The first set of preseason rankings for the 2021 season are out and the University of Louisville baseball team sits 11th in Collegiate Baseball’s initial rankings.
Florida holds the top spot in the poll, while the Cardinals are one of five Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the top 25.
Louisville was 13-4 during the shortened 2020 season, opening the year as the top-ranked team in the country.
Head coach Dan McDonnell is set to begin his 15th season at the helm of the Louisville program, which has the most wins of any team in the country since the start of McDonnell’s tenure in 2007.
The Cardinals return six starting position players from 2020 led by outfielder Levi Usher (.411, 2 HR, 10 RBI) and catcher Henry Davis (.372, 3 HR, 13 RBI). Louisville also brings back Alex Binelas and Lucas Dunn, who missed the majority of the 2020 season due to injury.
On the mound, the Cardinals will look to replace first round selections Reid Detmers and Bobby Miller but return right-hander Luke Smith in the weekend rotation. Glenn Albanese, Adam Elliott and Michael Kirian lead the rest of the returning pitchers after the trio combined for 43 strikeouts in 25 innings with just three earned runs allowed last spring.
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| STEPHEN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Information Director | Louisville Athletics |