DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continued its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 16th year with its 2013 weekly surveys. This season's polls have been circulated from Feb. 18-June 26 following the 67th annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb., as UCLA captured its first NCAA baseball title.
This is the final poll of the 2013 season, and champ UCLA topped Southeastern Conference power Mississippi State 2-0 in games on June 24-25 to win its NCAA-record 109th men's or women's team championship. MSU was vying for its inaugural NCAA crown. The Bruins also became the first non-SEC or Atlantic Coast Conference member to hold down the No. 1 position in '13 compilations.
Arkansas (preseason), North Carolina (next 10 surveys), Vanderbilt (April 29-May 20), and LSU (May 27-June 4) were No. 1 during 2013. UNC was the No. 1 seed in NCAA pairings and tied for third in the College World Series with Oregon State.
The poll voters come from 44 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. The final poll has representation by 12 different conferences among the 298 baseball-playing schools in the 2013 NCAA Division I ranks, and 18 circuits were ranked in at least one NCBWA Top 30/35.
The preseason 2014 NCBWA DI Top 35 poll will be released in January 2014 after the pre-'14 NCBWA All-America team is denoted in December 2013.
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.