ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team is projected to finish second in the conference, according to the 2024 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Head coach Paul Benim begins his 32nd season at the helm after leading Behrend to a 22-19 overall and 9-5 conference record a season ago. The Lions captured their sixth Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) title and first since 2015, defeating Alvernia 6-4 in the final game of the best-of-three series.
Senior right-handed pitcher Evan Bromley (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) and junior infielder Mac Ciocco (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) were named AMCC Preseason Players To Watch.
Last season, Bromley was an AMCC Second Team All-Conference selection, leading the team with six wins in seven starts. He tallied 26 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched, while recording a 4.94 ERA with a 6-3 record in 11 appearances.
Ciocco was an AMCC Second Team All-Conference selection and All-Region Third Team honoree a season ago. He led the team with a .378 batting average and 32 RBIs, while ranking fourth in the AMCC with a .444 batting average in conference play.
The third-year infielder recorded an AMCC-high .571 on-base percentage in conference play and was tied for second with 11 walks. He was also third on the team in hits (44) and fourth in doubles (10).
This season, the Lions return 17 players (seven sophomores/four juniors/six seniors) and welcome 15 newcomers (14 freshmen/one transfer).
Alfred State, the 2023 AMCC regular season champions, was selected to finish ahead of the Lions in the preseason rankings
Preseason Ranking*
1. Alfred State (1)
2. Penn State Behrend (2)
3. Penn State Altoona (6)
4. Mount Aloysius (3)
5. Hilbert (T4)
6. Pitt-Greensburg (T4)
7. La Roche (7)
8. Pitt-Bradford (8)
9. Wells**
*Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2023
**2024 will be Wells' first season in the AMCC
April 23, 2024
Behrend vs. Wells Moved To Thursday
April 22, 2024
Behrend Collects 20th Win vs. Hiram Monday
April 21, 2024
Lions Welcome Hiram To Begin Four Game Week
April 16, 2024
Behrend Takes Home I-90 Cup From Fredonia
April 14, 2024
Two Three-Run Homers Propel Behrend Past Thiel
April 12, 2024
Time Change: Behrend Baseball vs. Thiel Noon Start
April 10, 2024
Behrend Takes First Game At Hilbert; Falls in Game Two
April 9, 2024
Lions Push Across 22 Runs in Home Opener
April 8, 2024
Behrend Baseball Prepped for Home Opener vs. Alfred
April 7, 2024
Behrend Splits With Mounties To Begin Conference Play
April 6, 2024
Behrend Falls At Westminster Saturday
April 3, 2024
Behrend Baseball Announces Schedule Updates
April 3, 2024
Yellow Jackets Prove Too Much for Lions
April 1, 2024
Baseball Conference Opener vs. Pitt-Bradford Postponed
March 30, 2024
Behrend Baseball Against Grove City Postponed
March 26, 2024
Behrend Baseball vs. Fredonia Postponed
March 25, 2024
Trio of Behrend Athletes Garner Conference Weekly Honors
March 17, 2024
Lions Sweep Doubleheader from Waynesburg
March 15, 2024
Behrend Baseball vs. Mount Union Postponed
March 8, 2024
Bolla Punches Out 10 in 9-2 Victory
March 7, 2024
Delaware Valley Scores Walk-Off Win Over Lions
March 6, 2024
Lions Take Down Elizabethtown, 8-3
March 5, 2024
Behrend Scores 19 vs. Ursinus; Falls To Wilkes Tuesday
March 4, 2024
Dutchmen Sneak By Lions on Second Day in Florida
March 4, 2024
Trio of Behrend Athletes Secure AMCC Weekly Honors
March 3, 2024
Lions Shutout Wilkes To Start Spring Break Trip
February 26, 2024
Behrend Baseball Plates 12 At Lancaster Bible To Begin 2024 Campaign
February 7, 2024
Behrend Tabbed AMCC Runner-Up in Baseball Preseason Poll
December 14, 2023
Behrend Baseball Announces Upcoming Prospect Camp
November 20, 2023
Behrend Baseball Announces 2024 Schedule
November 7, 2023
Behrend Baseball Apparel Team Store Now Open
September 20, 2023
Behrend Baseball to Face Gannon in Fall Doubleheader
September 5, 2023
Behrend Baseball Golf Outing Registration