DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continued its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 18th year with its 2014 weekly surveys. This season's polls have been circulated from Feb. 17-June 26 following the 68th annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb., as the Vanderbilt Commodores (49-20) captured their first NCAA baseball title.
This is the final poll of the 2014 season, and Vanderbilt captured its first NCAA men's championship in history by edging Virginia 2-1 in games at the best-of-3 round June 23-25 in Omaha. It ended a two-year domination by Pac-12 Conference powers Arizona and UCLA, and VU became the fourth SEC member in history to take the crown along with LSU, South Carolina and Georgia.
Virginia led the NCBWA polls for a season-high eight weeks while Vandy achieved its first-ever No. 1 ranking by the group. Louisiana-Lafayette was ranked No. 1 on May 26 and June 3 for the initial time in school history. Oregon State (four weeks - Feb. 17, May 5-12-19), Florida State (March 17), South Carolina (March 10), and Cal State Fullerton (preseason No. 1) were prior top vote recipients for the 18 surveys in 2014. This tops last season's five total teams at No. 1 during the January-June NCBWA compilations with seven different top-ranked schools holding that distinction.
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 302 baseball-playing schools in the 2014 NCAA Division I ranks, and 19 circuits were ranked in at least one '14 NCBWA Top 30/35.
The preseason 2015 NCBWA DI Top 35 poll will be released in January 2015 after the 17th annual pre-'15 NCBWA All-America team is denoted in December 2014.
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 Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.