WICHITA, Kan. -- The Wichita State baseball team is picked eighth in the American Conference preseason poll announced Tuesday.

The Shockers garnered 24 points in the 10-team poll. Defending conference tournament champion East Carolina topped the poll with 75 points, just ahead of defending regular season champion UTSA (70). Charlotte and Tulane each snagged a single first-place vote.

2026 American Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)

1. East Carolina (4) -- 75
2. UTSA (4) -- 70
3. Charlotte (1) -- 62
4. Tulane (1) -- 57
5. South Florida -- 54
6. Florida Atlantic -- 45
7. Rice -- 28
8. Wichita State -- 24
9. Memphis -- 19
10. UAB -- 16

Wichita State is coming off a 20-36 mark in 2025, including an 11-16 record in American Conference play. Brian Green returns for a third season as head coach, leading a new-look roster that includes 31 newcomers to the program. Green's junior college recruiting class was ranked #12 nationally by JBB and true freshman Ethan Rogers was tabbed the #57-ranked freshman to arrive on campus and the #1-ranked freshman pitcher in the American Conference by D1Baseball.

2026 Preseason All-Conference Team
P – Andrew Kribbs, Charlotte
P – Ethan Norby, East Carolina*
P – Robert Orloski, UTSA
RP – Joseph Taylor, Charlotte
RP – Brayden Sanders, Memphis
RP – Conner Kelley, UTSA
C – Andrew Stucky, UTSA
1B – Austin Irby, East Carolina
2B – Shane Cox, Memphis
SS – Brando Leroux, Florida Atlantic
3B – Dawson Bryce, Charlotte
OF – Braden Burress, East Carolina
OF – Marshall Lipsey, Florida Atlantic*
OF – Drew Detlefsen, UTSA
OF – Jason Wachs, Tulane
DH – Matthias Haas, Tulane

Preseason Player of the Year
Dawson Bryce, 3B, Charlotte

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ethan Norby, East Carolina*

* denotes unanimous selection