CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Statesmen and head coach Mike Kinnison will open the 2012 campaign ranked No. 32 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Top 40 Poll.  DSU was picked to finish third in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll returns 17 lettermen off last season's squad, including All-GSC pitchers Josh Branstetter (7-2, 2.59 ERA) and Aaron Newcomb (7-7, 4.43 ERA). 

The Statesmen will open the season Feb. 10-12 at the University of Montevallo.  The three-game series gets underway on Friday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 1:45 p.m. 

The complete Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Top 40 Poll is listed below.

NCAA Div. II Pre-Season Poll (As of Dec. 20)
www.baseballnews.com
Rank    School Name	'11 Final Record	Point Totals
1. West Florida	52-9	640
2. Francis Marion	41-16	618
3. Central Missouri	49-10	606
4. Grand Valley St.	52-5	590
5. Mount Olive	47-10	586
6. Tampa	36-17	546
7. Millersville	44-12	532
8. Emporia St.	43-12	530
9. Southern Conn. St.	45-9-1	518
10. Florida Southern	32-15	514
11. St. Mary's (TX)	47-10	472
12. St. Cloud St.	43-11	464
13. Franklin Pierce	40-14	454
14. Winona St.	42-18	414
15. Columbus St.	32-19	406
Cal. St. Chico	30-20	406
17. Mercyhurst	41-12	392
18. Catawba	41-15	386
19. N.C. Pembroke	44-12	340
20. Minnesota St.-Mankato	40-12	326
21. Southern Indiana	37-19	310
22. Southern Arkansas	36-16	306
23. Georgia College	35-17	292
24. Le Moyne	23-30	278
25. Armstrong Atlantic St.	35-17	264
26. Incarnate Word	37-18	248
27. Barry	40-17	230
28. Harding	42-13	216
29. Cal Poly Pomona	36-23	208
30. U.C. San Diego	42-15	188
31. Wayne St. (MI)	35-21	120
32. Delta State	30-19	110
33. Western Oregon	37-15	108
34. Mesa St.	35-21	102
35. North Georgia	34-20	98
36. S.E. Oklahoma St.	35-19	92
37. Massachusetts-Lowell	37-14	88
38. North Alabama	37-14	58
39. California (PA)	30-18	34
40. Ashland	30-21	28
Also Receiving Votes: Abilene Christian (24), Wilmington (22), Tarleton St. (22), Wayne St., NE (18), Dixie St. (14), Wingate (12), Seton Hill (12), Northern Kentucky (12), Limestone (10), Nebraska-Kearney (10), S.C. Aiken (8), Nova S.E. (8), Indianapolis (2), Tusculum (1), Cameron (1), St. Edwards (1), Angelo St. (1), West Texas A&M (1), Arkansas Tech. (1), Florida Tech. (1), Lynn (1), Kutztown (1), Slippery Rock (1), West Virginia St. (1), Drury (1), Missouri S&T (1), Quincy (1), New Mexico Highlands (1), Augustana (1), Adelphi (1). Did Not Report: Sonoma St. Source: NCAA Division II Poll Committee