Baseball was picked to finish last in the MAC West division in the MAC preseason poll, voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches and released by the conference Wednesday.

The Huskies received 18 votes and zero first-place votes in the MAC West.

NIU, which will be under the guidance of first-year head coach Mike Kunigonis, opens its season with four games this weekend. The Huskies take on South Dakota State 11 a.m. Friday, Niagara 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Austin Peay 6 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. All games are part of the Governors Challenge in Clarksville, Tenn.

The complete results of the poll are below.

MAC East

1. Kent State: 68 points (8 first-place votes)

2. Miami: 59 (3)

3. Akron 41

4. Bowling Green: 38 (1)

5. Buffalo: 27

6. Ohio: 19

MAC West

1. Ball State: 67 points (8 first-place votes)

2. Central Michigan: 55 (2)

3. Western Michigan: 46 (1)

4. Toledo: 43 (1)

5. Eastern Michigan: 23

6. NIU: 18

MAC Tournament champion: Kent State (3), Central Michigan (2), Ball State (2), Miami (2), Bowling Green (1), Toledo (1), Western Michigan (1)