SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- The Slippery Rock University baseball team was recently listed among the top-40 squads in a pair of preseason Division II national rankings.

The Rock, under the direction of 25-year head coach Jeff Messer, was ranked 25th in the Ping!Baseball preseason poll announced Wednesday and earned a share of the 38th spot in the American Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll released Dec. 21.

The third preseason poll of the season, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) ranking, is scheduled to be released Feb. 1.

SRU returns five position starters and two of its top starting pitchers from last year's team, which compiled a 36-15 final record and finished third in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division competition. Headlining the list of returning players are NCBWA Preseason All-America selections Vince Lloyd (senior right-handed pitcher), Billy Messer (senior second baseman) and Jacob Oswalt (senior left fielder).

The Rock is scheduled to open its 2010 season Feb. 20 with a doubleheader against Tiffin (University) at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The Rock is scheduled to meet Tiffin in a second twinbill the following day, then visit West Virginia State for a pair of doubleheaders Feb. 27 and 28 before heading to Lakeland, Fla. and Savannah, Ga. for 12 games as part of its annual spring break trip.

SRU's home opener is scheduled for March 16, when the Green and White will host Washington Adventist University (formerly Columbia Union College) in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park.

Click here to view the 2010 Rock schedule

Click here to view the ABCA preseason poll