Senior Ryan Cantrell, a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection in 2001, and junior Mike Saunches, named 2001 ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-American, were selected to the Preseason All-Conference Baseball Team as voted upon by the Valley coaches.
Illinois State, which finished third in the 2001 campaign, was voted the seventh-best team in the Valley preseason poll.
A hard-hitting player, Cantrell showed skill and diversity last season, leading the Redbirds in center field and also leading the team as the No.1 closer after garnering a team-high five saves. The First Team Valley Scholar-Athlete pick and Bloomington, Ill. native ranked second on the team in hitting (.380) and lead the team with 16 doubles in 2001.
Just the second Illinois State baseball player to make All-America honors since the program moved to Division I in 1971, junior Mike Saunches, a native of Decatur, Ill., earned all-conference first team honors in 2001. Leading the Redbirds in RBI (68) and home runs (13), he rounded the bases three times in one contest (versus Northern Iowa 5/5).
It is nice to see these men being recognized for their talent, Illinois State head coach Jeff Stewart said. Both Ryan and Mike have achieved a lot and their accomplishments speak for their ability.
In the preseason poll, Southwest Missouri State was picked to win the Valley baseball crown. The defending regular-season champions edged out Wichita State for the top ranking. The Redbirds were voted sixth in the poll last season.
It is so hard to judge a team this early in the year but as it appears on paper, SMS and Wichita State have the most returning talent, Stewart continued. I think if you throw the rest of the teams in a hat and dumped it out, any combination that fell would stand and that is an indication of the overall parity of the league.
Obviously experience is huge and SMS and Wichita State have key pitchers and position players coming back, but right now there is just a lack of understanding between all the schools what the talent of each roster really is.
The Redbirds open up the season February 23 with a doubleheader against Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky.
