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 as Florida tops this year·s preseason survey for the second time in NCBWA history.
Coach Kevin OSullivan·s Gators also were No. 1 prior to the 2012 campaign and are coming off their initial NCAA World Series victory in 2017 at Omaha, Neb., and a final 52-19 overall record.
Oregon State, which was tops nationally for most of the 2017 season and ended with the most victories (56) in DI baseball, is No. 2 in the survey among a Whos Who of traditional Division I powers.
All eight 2017 NCAA World Series participants are included in the initial Top 35 poll with Florida, Oregon State, NCAA runner-up LSU at No. 11, Cal State Fullerton No. 10, Florida State No. 4, Louisville No. 14, TCU No. 5, and Texas A&M No. 9.
The 2018 poll voters come from among 35 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top 30 beginning with the Feb. 19 NCBWA DI survey.
Previous No. 1 entries on the preseason NCBWA rankings have been LSU in the 1998, 2001 and 2009 polls, Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06, 10), Rice (2004, 07), Cal State Fullerton (2005, 14), Arizona State (2008), North Carolina (2009), TCU (2011, 17), Florida (2012, 18), Arkansas (2013), and Vanderbilt (2015).
The current survey has representation by 12 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. 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.