DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 24th year with its 2021 weekly surveys, and Southeastern Conference postseason champ (first in school history) Arkansas is No. 1 for the 2021-high 11th week and season-best eighth week in a row this spring.
SEC schools Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt · also have topped each of the NCBWA Top 30 polls in ·21.
All 16 NCAA Regional hosts appear in this weeks poll, along with the possible team hosts for eight NCAA Super Regionals, to determine the field for the 74th NCAA Division I Baseball World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 19-30. The CWS was cancelled in ·20 due to COVID-19, and Vanderbilt won the last national title in 2019 at TD Ameritrade Stadium.
This weeks poll also includes several alterations in the NCBWA Top 30 survey. Tennessee moved up one position to No. 3 from 4, Arizona is No. 5 after holding down 7 on May 24, TCU climbed eight places from No. 14 to 6 after winning the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, and Ole Miss rose from No. 10 to 8. Oregon remained at No. 9 this week.
This is the next-to-last NCBWA Division I poll before the NCAA World Series. There will be another poll on June 7 and then a postseason survey the day after the 2021 DI champion is crowned.
There have been 14 conferences (a season-high 11 for two weeks in succession) represented in the first 16 standings of 2021, and there were 15 different conferences included in the COVID-19 abbreviated NCBWA polls in 2020.
The 2021 poll voters come from among 33 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. The 21 season features 302 NCAA Division I baseball-playing schools and 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.