CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Results of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Baseball Preseason Poll (as voted on by the league's head coaches): 
 

2018 IIAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank	School (1st place votes)	Points	2017 Record
1.	Wartburg College (6)	61	33-14, 19-5 IIAC (IIAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions)
2.	University of Dubuque (3)	55	23-17, 17-7 IIAC
3.	Buena Vista University	48	26-17, 15-9 IIAC
4.	Coe College	43	24-18, 13-11 IIAC
5.	Central College	37	20-22, 12-12 IIAC
6.	Luther College	31	27-17, 15-9 IIAC
7.	Loras College	22	14-25, 7-17 IIAC
8.	Nebraska Wesleyan	16	13-27, 6-18 IIAC
9.	Simpson College	11	7-29, 4-20 IIAC

Wartburg College earned 61 points in the poll, recording six of the nine-first place votes (coaches do not vote on their own team). For capsules on all nine teams --follow here:

D3baseball.com - ABCA/CBN Poll:  2017 IIAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions Wartburg College is ranked No. 29 in the preseason ABCA/CBN national poll.  2017 IIAC regular season runner-up, University of Dubuque, is receiving votes in the preseason D3baseball.com poll.

New Coaches: No new coaches

A COACH WHO WILL BE MISSED:  Luke Kalb, University of Dubuque pitching coach. It's with heavy hearts that the announcement of Pitching Coach Luke Kalb's final out arrived to early. Kalb, a Dubuque, Iowa native, was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FHCC), a rare form of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often referred to as liver cancer just a month after beginning as a graduate assistant for the Spartans in October 2014. The 32 year-old sadly passed away on Sat., Feb. 10 at 5:15 p.m. Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Leonard Funeral Home and Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, Dubuque, Iowa. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 at St. Columbkille Catholic Church. Click Here for CBS Denver news story. Click Here for University of Dubuque news story.

The Schedule: IIAC play consists of a 24-game round-robin season with three game series vs. each school. The 2018 Iowa Conference schedule begins the weekend of March 23-24 with Nebraska Wesleyan hosting Coe, Central traveling to Dubuque, Simpson playing at home against Loras and Buena Vista playing at Luther. Wartburg will play its first league series against Nebraska Wesleyan on March 30-31 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  

IIAC Tournament: The 2018 Iowa Conference Tournament will be held May 10-12 on Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The winner of the double-elimination tournament will receive the Iowa Conference's automatic berth in the 2018 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship tournament. 
 

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* Please note, only returners are listed in the "By the Numbers" sections
 

No. 1 Wartburg College Head Coach: Joel Holst (23rd season at Wartburg; W/L: 674-319-4) 2017 IIAC Finish: 1st (IIAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions) 2017 NCAA Tournament Qualifier     - (W) Vs. Webster University: 3-0     - (L) Vs. North Central College: 3-8     - (W Vs. Washington University St. Louis: 1-0     - (L) Vs. Birmingham-Southern College: 1-6 Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 1/3 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: NA All-IIAC Returning: Cody Hyler (First Team - 2017); Eric Willis (First Team - 2017); Austin Bholing (HM - 2017); Clay Henning (HM - 2017, Second Team - 2016); Tanner Eckhart (Second Team - 2016) All-IIAC Lost: Taylor Gilson (Pitcher of the Year - 2017, First Team - 2016, 2017), Jake Thumann (Postion Player of the Year - 2017, 2015, First Team - 2016); Max Langheinrich (First Team - 2017, Second Team - 2016, 2015); Joel Holst - “We will be a very veteran and athletic positional team. After losing some veteran pitching from last year, our key challenge will be building depth from some young arms through early part of season. League will be highly competitive as usual!”

