DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 18th year with its 2015 weekly surveys. Polls will be circulated from Feb. 16-June 25 (weekly through June 10) following the 69th annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb., at TD Ameritade Park.
LSU is No. 1 for the third week in succession after Texas A&M became the fifth different school to nail down No. 1 in the April 13 survey. Vanderbilt (preseason No. 1, March 30-April 6), Virginia (Feb. 16-23-March 2-9), TCU (March 16), and LSU (March 23, April 20-27-May 4) previously have held the top positions in the initial 2015 surveys. The poll voters come from 42 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation.
The current survey has representation by 12 different conferences among the 302 baseball-playing schools in the 2015 NCAA Division I ranks. There have been 14 conferences with Top 30 rated teams in 2015. The rankings of 2012 had a NCBWA-poll record 22 different DI conferences and independents rated at least one week while 19 separate circuits had team rankings in '14.
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.