSIC baseball this season receiving 165 points and nine first-place votes.  Minnesota State was second at 161 points and the remaining five first-place ballots.  Minnesota Crookston was third at 136 points with St. Cloud State (123) and Wayne State (120) rounding out the top five teams.
            Concordia-St. Paul was sixth at 98 points, just ahead of Winona State's 97 in seventh.  UMary (92), Southwest Minnesota State (77) and Sioux Falls (63) closed out the top 10 teams.  Filling out the coaches' poll were Minnesota Duluth (57), Minot State (41), Northern State (31) and Bemidji State (13).
            Listed as Wildcats to Watch in the NSIC this season are senior shortstop Quinn McCafferty and senior starting pitcher Jackson Shelburne.
            McCafferty, a 5-11, 185-pound senior shortstop from Big Horn, Wyoming (Western Nebraska CC), posted a .315 batting average last season while starting all 52 games at shortstop.  He anchored a Wildcat defense that led NCAA Division II last season in double plays turned (64) and was second on the team in RBI with 47.  McCafferty tied for the team lead with 18 multi-hit games and recorded 14 games with multiple-RBI's.
            Shelburne, a 6-5, 235-pound senior righthander from Gretna HS, was 2-5 in 10 starts last season with a 3.98 earned run average.  He is the top returning starter after throwing 40.2 innings last season allowing just 33 hits and 23 runs (18 earned) while recording 39 strikeouts. 
            Wayne State opens the 2025 baseball season on Friday, January 31 in Tucson, Arizona facing CSU-Pueblo and UC-Colorado Springs.  
 
2025 NSIC Preseason Baseball Coaches' Poll
1.         Augustana (9)                165 pts.
2.         Minnesota State (5)       161 pts.
3.         Minnesota Crookston    136 pts.
4.         St. Cloud State              123 pts.
5.         Wayne State                 120 pts.
6.         Concordia-St. Paul        98  pts.
7.         Winona State                97  pts.
8.         University of Mary         92  pts.
9.         Southwest Minn. State   77  pts.
10.        Sioux Falls                    63  pts.
11.        Minnesota Duluth           57  pts.
12.        Minot State                   41  pts.
13.        Northern State                31  pts.
14.        Bemidji State                  13  pts.