 

2017 Team Batting Avg. (IIAC Games Only)
School	Avg.
Wartburg	.326
Coe	.286
Central	.278
Luther	.275
Buena Vista	.265
Loras	.262
Nebraska Wesleyan	.261
Dubuque	.253
Simpson	.216
* Wartburg had a league-high .326 team batting average and .414 on base percentage in 2017. Three of the top four returning batting averages reside on the Wartburg roster, in Cody Hyler (No.1 - .402), Eric Willis (No.2 - .398) and Blake Mahoney (No. 4 - .380). The trio also own three of the top four spots in hits. Wills is the top returner with 41, Mahoney and Hyler are tied for third with 35. On the mound Austin Bohling brings back the league's fourth best ERA among returning players at 1.88 (Min 0.5 IP/Team game).

 

2017 Team Pitching ERA (IIAC Games Only)
School	ERA
Dubuque	2.57
Wartburg	2.72
Buena Vista	2.86
Luther	3.34
Central	3.69
Coe	4.19
Loras	4.96
Nebraska Wesleyan	5.31
Simpson	6.72
* The Spartans return three All-Iowa Conference pitcher to the mound in 2018. Nathan Schneidermann, a first-team All-IIAC selection a season ago held the league's top ERA (0.00) in relief duty for the Spartans (Min 0.5 IP/Team game). Owning the conference's third best ERA of returning pitchers is Chase Kueter. Kueter ended his freshman campaign with a 1.45 league ERA on his way to earning first-team All-IIAC (Min 0.5 IP/Team game). Doug Van Dyke returns for his senior outing after earning second-team All-IIAC as a junior and tying for the league lead in wins with six.

 

No. 3 Buena Vista University  Head Coach: Steve Eddie (18th season at Buena Vista; W/L: 397-291-2) 2017 IIAC Finish: T-3rd Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 8/8 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 7/4 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/12 All-IIAC Returning: Noah Paper (First Team - 2017, HM - 2016) All-IIAC Lost: Jake Lewis (First Team - 2017); Dalton Mason (Second Team - 2017); Kolby Hilgenberg (Second Team - 2017); Kendall Candor (Second Team - 2017, First Team - 2016); Jacob Hadaway (HM - 2017, First Team - 2016) Steve Eddie - "We are looking forward to an exciting 2018 season. We have a good group of guys this year who really enjoy being around each other. We will need to have a consistent mind set as the IIAC will be well balanced this year."

 

2017 Team Fielding Percentage (IIAC Games Only)
School	PO-A-E	Fielding %
Wartburg	616-248-28	.969
Central	629-271-37	.961
Buena Vista	633-274-43	.955
Simpson	607-262-43	.953
Loras	615-251-45	.951
Luther	623-273-47	.950
Dubuque	642-259-48	.949
Nebraska Wesleyan	630-295-51	.948
Coe	625-245-49	.947
* Noah Paper returns for the Beavers with the leagues' top assists total at 83. The senior infielder earned second-team All-IIAC a season ago. Also returning is sophomore infielder Bryce Rheault, who led the league in fielded double plays last season with 18.

 
 

No. 4 Coe College Head Coach: Steve Cook (22nd season at Coe; W/L: 456-422-1 ) 2017 IIAC Finish: 5th Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/3 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 2/2 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 14/9 All-IIAC Returning: Kevin DeLaney (First Team - 2017, 2016); Jack Greene (Second Team - 2017); Jacob Burns (Second Team - 2017) All-IIAC Lost: Thomas Schaedel (Second Team - 2017); Andrew Brierton (Second Team - 2017, 2016); Ben Jacobson (Second Team - 2017, 2016) Steve Cook - “The Iowa Conference should be strong again in 2018.  Looking forward to competing in each series and trying to earn a spot in the conference tournament.  Our team will carry some returning starters on the field but will need early season non-conference games to begin shaping an inexperienced pitching staff.”

 

2017 Triples (IIAC Games Only)
Player - School	Number of 3B
Kevin Delaney - Coe	3
David Fitzgeral - Wartburg	3
Peyton Renning - Buena Vista	2
Jared Herzog - Simpson	2
Blake Mahoney - Wartburg	2
Devin Wagenman - Buena Vista	2
* The Kohawks return one of the most consistent bats in the IIAC over the past two seasons in Kevin DeLaney. DeLaney enters his junior season after being selected first-team All-IIAC his first two years. A season ago he was the league leader in triples (3), third in runs scored (22), fourth in doubles (8) and fifth in hits (33). Fellow All-IIAC member Jacob Burns will be back at the plate in 2018. Burns holds the seventh best batting average (.344) of returning IIAC players. Jack Greene, a second-team All-IIAC selection in 2017, returns to the mound in 2018. Greene ranks No. 3 in strikeouts (42) among returning pitchers.

