Doane with 96 points and eight first place votes is the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) baseball coaches' choice to win the 2012 league title. The Tigers, tri-champions of the GPAC regular season last spring, posted a 37-19 record in 2011 (16-6 in the GPAC). Doane was regular season champion with Hastings and Northwestern (all 16-6). Northwestern and Hastings were picked two-three in the 2012 early season poll, with the Red Raiders garnering the final three first place votes.
Doane won the GPAC Tournament in Sioux City last and joined Hastings in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
The GPAC baseball season will consist of 20 games (10 doubleheaders) and conclude with the GPAC Postseason Tournament on May 3-5 in Lincoln, Nebraska, at Haymarket Park and Sherman Field.
Points were assigned on a 10-1 basis and coaches' could not vote for their own team.
Here is the complete GPAC Baseball 2012 preseason coaches' poll:
Team | Points | First Place Votes |
1. Doane | 96 | 8 |
2. Northwestern | 91 | 3 |
3. Hastings | 74 | |
4. Morningside | 70 | |
5. Mount Marty | 69 | |
6. Midland | 63 | |
7t. Briar Cliff | 35 | |
7t. Concordia | 35 | |
9t. Dakota Wesleyan | 31 | |
9t. Nebraska Wesleyan | 31 | |
11. Dordt | 10 |
| Doane | 27th of 27 |
| NAIA Championship - 1st Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Northwestern at | 17th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - Final Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 17th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 3rd Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 9th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 2nd Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| Northwestern at | 6th of 28 |
| NAIA Championship - 1st Round (Creekside Golf Club) | |
| (RV) Central Methodist College vs | 9 |
| (RV) Morningside | 4 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round (Claremore, Okla.) (Elimination Game) | |
| Hastings at | 2 |
| (17) Freed-Hardeman | 9 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round | |
| Doane vs | 0 |
| (10) Concordia University | 9 |
| NAIA National Championships | |
| (13) Concordia University vs | 8 |
| (25) Nebraska Wesleyan | 1 |
| NAIA National Championship (Mobile, Ala.) | |
| Hastings vs | 1 |
| (4) Oklahoma City University | 6 |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round | |
| (6) Williams Baptist College vs | (5) | 17 |
| (RV) Morningside | 2 | |
| NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round (Claremore, Okla.) | ||
| (23) Univ of Science and Arts of Oklahoma vs | 5 |
| (RV) Northwestern | 4 |
| NAIA Baseball Opening Round (Oklahoma City, Okla.) | |
| Midland vs | 2 |
| Bellevue University | 7 |
| NAIA Baseball Opening Round (Elimination Game) | |
| Hastings at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Concordia | |
| Concordia Twilight Meet | |
| Doane at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Briar Cliff at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight (Seward, NE) | |
| Briar Cliff at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight (Seward, NE) | |
| Concordia | |
| Concordia Twilight Meet | |
| Doane at | No Team Score |
| Concordia Twilight | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - 2nd Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - 3rd Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Hastings at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:00am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Briar Cliff at | 10:00am |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships (Marion, IN - May 23-25) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Briar Cliff at | 10:00am |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships (Marion, IN - May 23-25) | |
| Northwestern at | 10:00am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Doane | |
| NAIA Championship - Final Round (Wilderness Ridge GC) | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:30am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
| Northwestern at | 10:30am |
| @ NAIA Outdoor National Championships | |
| Midland at | |
| NAIA Outdoor Championships | |
| Doane at | |
| NAIA Championships | |
