PEMBROKE, N.C. (NCBWA) Defending national champion Wingate grabbed a baker's dozen of first-place votes to hold on to the No. 1 spot for the second-straight week, but undefeated West Texas A&M served notice that it was a team to watch as the Buffs slid into the No. 2 spot in Wednesday's Week 3 edition of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Top 25.
Wingate, who had its 16-game win streak snapped with a road loss to Erskine on Tuesday, still managed to retain 13 first-place votes in Wednesday's release. West Texas A&M and Tampa halved the remaining six first-place votes to nestle into the Nos. 2 and 3 spots respectively. The Buffs stretched their season-opening win streak out to 14 games with a four-game sweep at UT Permian Basin, while the Spartans won all four games last week to push their win streak out to a dozen outings.
Central Missouri, which occupied the No. 3 position in the NCBWA Preseason Top 25, returned to the rankings this week at No. 21, while two new teams entered the NCBWA Division II Top 25. West Chester (No. 22) is nationally ranked for the first time since the Week 12 poll in 2019 (May 14, 2019), while Franklin Pierce returns to the listing for the first time since last season's Week 11 ranking (April 7, 2021).
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.