KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan baseball team was picked to finish in fifth place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) West Division in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Broncos received one first place vote and one MAC Tournament Champion vote as well.

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Kent State was picked to repeat as MAC East Champions and was awarded the most MAC Tournament Championship votes as well (4). Ball State was picked to repeat as MAC West Champions with five first place votes. Following Ball State in the West is Central Michigan, Toledo, Northern Illinois, WMU and Eastern Michigan. In the East following Kent State, it's Miami, Ohio, Bowling Green and Buffalo.

The Broncos went 4-1 at the MAC Tournament in 2016, ending in a MAC Tournament Championship and WMU's first NCAA Regional appearance since 1989. WMU became the lowest seed to ever win the MAC Tournament as the No. 7, as the team defeated No. 2 Ball State, No. 3 Miami, No. 6 Central Michigan and No. 1 Kent State in the MAC Tournament Championship. Under head coach Billy Gernon, the Brown & Gold has found success in the MAC Tournament, going 9-9 in Gernon's six years; a winning percentage that trails just one MAC school in that span. Of the team's that have qualified, Gernon's squad has the second most postseason wins in the past six years, thanks in large part to the fact that the Broncos have never gone 0-2 at the MAC Tournament in that span, a stat no other team in the league can boast. Prior to Gernon's hire, WMU did not win a game in the tournament since 1998.

WMU opens the season on Friday, Feb. 17 at Kennesaw State at 4 p.m. and stays in the state of Georgia to battle Georgia State on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. and Georgia Tech on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.