News digest, Feb. 7

Chants favored

Sun Belt Conference coaches have involved Coastal Carolina as the favorite to win the league's championship in 2024.

Coach Gary Gilmore's team got 12 of 14 first-place votes from league coaches in a poll announced Wednesday. Louisiana got the other two first-place votes, although the Ragin' Cajuns finished fourth behind Southern Mississippi and Troy in total points.

Gilmore announced last year that he would retire after the 2024 season.

Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll
1. Coastal Carolina. 2. Southern Mississippi. 3. Troy. 4. Louisiana. 5. Texas State. 6. Old Dominion. 7. Georgia Southern. 8 South Alabama. 9. Appalachian State. 10. James Madison. 11. Georgia State. 12. Marshall. 13. Louisiana Monroe.  14. Arkansas State.
Preseason all-conference team
C: Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina. 1B: Zack Beach, Coastal Carolina. DH: Derek Bender. Coastal Carolina.
Sun Belt

Coastal Athletic Association preseason coaches poll

1. Northeastern. 2. UNCW. 3. Campbell. 4. College of Charleston. 5. Elon. 6. Delaware. 7. William & Mary. 8. Stony Brook. 9. Hofstra. 10. North Carolina A&T. 11. Towson. 12. Monmouth.
CAA poll

Teams tweak schedules

Forecasts of bad weather this weekend have prompted a couple of schedule changes for the weekend.

* Sunday's scheduled game in USC Aiken's series at West Florida has been moved to part of a 2 p.m. Friday doubleheader.
* Francis Marion's scheduled Sunday game with Emory & Henry was moved to 4 p.m. Friday at Sparrow Stadium.