DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 21st year with its 2018 weekly surveys. Polls will be circulated from Feb. 19-June 28 (weekly through June 4) following the 72nd annual NCAA World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, at TD Ameritrade Park.
For the second-straight week Oregon State sits atop the weekly poll, followed by Ole Miss, who jumped up to No. 2 from the No. 4 position. Stanford holds down the No. 3 slot to round out the top three.
A comparison of No. 1 NCAA seeds from the May 28 selection show and the NCBWA ratings indicates that 15 of the 16 national top seeds are ranked in the top 16 in this week's NCBWA poll.
Oregon State, No. 1 in the NCBWA, is the third overall seed in the tournament and will host LSU, San Diego State and Northwestern State in the Corvallis NCAA Regional.
No. 2 in this week's NCBWA poll, Ole Miss is the No. 4 overall seed and will host the Oxford Regional (June 1-4), while Pac-12 champion Stanford, No. 3 in the NCBWA, is the No. 2 overall seed and will host Baylor, Cal State Fullerton and Wright State in the Stanford Regional.
Florida, No. 4 in this week's NCBWA poll, is the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and will host the Gainesville Regional, with Jacksonville, Florida Atlantic and Columbia.
No. 5-ranked Clemson is also a No. 1 seed, and will host the Clemson Regional, welcoming Vanderbilt, St. John's and Morehead State.
All 16 regionals are scheduled to be conducted from June 1 through June 4.
Teams ranked No. 1 this year have been Florida (preseason-March 5, April 2-16, May 14), Oregon State (March 12-26, May 21-present) and Stanford (April 23-May 7).
Newcomers to the top 10 this week include Minnesota at No. 9 and East Carolina at No. 10.
This week's biggest movers were Texas A&M, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina, as each program moved up five spots in the rankings. East Carolina now sits at No. 10, Coastal Carolina at No. 15 and Texas A&M at No. 25.
Missouri State jumps into the rankings at No. 26 this week, followed by Baylor at No. 29 after the Bears won the Big 12 Tournament. Cal State Fullerton, champions of the Big West, also enters the rankings this week at No. 30.
The 2018 poll voters come from among 35 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation.
The current survey has representation by 15 different conferences among the 299 baseball-playing schools in the 2018 NCAA Division I ranks. The rankings of 2017 had 13 different DI conferences rated at least one week. The NCBWA record is 22 different conferences represented in 2012. For more information or to join the NCBWA, please go to ncbwa.com.
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.