WINGATE, N.C. (NCBWA) – The back-to-back defending national champion Tampa Spartans are the top-ranked team in this week’s NCBWA Division II top 25 poll. Tampa was the preseason number one, while ranking first in each of the first three in-season polls. The Spartans are off to an 11-0 start, receiving all 20 first-place votes.
Pittsburg State and Catawba move up two spots, checking in at #2 and #3 in this week’s poll, with UT Tyler and North Greenville rounding out the top five. Teams six through 10 in this week’s poll are the exact same as last week’s top 25 poll.
There are four new teams in this week’s top 25, led by Delta State, who joins the poll at #15. St. Mary’s checks in at #17, with Francis Marion and Westmont joining the poll at numbers 21 and 23, respectively.
The NCBWA Region polls will be announced every Monday throughout the season, while national polls will come out every Wednesday.
| NCBWA DIVISION II POLL (FEB. 25) | |||||
| Rk. | School [1st place] | Location | Record | Pts. | Pvs. |
| 1. | Tampa [20] | Tampa, Fla. | 11-0 | 500 | 1 |
| 2. | Pittsburg State | Pittsburg, Kan. | 13-0 | 459 | 4 |
| 3. | Catawba | Salisbury, N.C. | 11-1 | 458 | 5 |
| 4. | UT Tyler | Tyler, Texas | 12-2 | 456 | 2 |
| 5. | North Greenville | Tigerville, S.C. | 13-1 | 411 | 3 |
| 6. | Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Mo. | 11-2 | 386 | 6 |
| 7. | Cal State Monterey Bay | Seaside, Calif. | 8-3 | 372 | 7 |
| 8. | Grand Valley State | Allendale, Mich. | 6-1 | 339 | 8 |
| 9. | Colorado Mesa | Grand Junction, Colo. | 10-2 | 335 | 9 |
| 10. | Lenoir-Rhyne | Hickory, N.C. | 9-1 | 308 | 10 |
| 11. | West Alabama | Livingston, Ala. | 12-1 | 305 | 11 |
| 12. | Point Loma | San Diego, Calif. | 12-3 | 278 | 12 |
| 13. | Augustana (S.D.) | Sioux Falls, S.D. | 8-0 | 250 | 14 |
| 14. | Seton Hill | Greensburg, Pa. | 5-1 | 239 | 13 |
| 15. | Delta State | Cleveland, Miss. | 9-2 | 160 | RV |
| 16. | North Georgia | Dahlonega, Ga. | 12-3 | 155 | 15 |
| 17. | St. Mary’s | San Antonio, Texas | 12-2 | 148 | NR |
| 18. | Emporia State | Emporia, Kan. | 12-1 | 131 | 22 |
| 19. | Illinois Springfield | Springfield, Ill. | 7-3 | 124 | 19 |
| 20. | Felician | Rutherford, N.J. | 4-3 | 120 | 17 |
| 21. | Francis Marion | Florence, S.C. | 13-1 | 110 | RV |
| 22. | West Florida | Pensacola, Fla. | 10-2 | 92 | 23 |
| 23. | Westmont | Santa Barbara, Calif. | 9-2 | 84 | RV |
| 24. | Millersville | Millersville, Pa. | 4-3 | 69 | 21 |
| 25. | MSU Denver | Denver, Colo. | 9-2 | 64 | 18 |
| Also receiving votes: Barry (11-3) 36; Southern New Hampshire (3-1) 28; Drury (5-2) 22; Young Harris (11-3) 18; Cal State San Marcos (9-2) 15; West Chester (2-0) 10; Belmont Abbey (9-3) 9; Minnesota State (3-1) 6; Wilmington (3-1) 5; Angelo State (10-4) 4. | |||||
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.