KINGSTON, R.I. - The Rhode Island baseball team has been picked to third in the Atlantic 10 this season, in voting conducted among the conference's head coaches. The Rams won the A-10 North Division a year ago, posting a 13-6 mark in league play.

Defending champion VCU is the preseason favorite, receiving 11 of a possible 12 first-place votes, followed by Dayton, which was the only other team to receive a first-place vote. Rhody (third), Saint Louis (fourth) and Davidson (fifth), Fordham (sixth) and George Washington (seventh) round out the top-7, with seven teams qualifying for the league's postseason championship.

The 2022 Rams return a pitching staff that combined to make 35 of the team's 55 starts last season, including fifth-year senior Ryan Twitchell, who was 5-1 with a 2.97 ERA over 75.2 innings. Sophomore Trystan Levesque also collected five wins last year, finishing his rookie campaign with 41 strikeouts over 45.1 innings pitched.

Offensively, Rhode Island graduated six position players who made 20-or-more starts a year ago, but the Rams also welcome back six players who started 20+ games. Fifth-year senior Xavier Vargas will be one of Rhody's top power threats after finishing the 2021 season with a team-best 58 RBI and 11 home runs, as well as a .468 slugging percentage. Senior Billy Butler had a .422 on-base percentage a year ago, and was tops on the team with a .337 batting average and a .584 slugging percentage.

Led by two-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Raphael Cerrato, Rhode Island opens the 2022 season with a three game series at William & Mary (Feb. 18-19). The teams will play on Friday at 3 p.m., followed by a Saturday afternoon doubleheader begining at noon.

2022 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Poll
Total votes (first-place votes)
1. VCU - 143 (11)
2. Dayton - 122 (1)
3. Rhode Island - 101
4. Saint Louis - 94
5. Davidson - 91
6. Fordham - 83
7. George Washington - 80
8. Richmond - 76
9. Saint Joseph's - 73
10. George Mason - 33
11. Massachusetts - 26
12. St. Bonaventure - 14