MADISON, S.D. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) baseball coaches’ tabbed Bellevue (Neb.) to win  its conference title, the preseason coaches’ poll was announced Wednesday. The Bruins were picked to win the  league title for the sixth consecutive year. 

Bellevue was the unanimous pick to win the conference title with eight first-place votes and collected 64 points.  Mayville State (N.D.) was tabbed second after finishing 55 points in the preseason poll. Valley City State (N.D.)  was third with 48 points, followed by Waldorf (Iowa) fourth with 40 points. 

Viterbo (Wis.) claimed the fifth spot in the coaches’ preseason poll after tallying 29 points. Dakota State (S.D.)  was picked to finish sixth after recording 23 points. Dickinson State (N.D.) returns to NSAA baseball conference  after a two-year hiatus and finished seventh in the poll with 16 points. Presentation (S.D.) was eighth with 13  points. 

Points are awarded on an 8-1 basis and coaches can vote for their own team. 

The North Star Athletic Association baseball conference season officially kicks off near the end of March. Each  school is slated to play a total of 28 North Star conference baseball games. The North Star Baseball  Conference Postseason Tournament is scheduled for May 7-10 in Valley City, N.D. 

There is an automatic bid from the North Star Athletic Association for the NAIA Baseball National Tournament  Opening Round, which is held on May 17-20. The postseason tournament winner will earn a trip to the national  tournament’s opening round, at nine different sites announced by the NAIA national office later this spring. The  NAIA Baseball World Series is slated to be played in Lewiston, Idaho from May 28-June 4. 

Below is the complete 2021 NSAA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Poll: 

2021 North Star Athletic Association Baseball Preseason Poll 

Rank School Points 

1 Bellevue (Neb.) (8) 64 

2 Mayville State (N.D.) 55 

3 Valley City State (N.D.) 48 

4 Waldorf (Iowa) 40 

5 Viterbo (Wis.) 29 

6 Dakota State (S.D.) 23 

7 Dickinson State (N.D.) 16 

8 Presentation (S.D.) 13 

*First-place votes in parenthesis