Southern University remains the No. 1 ranked team in Black College Nines’ 2019 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) “large school” baseball poll announced on April 30, 2019.
The Jaguars, 25-19 overall and 16-5 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), received the most first-place votes and total points in the “large school” division made up of NCAA Division I baseball programs. The Jaguars currently sit in first place the SWAC Western Division and has the lowest RPI of all HBCU Baseball large schools.
For the second straight week, there was major movement for the remaining teams in HBCU baseball top 10 poll. Coppin State climbed two spots to No. 2, North Carolina A&T jumped two spots from the previous week’s poll to No. 3, Jackson State slipped one spot to No. 4 and Alabama State dropped down to No. 5. Grambling State stayed at No. 6, Norfolk State moved up a spot to No. 7, North Carolina Central slid one spot to No. 8 and both Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) members Florida A&M and Bethune Cookman remain at No. 9 and No. 10 respectfully rounding out the top ten.
In the “small school division”, Winston Salem State, for the second week, retains the No. 1 spot in the week five poll. The Rams had a big performance at the plate in a three-game sweep of Claflin and are 31-15 overall.
The rest of the small school poll, made up of NCAA Division II schools as well as those in the NAIA and USCAA, includes Albany State and Kentucky State, both moving up two spots each to No. 2 and No. 3. Jarvis Christian drops down two spots to No. 4 and Claflin fell two spots to No. 5. Talladega climbed one spot to No. 6, Selma jumped to No. 7 and entering the HBCU Baseball top 10 for the first time this season, West Virigina State comes in at No. 8. Miles falls three spots to No. 9 and rounding out the final spot in this week’s rankings is Texas College at No. 10.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference continues to have six teams in the Top 10 in the large school division while in the small school division, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Independents have three representatives each.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State (SWAC) This Past Week: 3-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current RPI: 243 | 25 | 20 | 5 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (MEAC) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current RPI: 268 | 17 | 30 | 10 | |
| Coppin State University (MEAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current RPI: 259 | 24 | 17 | 2 | |
| Florida A&M University (MEAC) This Past Week: 0-5 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current RPI: 270 | 18 | 28 | 9 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current RPI: 233 | 23 | 20 | 6 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) This Past Week: 2-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current RPI: 238 | 27 | 20 | 4 | |
| Norfolk State University (MEAC) This Past Week: 3-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current RPI: 272 | 19 | 21 | 7 | |
| North Carolina A&T University (MEAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current RPI: 190 | 23 | 19 | 3 | |
| North Carolina Central University (MEAC) This Past Week: 1-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current RPI: 263 | 19 | 24 | 8 | |
| Southern University (SWAC) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current RPI: 208 | 25 | 19 | 1 |
Teams Dropped From Top Ten... None
Small School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State University (SIAC) This Past Week: 4-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current RPI: 327 | 29 | 18 | 2 | |
| Claflin University (CIAA) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current RPI: 466 | 23 | 15 | 5 | |
| Jarvis Christian College (RRAC) This Past Week: 2-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current RPI: 271 | 32 | 22 | 4 | |
| Kentucky State University (SIAC) This Past Week: 5-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current RPI: 533 | 26 | 14 | 3 | |
| Miles College (SIAC) This Past Week: 0-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current RPI: 451 | 23 | 21 | 9 | |
| Selma University (USCAA) This Past Week: 2-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current RPI: Not Indicated | 12 | 8 | 7 | |
| Talladega College (GCAC) This Past Week: 0-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current RPI: 209 | 22 | 20 | 6 | |
| Texas College (RRAC) This Past Week: 2-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current RPI: 384 | 25 | 30 | 10 | |
| West Virginia State University (MEC) This Past Week: 4-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 457 | 23 | 20 | 8 | |
| Winston Salem State University (CIAA) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current RPI: 252 | 31 | 15 | 1 |
Teams Dropped From Top Ten... Benedict College
2019 Poll Dates (with links to poll results):
Pre-Season
Week 1 (March 12, 2019)
Week 2 (March 26, 2019)
Week 3 (April 9, 2019)
Week 4 (April 23, 2019)
Week 5 (April 30, 2019)
Week 6 (May 7, 2019)
Week 7 (May 14, 2019)
Week 8* (May 21, 2019)
*Final Poll
The voting committee is made up of an informed and impartial group of individuals who follow college baseball on all levels, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) baseball. Included in the group are college athletic administrators and educators, college baseball writers and other sports journalists and broadcasters, former HBCU and other college ballplayers and above all else… college baseball enthusiasts who have an interest in promoting HBCU baseball.
As the college baseball season concludes, champions will be named in two divisions… the “large school” division will be composed of the 19 HBCU schools representing NCAA Division I and a “small school” division made up of the 30 HBCU schools with NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and independent status.
The crowning of Black College Nines National Champions will be announced on Tuesday, May 21st, 2019 on the Black College Nines’ website, Twitter and Facebook pages.