CANYON, Texas – The defending Lone Star Conference Champion Buffaloes of West Texas A&M have been tabbed second in the 2022 LSC Baseball Preseason Poll announced on Thursday afternoon by the league's offices in Richardson, Texas.
 
Angelo State picked up 27 of the possible 36 first place votes to sit atop of the poll with 452 points followed by West Texas A&M with five first place votes and 432 total points. UT Tyler sat third with 364 points followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville (three first place, 360), Oklahoma Christian (315), Lubbock Christian (289), St. Mary's (one first place, 287), UAFS (201), St. Edward's (195), UT Permian Basin (138), Texas A&M International (106), Cameron (90) and Eastern New Mexico (47).
 
ASU's Aaron Walters was named the league's Preseason Player of the Year while teammate Carson Childers picked up Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades.
 
The 2021 campaign saw the Buffaloes claim their third Lone Star Conference Championship with a 28-4 mark in league action as they advanced to a seventh straight NCAA Tournament, making an appearance in the program's first ever Regional Finals with an overall record of 34-9.
 
Matt Vanderburg has built West Texas A&M Baseball into a regional and national contender as the Norman, Oklahoma native enters his 14th season at the helm of the Buffs. He holds an overall record of 409-238 (.632) during his time in Canyon while registering a career record of 508-299 (.629) in his 17 seasons in collegiate baseball.
 
The 2022 schedule is highlighted by 26 regular season home games at Wilder Park with a maximum of 50 Division II contests, 48 of those coming in Lone Star Conference action with four-game series against all 12 member institutions.
 
WT welcomes Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference members Colorado State-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands for a three-game round robin tournament to open the season on February 4-5. The second annual "Bob Sloan Baseball Classic" honors former WTAMU head coach Bob "Skip" Sloan.