BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- With the start of the 2023 baseball around the corner, the Gulf South Conference released its preseason poll, all-conference team and newcomer watchlist on Thursday, Jan. 26.
 
Mississippi College was tabbed 10th in a vote by the conference's head coaches. The Blue and Gold, which received 46 points in the poll, looks to return to the GSC Tournament for the first time since the 2019 campaign.
 
The Choctaw will lean on 17 returners from a season ago along with a slew of new faces on the roster, headlined by three on the conference's watchlist, Bridley Thomas, Kyle Collet and JT Vance. The newcomer trio all arrive in Clinton from the NJCAA system with Thomas and Vance playing in the Magnolia State.
 
Thomas comes to MC via Meridian Community College, where he played two seasons for Dillon Sudduth's Eagles. He hit .330 in his last season in the Green and White and drove in 27 runs. He started his baseball career at nearby Northwest Rankin High School under the tutelage of longtime Cougar bench boss Jeff McClasky.
 
Vance played two season at East Central Community College before his arrival in Clinton. He posted a .326 clip at the dish last season for Neal Holliman's Warriors and recorded 32 RBI. He also served as team captain for the Black and Gold. Prior to his time in Decatur, Miss., he prepped at Union High School for Joey Wars, where he was a three-time all-region selection.
 
Collet began his collegiate career in the Lone Star State at Ranger College under Scott Norwood. He was a first team all-conference selection for the Purple and Black and registered a 5-1 record on the bump along with a save last season and compiled a 2.25 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He prepped at Riverdale High School under Sean Temple and was a three-time all-district selection.
 
In-state and conference foe, Delta State University, received the top spot in the preseason ranking. The Green and White logged five of the conference's 13 first-place votes and received 130 points. Nationally ranked Lee University garnered six first-place votes and finished three points behind the Statesmen. The University of Montevallo and the University of West Florida each picked up a first-place nod. The Falcons were selected third while the Argonauts were pinned sixth.
 
Mississippi College opens the campaign on Friday, Feb. 3 as it hosts the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the first of a three-game series. First pitch is at 3 p.m.