SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The 2020 Augustana baseball team has been ranked second in the NCBWA Division II Central Region Preseason Poll. The Vikings garnered 72 points and one first place vote.

Augustana also claims five athletes on the NCBWA All-Central Region Preseason teams. Seniors Riley Johnson and Max Steffens and juniors JT Mix and Jordan Barth were selected to the first team. Junior Will Olson selected to the second team. 

The Vikings
The 2019 Augustana baseball team followed up its 2018 National Championship season with a 43-16 campaign that featured an NSIC regular season championship in addition to an NSIC tournament championship. After winning the NSIC tournament, the Vikings went 3-0 in the NCAA Central Regional, before falling to Central Missouri in the Super Regional. It was the second season in a row that Augustana won the NSIC Tournament and the second season in which they went undefeated in the regional round. 

The 2020 Augustana baseball team looks to maintain its success from the previous two seasons in the conference, region and on a national scale. The 2020 squad features 30 returners with 13 newcomers. Of the 13 newcomers, nine are freshmen and four are transfers.

Jordan Barth
Barth missed 19 games due to injury last season, but more than made up for it in the 40 games that he did appear in. He hit .422 with 39 runs scored, 65 hits, 14 doubles, 9 homers and 45 RBI's. He also had a .971 fielding percentage and stole nine bases in ten attempts. Barth's sophomore season culminated in a spots on the NCBWA All American Third Team, NCBWA Central Region First Team and All-NSIC First-Team. 

Riley Johnson
Johnson, a senior outfielder, started all 59 games last season and hit .395 with 67 runs scored, 94 hits, 15 doubles, 4 triples, 6 homers and 56 RBI's. He also stole 26 bases in 28 attempts and had a .982 fielding percentage. The now-senior was an NCBWA Central Region honorable mention and was First Team All-NSIC. 

JT Mix
Mix, a junior infielder, started 54 games last season and hit .384 with 45 runs scored, 66 hits, 11 doubles and 32 RBI's. He also walked 31 times, stole 13 bases in 16 attempts and had a .962 fielding percentage. For his efforts, Mix was named to the NCBWA Central Region Second Team and All-NSIC Second Team. 

Max Steffens
In his first year at Augustana in 2019, Steffens garnered almost every pitching award that was available. The now-senior started 15 games and pitched seven complete games. He went 9-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 97.1 innings pitched with 68 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .235. He broke the Augustana record for starts and innings pitched and led the NSIC in both of those categories. He was named to the NCBWA All-American Second Team and was named the NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Year in addition to being the D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year and NSIC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year. 

Will Olson
Olson, a junior catcher, started 50 games last season and hit .349 with 39 runs scored, 60 hits, 14 doubles, 8 homers and 49 RBI's. He stole 10 bases in 12 attempts and had a .987 fielding percentage. For his efforts, Olson was an NCBWA Central Region honorable mention and made the All-NSIC Second-Team.

2020 NCBWA Division II Central Region Preseason Poll
1. Central Missouri: 79 (8 first place votes)
2. Augustana: 72 (1 first place vote)
3. Arkansas-Monticello: 57
4. Minnesota State: 46
5. Central Oklahoma: 41
6. SCSU: 39
7. Oklahoma Baptist: 30
8. Missouri Southern: 28
9. Southern Arkansas: 15
10. Wayne State: 7
 
All-Region First Team
1B: Connor Quick, Sr., Northwest Missouri State, 6-0, 210 lbs., L/R, Fenton, Mo.
2B: JT Mix, Jr., Augustana, 5-9, 185 lbs., R/R, Farmers Branch, Tex.
SS: Nick Alermatt, Soph., Minnesota State, 6-0, 195 lbs., Wanda, Minn.
3B: Tristan Thomas, Sr., Arkansas Tech, 5-11, 190 lbs., Glendale, Ariz.
C: Ramon Enriquez, Sr., Oklahoma Baptist, 6-1, 225 lbs., R/R, San Bruno, Calif.
OF: Erik Webb, Sr., Central Missouri, 5-8, 195 lbs., R/R, St. Peter's, Mo.
OF: Riley Johnson, Sr., Augustana, 5-9, 185 lbs., R/R, Champlin, Minn.
OF: David Reyna, Jr., Arkansas-Monticello, 5-9, 175, R/R, Santa Fe, Tex.
SP: Max Steffens, Sr., Augustana, 6-1, 200 lbs., R/R, DeWitt, Iowa
SP: Zach Parish, Sr., Missouri Southern, 6-2, 195 lbs., L/L, Tahlequah, Okla.
SP: Dylan Hall, Sr., Central Oklahoma, 6-5, 225 lbs., R/R, Stafford, Va.
RP: Jonathan Sprinkle, Jr., Central Missouri, 6-6, 225 lbs., R/R, Overland Park, Kan.
UT: Jordan Barth, Jr., Augustana, 6-1, 200 lbs., R/R, Cold Spring, Minn.
DH: Andrew Hanson, Jr., Wayne State, 6-1, 180 lbs., R/R, Burnsville, Minn.
 
 
All-Region Second Team
1B: Miles Humphreys, Sr., Harding, 5-10, 195, R/R, Jackson, Tenn.
2B: Teddy Petersen, Sr., Minnesota State, 5-9, 190 lbs., R/R, Glencoe, Minn.
SS: Alex Madera, Sr., Central Missouri, 5-10, 170 lbs.. R/R, Williamstad, Curacao
& Spencer Gillund, Jr., University of Mary, 6-0, 195 lbs., Enderlin, N.D.
3B: Tyler Riebock, Jr., Ouachita Baptist, 6-0, 195 lbs., Rockwall, Tex.
C: Will Olson, Jr., Augustana, 5-10, 230 lbs., R/R, Omaha, Neb.
& Andrew Piraino, Sr., Arkansas-Monticello, 5-11, 195 lbs., R/R, Fullerton, Calif.
OF: Alex Logelin, Jr., Wayen State, 6-0, 190 lbs., Cologne, Minn.
OF: Bryce Beckmann, Sr., Lindenwood, 6-2, 196 lbs., R/R, Germantown, Ill.
OF: Lenny Walker, Sr., St. Cloud State, 5-10, 196 lbs., R/R, Tolleson, Ariz.
SP: Matt Lundh, Sr., Arkansas-Monticello, 6-1, 205 lbs., R/R, Phoenix, Ariz.
SP: Jon Ludwig, Sr., Minnesota State, 6-6, 215 lbs., R/R, Plymouth, Minn.
SP: Ryan Obrecht, So., Wayne State, 6-4, 170 lbs., R/R, Omaha, Neb.
RP: Ryder Yakel, Sr., Harding, 6-2, 200 lbs., R/R, Lakin, Kan.
& Matt Kortendick, Sr., Southern Arkansas, 6-0, 175 lbs., Sugar Land, Tex.
UT:  Cam Kline, Jr., Minnesota State, 6-0, 200 lbs., R/R, Stacy, Minn.
DH: Reece Garvie, Sr., Pitt State, 5-11, 185 lbs, L/R, Edmond, Okla.
 
Augustana, currently playing ball in the Dominican Republic, returns to the United States on Feb. 3 and plays its first regular-season games on Feb. 8 against the Boll Weevils of Arkansas Monticello in Monticello, Arkansas.