DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 20th year with its 2017 weekly surveys. Polls will be circulated from Feb. 20-June 30 (weekly through June 5) following the 71st annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, at TD Ameritrade Park.
Oregon State, displaying a 52-4 record, took over the top spot on March 27 and has stayed there for 11 straight weeks. The Beavers have won 19 games in a row, the Pac-12 championship and the NCAA Corvallis Regional. OSU hosts Vanderbilt in the NCAA Corvallis Super Regional on Friday-Sunday, June 9-11.
LSU, winners of the NCAA LSU Regional moves up four spots to take the No. 2 position. The Tigers host No. 12 Mississippi State (40-25), winners of the Hattiesburg Regional, in the Baton Rouge Super Regional on Saturday Monday, June 10-12.
Louisville (50-10) moves up two spots to the No. 3 position. The Cardinals won the Louisville Regional and will host No. 7 Kentucky (43-21), winners of the Lexington Regional, in the Louisville Super Regional on Friday-Sunday, June 9-11.
Florida (45-17) drops one spot to No. 4. The Gators won the Gainesville Regional and will host No. 8 Wake Forest (42-18), winners of the Winston-Salem Regional, in the Gainesville Super Regional on Saturday-Monday, June 10-12.
TCU (45-16) rounds out the top five after winning the Fort Worth Regional. The Horned Frogs will host No. 11 Missouri State (43-18), winners of the Fayetteville Regional, in the Fort Worth Super Regional on Saturday-Monday, June 10-12.
The current survey has representation by 11 different conferences (12 for the season) among the 300 baseball-playing schools in the 2017 NCAA Division I ranks. The rankings of 2012 had a NCBWA-poll record 22 different DI conferences and independents rated at least one week while 16 separate circuits had team rankings in 16. For more information or to join the NCBWA, please go to ncbwa.com.
The 2017 poll voters come from 40 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation.
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.