Madison Giles, Staff Writer

The baseball team at North Greenville University has just been ranked number one in Perfect Game�s 2019 NCAA Division II Preseason poll.

Last year for the first time in program history, the NGU baseball team earned the top ranking in the NCAA Division II tournament.

The coaches and players reactions to seeing NGU as number one was very exciting for the team. Head coach Landon Powell said, �We were flattered and felt like we had accomplished something. The fact that we are getting that kind of recognition before the season starts is a good feeling. It�s better to be ranked number one than not be ranked at all.�

Powell talked about how the most exciting part about the upcoming season is the team�s potential and all the hard work they have put into preparing for the upcoming season. �They are talented enough that the sky�s the limit.�

Senior outfielder, Jared Williams, said, the most exciting part about the upcoming season is �being a part of a great team, they have worked hard and have a tough schedule ahead of them.�

The team has been preparing for the season with the same routine as they always do. Sticking with the same principles, but always looking for ways to improve. �A lot of the same, I don�t think you�re going to see a ton of differences in our style of play.� said Coach Powell. Sophomore catcher, Treyce Bouknight, said �We started as soon as we got back in August with skill groups took Christmas break off and started back in January.�

Since coming to play baseball at NGU Williams said he�s learned �to be relaxed and have fun. You are not going to have fun putting too much pressure on yourself.� Bouknight said he has learned that �If a group of guys come together and fall in love with the process, a lot of good things can happen.�

Coach Powell said some expectations and goals for the upcoming season is �we won the conference championship last year and we want to be able to win our conference again. Our Ultimate goal is to be the last one standing.�

Coach Powell said, �I don�t look at it as pressure obviously there�s expectations, but we are going to approach the game with the same mind set whether we�re the underdog or whether we�re the favorite.�

NGU baseball is going to continue to work hard and to be intentional to maintain the success they have built up over the past couple of years. Coach Powell said, �We�ll continue to work hard, be diligent in recruiting, be intentional with our relationships with players and continue to maintain the culture we have built here. God willing, because all of this is in His hands. If He continues to provide for us and give us opportunities to be successful because we are not just doing this for us, but we are doing this to glorify God.�

Sources: Interviews with Coach Powell, Jared Williams and Treyce Bouknight, NGU Athletics

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