Bucs Earn Highest Preseason Ranking in Program History at #4
The Florida SouthWestern Baseball team will start their 2025 season in new territory this weekend as the Bucs will open their campaign ranked #4 in the NJCAA National Rankings, the team’s highest preseason National Ranking in program history.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Florida SouthWestern Baseball team will start their 2025 season in new territory this weekend as the Bucs will open their campaign ranked #4 in the NJCAA National Rankings, the team's highest preseason National Ranking in program history.
The Bucs are coming off of a 37-21 season in which they finished as runners-up in the Citrus Conference standings and reached the FCSAA State Tournament Final Four for the first time in the regional era. They spent five weeks ranked inside the NJCAA Top 20 a season ago, cresting at #12 in the week eight poll.
FSW returns five contributors from last year's squad while retooling with a number of impact transfers. The Bucs are set to get a boost from Luke Orfi who led Georgia Highlands to the Juco World Series a season ago, hitting .438 with 16 home runs and 56 stolen bases as well as Carlos Sanchez who was a 1st Team FCSAA All-State selection a season ago at St. Petersburg after hitting .370 with 20 stolen bases on the year.
The defending National Champion Blinn Buccaneers lead the Preseason Poll while McLennan and Iowa Western check in at #2 and #3 in front of the Bucs with Johnson County rounding out the Top 5. The Bucs are joined in the poll by FCSAA members Chipola at #12 and Indian River at #22 while Central Florida and State College of Florida are both receiving votes to start the year.
FSW opens their 2025 campaign on Friday at CoolToday Park, Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves, when they take on State College of Florida in a 6 PM first pitch in Venice. The Bucs open their home schedule Saturday and Sunday at Buccaneers Park in Fort Myers when they host St. Johns River in a 2 PM start Saturday and a noon first pitch Sunday.