DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 16th year with its 2013 weekly surveys. Polls will be circulated from Feb. 18-June 27 (weekly through June 11) following the 67th annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb., at TD Ameritade Park.
North Carolina, which had been No. 1 for 10 consecutive weeks after Arkansas was preseason No. 1, was nudged out of the top spot for the first time in the 2013 regular season this week by Vanderbilt (39-6 overall to start the week). Those three schools are the only ones to have held down the No. 1 position throughout the 2013 surveys. The NCBWA poll voters come from 44 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation.
The current poll has representation by 10 different conferences (17 total for the season) among the 298 baseball-playing schools in the 2013 NCAA Division I ranks. The surveys of 2012 had a NCBWA-poll record 22 different DI conferences and independents rated at least one week.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors the Pro-Line Athletic Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.