The Shippensburg University baseball team was voted fourth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Preseason Coaches' Poll released Thursday afternoon by the league office.
 
The PSAC Preseason polls are voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
The 2023 Raiders feature 15 returnees from the 2022 roster. Among the key returning players are graduates Justin Byler and Noah Nabholz, along with junior Andrew Chronister.
 
Also returning for Shippensburg are juniors Joe Barbera and Jackson LoBianco, who both earned All-PSAC Eastern Division Honors. Barbera was named to the All-PSAC Eastern Division First Team at second base, while LoBianco was named to the Eastern Division's Second Team as a relief pitcher.
 
LoBianco was also named an honorable mention in the preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-Atlantic Region Team.
 
This season's roster includes 10 newcomers, such as sophomore transfer Jaxon Dalena and freshman pitcher J.T. Weaver.
 
SU enters its 17th season under the direction of head coach Matt Jones, who has 403 wins managing the Raiders.
 
Shippensburg opens the season with back-to-back road trips to North Carolina, facing Catawba in Week 1 and Mount Olive in Week 2. The conference opener is March 10 versus West Chester.
 
EAST (# of First-Place Votes)
1. Millersville (3)
2. West Chester (3)
3. East Stroudsburg (3)
4. Shippensburg
5. Bloomsburg
6. Shepherd
7. Mansfield
8. Lock Haven
9. Kutztown
 
WEST
1. Seton Hill (4)
2. Mercyhurst
3. Gannon (3)
4. Slippery Rock (1)
5. IUP
6. California (Pa.)
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Clarion