LEXINGTON, Ky. — For the second time in as many days, the Kentucky baseball team has been ranked in a preseason poll, as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its annual top-35 poll, placing the Wildcats No. 27.

Kentucky finished the 2006 season with a Southeastern Conference Championship, a school-record 44 wins, and the first NCAA Regional in school history. That historic season translated into significant national attention and a No. 17 ranking in the final NCBWA poll.

This is the third such preseason honor for the Wildcats, as Rivals.com (No. 23) and Baseball America (No. 30) also tabbed UK in their initial season poll.

Kentucky will be powered by several individuals in 2007, including catcher Sean Coughlin and outfielder Collin Cowgill. Cowgill, a Lexington native, ripped 16 home runs and 61 RBI while batting second in a potent Wildcat lineup, while Coughlin blasted 17 home runs and drove in 55 runs. Junior Antone DeJesus, arguably the best defensive centerfielder in all of college baseball, will anchor the leadoff spot after a stellar 2006 season batting .323 and reaching base at a .433 clip. The UK pitching staff will be paced by crafty right-hander Greg Dombrowski, who terrorized opposing lineups a year ago en route to 10 wins and a 2.83 ERA.

Rice took the top spot in the NCBWA poll, followed closely by Clemson – two teams who performed well in the College World Series last June. South Carolina headlined all SEC teams at the third spot, one of nine league foes and 10 of UK?s 2007 opponents to make the top-35.

Kentucky lifts the lid on the 2007 schedule with a three-game series (Feb. 16-18) with Furman in Greenville, S.C. UK returns home to begin a 20-game homestand in the friendly confines of Cliff Hagan Stadium, starting with in-state rival Murray State (Feb. 21).