DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 29th year with its 2026 weekly surveys.
NCAA winner Oklahoma is No. 1 in the final survey of the season after starting the campaign as a preseason poll votes’ recipient coming off a 38-22 overall record in 2025. NCAA World Series Championship round runner-up North Carolina closed at No. 2 and with the most victories in DI (54-14-1 overall). Other World Series participants in the Nos. 3-8 respective placements were Georgia, West Virginia, Texas, Troy, Alabama and Ole Miss. Southeastern Conference members now have captured eight of the last nine NCAA World Series since 2017 (2020 activity was cancelled by COVID-19). Coastal Carolina also was 2016 champ in its first appearance at Omaha, and Oregon State broke the current SEC skein by winning the 2018 CWS. OU also is the fourth different program ranked No. 1 in ’26.
Some big movers from the Week 17 to the final Top 25 poll were Oklahoma from No. 14 to 1, Troy from No. 15 to 6 and Ole Miss from No. 13 to 8. West Virginia and Troy also closed with school-record final finishes in the NCBWA national surveys.
There have been 10 conferences and independents (eight in this poll) represented in NCBWA national standings of 2026, and there also were 10 different conferences (out of 30 in Division I) appearing in the 2025 NCBWA polls. The all-time record DI conferences’ representation was 19 during the hectic 2019 campaign.
LSU was the preseason No. 1 in the 2026 NCBWA survey and followed previous pre-No. 1 selections LSU (1998, 2001, 2023), Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06, 10, 22), Rice (2004, 07), Cal State Fullerton (2005, 14), Arizona State (2008), North Carolina (2009), TCU (2011, 17), Florida (2012, 18, 21), Arkansas (2013), Wake Forest (2024), Vanderbilt (2015, 19, 20) and Texas A&M (2025). The preseason 2027 Top 30 will be released in February ’27. Notable, No. 1 NCAA Championship seeds Vanderbilt in 2025 and UCLA in 2026 did not advance after hosting NCAA Regionals in this era of sold balance throughout Division I baseball.
The 2026 poll voters come from among 33 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. The ’26 season features 308 NCAA Division I baseball-playing schools, and for more information or to join the NCBWA, please go to ncbwa.com.
| FINAL 2026 NCBWA DIVISION I POLL (JUNE 23) | ||||
| Rk. | School | Conference | Record | Pvs. |
| 1. | Oklahoma | SEC | 43-23 | 14 |
| 2. | North Carolina | ACC | 54-14-1 | 2 |
| 3. | Georgia | SEC | 53-14 | 1 |
| 4. | West Virginia | Big 12 | 46-15 | 5 |
| 5. | Texas | SEC | 46-15 | 3 |
| 6. | Troy | Sun Belt | 39-32 | 15 |
| 7. | Alabama | SEC | 42-21 | 9 |
| 8. | Ole Miss | SEC | 41-22 | 13 |
| 9. | Auburn | SEC | 42-22 | 4 |
| 10. | Mississippi State | SEC | 43-19 | 7 |
| 11. | Oregon | Big Ten | 43-18 | 6 |
| 12. | Kansas | Big 12 | 45-18 | 8 |
| 13. | Georgia Tech | ACC | 50-11 | 11 |
| 14. | USC | Big Ten | 48-18 | 10 |
| 15. | UCLA | Big Ten | 52-8 | 12 |
| 16. | Texas A&M | SEC | 41-16 | 16 |
| 17. | Florida | SEC | 41-21 | 17 |
| 18. | Little Rock | Ohio Valley | 39-28 | 19 |
| 19. | Cal Poly | Big West | 39-22 | 18 |
| 20. | Florida State | ACC | 40-19 | 21 |
| 21. | St. John’s | Big East | 36-24 | 20 |
| 22. | Arkansas | SEC | 41-22 | 23 |
| 23. | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | 44-17 | 24 |
| 24. | Oregon State | Independent | 45-14 | 22 |
| 25. | Nebraska | Big Ten | 43-17 | RV |
| Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically): Arizona State (39-21), Bethune-Cookman (38-20), California Baptist (44-15), Cal Poly (36-22), Cincinnati (37-20), Coastal Carolina (37-23), East Carolina (38-24-1), Jacksonville State (48-15); Kent State (42-15), Kentucky (33-23), Liberty (43-21), Louisiana (41-25), Mercer (44-15), Miami (Fla.) (39-20), Milwaukee (27-33), Oklahoma State (39-22), Saint Joseph’s (36-19), Saint Mary’s (36-27), Southeast Missouri (39-18), Tennessee (38-22); UCF (33-23), UC Santa Barbara (40-20), UTSA (38-20), Vanderbilt (33-25), Virginia (37-23), Wake Forest (39-21), Washington State (31-28), Yale (30-15-1). | ||||
| Dropped out: No. 25 Kentucky. | ||||
| By conference: SEC 10, Big Ten 4, ACC 3, Big 12 2, Sun Belt 2, Big East 1, Big West 1, OVC 1, Independent 1. | ||||
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.