BURNSVILLE, Minn. --- The Minnesota State baseball team - the reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament Champions - was picked as the 2023 preseason favorite the league announced today.

The Mavericks, who finished last year with a 39-9 record (28-5), amassed 188 points after receiving eight first-place votes.

MSU is returning 22 players from last year's roster with two named to the Players to Watch list in senior outfielder Ryan Wickman and junior right-handed pitcher Nathan Culley.

Wickman - who was a First-Team All-NSIC selection a year ago - started 48 games in centerfield for the Mavericks in 2022. The outfielder was second on the Mavericks in terms of batting average (.367) and led everyday players with a .491 on-base percentage. He also sported a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, which included 101 putouts and three assists.  In addition to being named to the first-team all-conference list, he was also selected to the NSIC All-Defensive Team.

The Spring Green was a perfect 14-for-14 on stealing bases and led the Mavericks in hit by pitch (18) on the year matching an NCAA DII single-game record when plunked five times vs. UMary in Sioux City, Iowa (March 26).

Cully - a native of Andover, Minn. - was named to the All-NSIC Second Team a year as he led MSU with a 1.28 ERA and had a 4-1 won-loss mark while fanning 56 batters in 42.1 innings of work. A year ago, Cully limited opponents to a .214 batting average which led Minnesota State

The Mavericks open their 2023 campaign Feb. 17 in Joplin, Mo., against Missouri Western at 1 p.m.