RICHARDSON, Texas – With the start of the 2011 baseball season just a week away, the Angelo State Rams were picked to finish third in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll voted on by LSC coaches, media and athletic communications staff as announced by the league office on Tuesday.

The Rams collected 305 points and were picked to finish behind last year's conference champion Abilene Christian and Southeastern Oklahoma. ACU tallied 401 points and 29 first-place votes, while Southeastern Oklahoma earned 320 points with one first-place vote.

Cameron was chosen fourth behind ASU with 293 points. Incarnate Word (264 points) and Tarleton State (256 points) locked-in the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Texas A&M-Kingsville collected one first-place vote and 243 points for seventh place, while West Texas A&M (193 points) was selected eighth and Central Oklahoma (143 points) was picked ninth

Rounding out the poll were Eastern New Mexico (141 points), Northeastern State (113 points), Southwestern Oklahoma (108 points) and East Central (41 points).

Abilene Christian's Aaron Oliver, last season's LSC Player of the Year and LSC Championship MVP, was picked as the 2011 LSC Preseason Player of the Year. Southeastern Oklahoma's Heath Wyatt, who earned last year's LSC Pitcher of the Year award, was named the 2011 LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

Angelo State finished the 2010 season with a 34-26 overall record and went 23-20 in Lone Star Conference action. The Rams open the 2011 season in Fort Worth, against Ouachita Baptist at LeGrave Field on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m. Their home opener is slated for Friday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m., against LSC foe Southwestern Oklahoma.

AngeloSports.com: Your online source for Angelo State Athletics news, multimedia, photos and more.

Rank       LSC Baseball Team                               1st          Total
1.             Abilene Christian                                     29            401
2.             Southeastern Oklahoma                          1            320
3.             Angelo State                                                              305
4.             Cameron                                                                    293
5.             Incarnate Word                                                          264
6.             Tarleton State                                                            256
7.             Texas A&M-Kingsville                               1             243
8.             West Texas A&M                                                      193
9.             Central Oklahoma                                                   143
10.           Eastern New Mexico                                               141
11.           Northeastern State                                                  113
12.           Southwestern Oklahoma                                       108
13.           East Central                                                               41