The TCU Horned Frog baseball team was selected to win its sixth consecutive Mountain West Conference title, according to a vote of the seven MWC head coaches and a selected media panel. TCU received all 16 first-place votes. Additionally, six players earned preseason all-conference recognition.
Under the direction of 2010 NCBWA Coach of the Year Jim Schlossnagle, TCU returns its entire starting rotation and seven starting position players from a Horned Frog squad that finished the season with a 54-14 overall (21-5 MWC) record and No. 3 ranking in the final polls. The Frogs captured both the Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to the semifinals of the 2010 College World Series.
Consensus 2010 Freshman Pitcher of the Year Matt Purke (So./LHP) headlines the list of TCU returnees and is joined by fellow all-MWC performers Steven Maxwell (Sr./RHP); Kyle Winkler (Jr./RHP); Jason Coats (Jr./OF); Taylor Featherston (Jr./SS); Jerome Pena (Sr./2B) and Brance Rivera (Jr./OF). TCU enters the 2011 campaign ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls, and No. 3 in the Baseball America poll.
Purke, Maxwell, Coats, Featherston, Pena and Jantzen Witte were all tabbed preseason all-conference.
Purke, Maxwell, Coats, Featherston, Pena and Jantzen Witte were all tabbed preseason all-conference.
