FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team has been selected to finish fifth overall in Atlantic 10 preseason coaches poll as announced on Thursday.

Mason joins the Atlantic 10 Conference after leaving a long-term membership with the Colonial Athletic Conference and has been selected to finish fifth out of the conference's 12 teams in its inaugural season. Butler, Charlotte, Temple and Xavier each left the conference after the 2013 season, giving the A-10 12 baseball teams in 2014.

Reigning champion Saint Louis has been picked to finish atop the pack after posting a 41-21 overall record along with a regular season and conference championship in 2013. SLU received 11 of the 12 first-place votes for 143 points. VCU nabbed the remaining first-place nod and a total of 122 points which was good for second-place, two points better than Rhode Island which placed third.  Richmond was slotted in fourth-place with 104 points, followed by Mason in fifth with 90 points.

Rounding out the top-10 is Saint Joseph's, George Washington, La Salle, Fordham and Dayton. Massachusetts has been predicted to finish 11th followed by St. Bonaventure with a total of 22 points.

The Patriots come off of a 18-35 record in 2013, 7-20 in the CAA. Mason returns seven of its nine starters on offense along with all pitchers on last year's rosters and 11 newcomers. A full season preview will be posted before the team opens the season in Spartanburg, SC against USC Upstate.

2014 Atlantic 10 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll Points. (first-place votes)