The Wildcats received 98 points in voting conducted by league coaches after placing ninth in the NSIC last season with records of 19-26 overall and 13-18 in the NSIC.
Minnesota State, the defending NSIC tournament champions, were voted as the team to beat in the NSIC this season, collecting eight first-place votes and 188 points with Augustana, last year’s NSIC regular-season champions, coming in second at 185 points and five first-place ballots.
Listed as Wildcats to Watch in the NSIC this season are senior outfielder Colin Lynam and sophomore pitcher Corbin Kirk.
Lynam, a 6-foot, 185-pound senior outfielder, ranked second on the Wildcat team last season in batting average (.333) and led the team in runs scored with 40. He had four home runs with 24 RBI and recorded a team-best 17 multi-hit games.
Kirk, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound sophomore lefthander, transfers to Wayne State from Western Nebraska Community College, where last season he posted a 5-5 record in 50 innings of work with a 4.14 ERA and 78 strikeouts.
Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2023 season on Friday, Feb. 17 at Missouri S&T in Rolla, Mo. The ‘Cats home opener is set for Saturday, March 18, hosting Minnesota Crookston at 1:30 p.m.
