With several questions remaining, the Cowboys are set to open the new college baseball season as a bit of a mystery.

Usually considered one of the front-runners in the Southland Conference race, this McNeese State club is much more of an unknown.

“I honestly don’t know what to expect,” said Justin Hill, who enters his 11th season at the helm of the Cowboys as their all-time winningest coach.

He has posted a 301-240 record (150-119 in conference play) and won at least 30 games in all but two seasons. One of those — 2020 — was cut short due to COVID.

However, Hill has a lot of pieces to replace entering this season as McNeese was picked for fifth in the preseason poll released last week. That’s the lowest the Cowboys were projected since 2019.

“It is kind of exciting because we have a lot of guys who have been here and now are looking forward to getting their chance,” Hill said. “It reminds me a lot of my first year when we were kind of getting to know one another.”

The players say they feel the same way. What they might lack in experience the Cowboys say they have the talent to turn heads.

“We have got a lot of good guys with talent that are looking for their chances to play,” said senior Braden Duhon of Moss Bluff. “They have been around a long time, just didn’t get much of a shot because we had a lot of talent in front of them.

“That makes this really exciting. Nobody is expecting anything from us. I think we can shock some people.”

Duhon played in 53 of the 58 games last season, starting 51. He was in the outfield most of the time, hitting .258 while stealing 19 bases in 22 attempts.

“We have a lot of guys who know their roles,” Duhon said. “I think we are a more complete team. I think it is going to be fun.”

Last year’s team was picked for first and finished tied for fifth. This year they want to flip those numbers.

“Maybe we have a bit of a chip on our shoulder being picked fifth,” said senior pitcher Ty Abraham. “We do have a lot of older guys who want to go out with a bang.”

One of the Cowboys getting more of a shot this year is Cooper Hext, a senior outfielder from DeQunicy, who was voted to the preseason all-SLC second team.

“It is an honor for Cooper and he certainly deserves the recognition,” Hill said.

Hext is the top returning hitter on a completely different-looking team. He hit .291 last season, his first seeing extended time.

Infielder Brailey Hollins hit .329 with a pair of home runs and 12 RBIs in 25 games, starting 23. However, an injury cost him a little more than half of his season after a strong start.

Elliott Hebert and Dean Bittner are two players who showed flashes last year at the plate in limited action. Both are seniors who have been with the program and know the expectations.

“We have a lot of guys who have been waiting for their chance to show what they can do,” Hill said. “That makes this exciting.”

Abraham is likely the key to the pitching staff. He has served as both starter and reliever, doing both jobs last season.

The right-hander had a career-high 13 strikeouts as a starter in one game and also led the club in saves with five.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Abraham said when asked which role he prefers. “I will do anything the team needs of me.”

Abraham finished last season with a 2-2 record and a 3.15 earned run average.

Zach Voss, a right-hander, was 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA.

Kainin Morrow should have a more significant role after posting a 2-1 record and 3.95 ERA in five starts and 15 appearances in 2023.

McNeese will open on its season Friday night at No. 8 Texas A&M to start a three-game nonconference series.