Feb. 9, 2010
Illinois State head coach Mark Kingston and returning players, Ryan Court and Ryan Copeland, met with members of the media Monday to discuss the upcoming season. Illinois State, picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, begins the 2010 campaign Feb. 19-21 at the Austin Peay Classic in Clarksville, Tenn.
Illinois State returns seven position players and all three weekend starters from a team that produced the program's first winning season and State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament berth since 2001. The Redbirds also welcome 14 newcomers. Kingston, who helped re-energize the program as associate head coach last season, enters his first season as the leader of the Redbirds, and his first season with a full complement of assistant coaches.
"(Last year) was a good year and a nice way to send Coach Brownlee out on a winning note. I want to look back in a couple years and think that was a down year," Kingston said about the 2009 success. "We have enough here to where we should really be able to build something we can all be proud of."
The Valley's coaches poll was the first recognition that the Redbirds are already gaining ground in the eyes of those outside the program, but others are also taking notice. In its preview of the Missouri Valley Conference, CollegeBaseballToday.com labeled Illinois State as the league's "Darkhorse." In the Yahoo! Sports and Rivals.com preview of the MVC, the Redbirds were labeled as the program with "rising stock."
These articles, as well as others outlining the 2010 Illinois State baseball season can be found by clicking the links below.
Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports Conference Previews: Missouri Valley
Kendall Rogers previews the Missouri Valley Conference: "Illinois State could surprise with the return of six position starters and several talented pitchers from a team that was vastly improved last season."
CollegeBaseballToday.com: Taking a Look at the Missouri Valley
Eric Sorenson provides an in-depth look at each team in the conference: "...the pitching that returns to the roster this season is enough to have coach Mark Kingston chomping at the bit."
Pantagraph: First-Year ISU Baseball Coach Places Premium on Speed
The Pantagraph's Randy Rinehardt covered Monday's media day and had this to say: "First-year Illinois State baseball coach Mark Kingston plans a speedy ascension into the Missouri Valley Conference elite."
Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
The official Missouri Valley Conference Coaches' Poll release.
