Troy tabbed to finish second in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference released its preseason poll ahead of the 2025 season on Wednesday, and Troy was picked to finish second by the league’s coaches.

The Trojans, who enter the season ranked No. 25 by D1Baseball and the USA Today Coaches Poll, received four first place votes. Troy had 178 points in the poll, just one point shy of Southern Miss for first place.

Troy is coming off a 37-22 season in 2024 and a third-place finish in the Sun Belt Conference. Skylar Meade has led Troy to a 109-68 record over his first three seasons, the most wins in the first three seasons of any Troy head coach, and helped the Trojans reach a No. 21 national ranking last season.

 The Trojan offense was one of the most dynamic in all of college baseball, ranking third nationally in walks (382), eighth in on-base percentage (.424), 11th in sacrifice flies (36) and 14th in runs per game (8.7). Additionally, the Trojans return Brooks Bryan, who set the Troy record with 85 RBIs last season and is college baseball’s leading returner in RBIs in 2025.

Two of the top strikeout pitchers in Troy history in Grayson Stewart (Seventh – 212) and Garrett Gainous (Eighth – 209), along with 2024 All-Sun Belt Team performer Luke Lyon. Transfers Adam Falinski, Noah Edders, Drew Nelson and Colby Frieda add to a talented and experienced Troy pitching staff in 2025.

(First-Place Votes)

1. Southern Miss (5) – 179

3. Louisiana (3) – 174

4. Coastal Carolina (2) – 161

5. Georgia Southern – 125

6. James Madison – 106

7. Old Dominion – 105

8. Texas State – 102

9. App State – 94

10. South Alabama – 93

11. Georgia State – 49

12. Marshall – 46

13. ULM – 34

14. Arkansas State – 24

Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (Jr., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)

Chase Morgan, Louisiana (So., SP – Cypress, Texas)

Chase Morgan, Louisiana (So., SP – Cypress, Texas)

Bryce Blevins, Marshall (Jr., SP – Louisa, Ky.)

Colby Allen, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Louisville, Miss.)

Max Kuhle, James Madison (Jr., RP – Virginia Beach, Va.)

Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (Jr., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)

Matthew Russo, Southern Miss (Jr., 1B – Madisonville, La.)

Blake Barthol, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 2B – Allentown, Pa.)

Ozzie Pratt, Southern Miss (Sr., SS – Alesville, Miss.)

Lee Amedee, Louisiana (Jr., 3B – Gonzales, La.)

Josh Tate, Georgia Southern (Jr., OF – Peachtree City, Ga.)

Luke Waters, Old Dominion (Sr., OF – Laurel, Del.)

Davis Gillespie, Southern Miss (RS So., OF – Birmingham, Ala.)

Ryan Dooley, James Madison (Sr., DH – Reston, Va.)