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 |
| (RV) Doane at | Rain |
| Manhattan Christian College | Out |
| (RV) Doane at | Rain |
| Manhattan Christian College | Out |
| Mount Marty at | 11 |
| Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College | 3 |
| Mount Marty at | 5 |
| Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College | 3 |
| Hastings at | 5 |
| Metropolitan State College of Denver | 12 |
| Hastings at | 8 |
| Metropolitan State College of Denver | 9 |
| Mount Marty at | Rain |
| Dallas Christian College | Out |
| Concordia at | 5 |
| Bethany College | 11 |
| Concordia at | 10 |
| Bethany College | 1 |
| (RV) Doane at | 3 |
| (9) Oklahoma Baptist University | 9 |
| Morningside vs | (8) | 4 |
| Saint Ambrose University | 3 |
| Morningside vs | 4 |
| Saint Ambrose University | 3 |
| Mount Marty at | Rain |
| Park University | Out |
| (RV) Doane at | 6 |
| Saint Gregory's University | 5 |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | 54 |
| (18) Briar Cliff | 60 |
| (15) Northwestern at | 91 |
| (RV) Midland | 77 |
| (RV) Morningside at | 76 |
| Hastings | 69 |
| (4) Dordt at | 86 |
| Doane | 72 |
| Mount Marty at | 63 |
| Concordia | 61 |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | 66 |
| (11) Briar Cliff | 92 |
| Concordia at | 7:00pm |
| (4) Dordt | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| (RV) Morningside at | 7:00pm |
| (RV) Midland | CST |
| GPAC Tournament Quarterfinal | |
| Nebraska Wesleyan at | 8:00pm |
| (18) Briar Cliff | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| Mount Marty at | 8:00pm |
| (15) Northwestern | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| (17) Hastings at | 6:00pm |
| (11) Briar Cliff | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| (RV) Doane at | 6:00pm |
| (8) Northwestern | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | 7:00pm |
| (2) Concordia | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| Mount Marty at | 7:00pm |
| (5) Morningside | CST |
| GPAC Tournament - Quarterfinal | |
| (RV) Doane at | 3:30pm |
| Manhattan Christian College | CST |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | 12:00pm |
| Sterling College | CST |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | Game |
| Sterling College | 2 |
| Concordia at | 1:00pm |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | CST |
| Concordia at | Game |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | 2 |
| Hastings at | 2:00pm |
| Oklahoma Wesleyan University | CST |
| Dordt at | 2:00pm |
| Manhattan Christian College | CST |
| Dordt at | Game |
| Manhattan Christian College | 2 |
| Morningside at | 3:00pm |
| (RV) Tabor College | CST |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | 1:30pm |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | CST |
| Dakota Wesleyan at | Game |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | 2 |
| Morningside at | 9:00am |
| Missouri Western State | CST |
| Missouri Western Invitational | |
