DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 22nd year with its 2019 weekly surveys and this week UCLA is the unanimous No. 1 selection and remains in the top spot for the fifth-straight week.
The Bruins remain the No. 1 selection this week and are followed at No. 2 by a fellow Pac-12 member in Stanford. Rounding out the top three is Mississippi State, who jumped up two spots to join the top three this week.
Newcomers to the top 10 this week include Louisville at No. 7 and UC Santa Barbara at No. 10. Overall, there are five SEC teams, three Pac-12 squads, one ACC team and one Big West squad in the top 10.
The highest risers this week include UC Santa Barbara, who jumped up 10 spots from No. 20 to No. 10 after a 4-0 week including a series win over then-No. 16 UC Irvine. Tennessee and North Carolina each jumped up seven spot this week to sit at No. 22 and No. 12, respectively. Louisville jumped up five spots to join the top 10 this week at No. 7 after a 4-0 week including a series sweep at then-No. 5 NC State.
The 2019 poll voters come from among 35 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 40 listing, the remainder of the polls feature a national Top 30.
This week's current survey has representation by eight different conferences among the 299 baseball-playing schools in the 2019 NCAA Division I ranks. The rankings of 2018 had 15 different DI conferences rated at least one week. 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.