 

No. 5 Central College Head Coach: Matt Schirm (4th season at Central, W/L: 52-73) 2017 IIAC Finish: 6th Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 4/5 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 2/2 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 12/9 All-IIAC Returning: Dylan Diveney (First Team - 2017, Pitcher of the Year 2015) All-IIAC Lost: Seth Griffiths (First Team - 2017); Billy Coppage (HM - 2017) Matt Schirm - "As always, the 2018 Iowa Conference season will be extremely competitive, with every team in the hunt for the title. We will be a young, but talented and deep team looking to take another big step forward this season."

 

2017 Team Triples (IIAC Games Only)
School	Number
Central	9
Wartburg	8
Coe	6
Luther	6
Buena Vista	5
Dubuque	5
Loras	4
Simpson	4
Nebraska Wesleyan	2
* The Dutch led the conference in triples during the 2017 season but graduated two hitters that tallied six of their nine. Returning at the plate will be Trevor Kimm, Garrett Saunders and Chris Riddle, who all had one triple in conference play. On the mound Central will look to veteran pitcher Dylan Diveney. In 2017 Diveney was selected first-team All-IIAC and was honored as the 2015 Pitcher of the Year. Diveney recorded the third best ERA in 2017 at 1.17 in 30.2 innings pitched.

   
 

No. 6 Luther College Head Coach: Bryan Nikkel (4th season at Luther; W/L: 81-54) 2017 IIAC Finish: T-3rd Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 6/3 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 1/3 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 20/10 All-IIAC Returning: Mitch Bruggers (First Team - 2017); Bryce Hingst (Second Team - 2017); Jake Vogt (Second Team - 2017) All-IIAC Lost: Joe Silversmith (First Team - 2017, Second Team - 2016); Cody Reimer (First Team - 2017, HM - 2016); Nate Beckman (Second Team - 2017, Pitcher of the Year - 2016); Jon Opdahl (Second Team - 2016); Teddy Klingsporn (HM - 2017, First Team - 2015) Bryan Nikkel - “After losing a large portion of our innings pitched. I am really excited for the guys who have been working hard the last couple years and now will get their shot. We will be a young group and hopefully be able to keep pace with a grueling IIAC schedule.”

 

2017 Team Doubles (IIAC Games Only)
School	Number
Luther	53
Dubuque	45
Wartburg	45
Coe	44
Central	39
Buena Vista	38
Simpson	29
Nebraska Wesleyan	27
Loras	26
* The IIAC leader in doubles a season ago, as well as a second-team All-Conference selection, Bryce Hingst will be in the batters box once again in 2018. Hingst had a conference best 10 doubles in 2017. Teammate and fellow All-IIAC honoree, Jake Vogt, was tied for third in doubles last season with nine. Luther's depth at the plate continues in 2018 with Mitch Bruggers also back. Bruggers was selected first-team All-IIAC designated hitter in 2017. Bruggers helped add to the Norse double total, tallying seven of his own.

    

No. 7 Loras College Head Coach: Carl Tebon (22nd season at Loras; W/L: 435-440-4) 2017 IIAC Finish: 7th Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost:  Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  All-IIAC Returning: Austin Konagel (Second Team - 2017, First Team - 2016); Danny Paluch (HM - 2017); Ryan Koester (Second Team - 2016) All-IIAC Lost: Luke Leibforth (Second Team - 2017) Carl Tebon - “The 2018 season will be very interesting to watch and see how teams have changed. A lot good players graduated in 2017. We have a team that has a lot of leadership with 10 Seniors returning and the major part of them on the mound.  Our team has some great young talent as well and should help us be very competitive in the IIAC this year.”

