It doesn't get much more consistent than Coastal Carolina.

The Chanticleers have been one of the nation's best programs the past few seasons, and certainly have owned the Big South.

The Chants reached another NCAA postseason last season with a fabulous 47-16 mark.

There's still something missing, though, and it's a College World Series berth.

Perhaps that goal will be accomplished in 2010.

The Chanticleers must find a way to replace hot hitters David Anderson and Tyler Bortnick, but welcome back the majority of their offensive lineup. They also are in great shape on the mound where all three weekend starters are back for another campaign.

This finally could be Coastal's year.

It's time to dissect the Chanticleers.

Coastal Carolina's five keys

1. Don't think about the last two seasons -- There's nothing that probably makes Coastal Carolina's blood boil more than the site of Carolina blue. To put it mildly, the Chanticleers have had issues with North Carolina the past two seasons. Two seasons ago, the Chants looked lost in a super regional against the Tar Heels that basically looked over a few innings into the first game. Then, last season, the Chanticleers were eliminated from the Chapel Hill Regional by the Tar Heels. Sure, what has transpired the past two seasons has to be more than frustrating for the Chants. But remember, every season is exclusive. This is the year that Coastal could have the best team in the Carolinas. It needs to play like it.

2. Get a big-time campaign from Scott Woodward -- Just two seasons ago Woodward was one of the nation's biggest names. As only a freshman, the talented third baseman batted .364 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBIs. He also slugged .533 and had an amazing .540 on-base percentage. Last season, though, as a sophomore, Woodward had injury issues and only played in 41 of Coastal's 63 contests. He batted just .284 with four doubles, a triple, a home run and 19 RBIs. He still managed a .445 on-base percentage. Look for a healthier Woodward to have a huge '10 campaign. Coastal is in business if Woodward returns to his old ways.

3. Reload at the plate -- The Chanticleers do have a tough chore in replacing key hitters David Anderson and Tyler Bortnick, but should be just fine without them with the return of six hitters that finished last season with batting averages better than .300. Adam Rice is the top returning hitter after batting .368 with seven homers and 59 RBIs last season. Daniel Bowman hit .333 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs and Chance Gilmore batted .328 with six homers and 27 RBIs. Other key hitters include Rico Noel, Steve Davis, Jose Iglesias, Taylor Motter, and of course, Woodward. Coastal finished last season with a .329 batting average and easily could best that mark in the spring. Impressive to consider.

4. Weekend rotation needs to meet expectations -- There's no reason why Coastal's weekend rotation shouldn't be one of the nation's best in '10. The Chanticleers had a solid weekend rotation last season and welcome back three starters. The list includes Cody Wheeler, Anthony Meo and Austin Fleet. Wheeler went 10-1 with a 3.83 ERA in 91 2/3 innings last season. He also struck out 98 and walked 34 and teams batted .222 off him. Meo went 9-2 and had a 2.93 ERA in 76 2/3 innings. He also struck out 68 and walked 32 and limited opposing teams to a .233 batting average. Fleet, meanwhile, went 7-2 and had a 3.53 ERA in 63 2/3 innings. He struck out 28 and walked 17 and teams hit .258 off him. This will be a fun trio to watch in the spring.

5. Figure out some bullpen roles -- The Chanticleers once again are expected to have a solid bullpen. However, there are at least two roles that must be filled. That comes forth because of the departures of Nick McCully and Bobby Gagg. McCully led the team with a 2.10 ERA last season and also recorded a team-high eight saves in 73 innings. Gagg, meanwhile, only had a 5.35 ERA, but recorded five saves, which ranked second on the team. Even without McCully and Gagg, the Chants still welcome back five relievers that earned significant innings last season. Brad Goldberg made 13 appearances and had a 2.45 ERA in 14 2/3 innings, Matt Rein made 28 appearances and had a 3.35 ERA in 40 1/3 innings, Caleb Cuevas made 20 appearances and had a 4.18 ERA in 28 innings, T.J. Swank had a 5.79 ERA in 18 2/3 innings and Keith Hessler made 19 appearances and had a 7.47 ERA in 31 1/3 innings. This group has a wealth of experience. We'll see if it makes a huge difference in the spring.