 

2017 Team Stolen Bases (IIAC Games Only)
School	ERA
Loras	43
Luther	41
Wartburg	32
Buena Vista	27
Nebraska Wesleyan	25
Coe	24
Central	24
Simpson	16
Dubuque	14
* The Duhawks Austin Konagel's seven stolen bases in 2017 is tied for second among players returning in 2018. Konagel was a second-team All-IIAC honoree in 2017 with a .397 batting average that ranks third-best among IIAC players returning and a .494 on base percentage. His 2017 on base percentage leads all returning players. Junior outfielder Danny Paluch will be back on the diamond in 2018. Paluch finished 2017 with the league's 10th best on base percentage at .436.

 
 

No. 8 Nebraska Wesleyan University Head Coach: Scott Ballinger (4th season at Nebraska Wesleyan; W/L: 36-80) 2017 IIAC Finish: 8th Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 7/2 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 4/0 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 23/6 All-Conference Returning: Owen Gubbles (Second Team - 2017); Jesse Maguire (HM - 2017); Kyle Hunter (HM - 2017) All Conference Lost: Scott Ballinger - “The 2018 NWU Baseball team looks to have a breakout season.  The squad returns 22 players with varsity experience.  The pitching staff looks to build off of last season, returning the top two starters, while adding depth to the backend of the bullpen. Defensively, the Prairie Wolves will rely on experience, as the outfield will be manned with 3 varsity returners as well as an infield that will return all of their varsity starters. On offense, NWU will be led by its five RBI leaders from last season. The IIAC is full of talented, well coached baseball programs. NWU is excited to embark on year two of its affiliation with the conference and looks forward to the tough competitions with this experienced group of young men.”

 

2017 Team Sac Bunts (IIAC Games Only)
School	Number
Nebraska Wesleyan	28
Simpson	22
Dubuque	20
Buena Vista	18
Wartburg	16
Central	15
Coe	13
Loras	12
Luther	10
* The small ball game was led by the Prairie Wolves in 2017, who laid down 28 sacrifice bunts. Kyle Hunter laid down four of NWU's 28 sac bunts last season. Owen Gubbles owns NWU's top returning league batting average at .310 and Hunter owns the second with a .296. Both players earned honorable mention All-IIAC in 2017. Returning on the mound for the Prairie Wolves will be HM All-IIAC selection Jesse Maguire. Maguire recorded a 3.35 ERA in 51 innings pitched a season ago.

   

No. 9 Simpson College Head Coach: Nathan Roling (2nd season at Simpson; W/L: 7-29) 2016 IIAC Finish: 9th Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/4 Starting Pitchers Returning/Lost: 6/5 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/11 All-IIAC Returning: Hunter Hillygus (HM - 2017) All-IIAC Lost: None Nathan Roling - “This is a highly motivated group that is excited to prove themselves. We will rely on a core group of upperclassmen in the early going as our youth gains experience. With veterans on the mound, occupying key spots in the lineup, and a talented younger group, we feel confident in taking a big step forward. The competitiveness of the Iowa Conference will continue to be high and we look forward to the competition each and every series."

 

2017 Individual On Base Percentage (IIAC Games Only)
Player-School	On Base %
Austin Konagel - Loras	.494
Eric Willis - Wartburg	.475
Cody Hyler - Wartburg	.455
Will Doherty - Dubuque	.450
Blake Mahoney - Wartburg	.445
Thomas Kempf - Dubuque	.438
Noah Paper - Buena Vista	.436
Danny Paluch - Loras	.436
Clay Henning - Wartburg	.435
Bryce Hingst - Luther	.412
Hunter Hillygus - Simpson	.409
* Simpson returns honorable mention All-IIAC honoree Hunter Hillygus in 2018. Hillygus ranks 10th batting average (.321) and 11th in on base percentage (.409) among IIAC players returning. Simpson held their own in the field last season, ranking fourth in the league with a fielding percentage of .953. In 2017 the Storm finished with a team batting average of .216, a team pitching EAR of 6.72. In the second year at the helm, Head Coach Nathan Roling will look for the Storm to make improvements in all phases of the game.

 

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