Jackson State University has moved into the No. 1 ranking in our Black College Nines 2018 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) regular season baseball poll announced on April 3, 2018.
The Tigers, 17-10 overall and 5-1 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. JSU has won ball games with pitching and timely hitting. Right behind Jackson State and dropping down to the No. 2 spot in the poll rankings from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is North Carolina Central University.
In the “small school” division, Edward Waters College becomes the No. 1 ranked team in Black College Nines Top 10 rankings. The Tigers, having won 8 straight games, are 21-12 overall and 3-3 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). As a team, the Tiger have 141 runs batted in, in 33 games so far this season. Harris Stowe State University, from the American Midwest Conference (AMC) moves into the No. 2 spot.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State (SWAC) This Past Week: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current RPI: 246 | 14 | 12 | 3 | |
| Arkansas Pine-Bluff University (SWAC) This Past Week: 3-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current RPI: 279 | 10 | 12 | 8 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (MEAC) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current RPI: 140 | 10 | 18 | 7 | |
| Coppin State University (MEAC) This Past Week: 3-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 292 | 8 | 15 | 10 | |
| Florida A&M University (MEAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current RPI: 259 | 14 | 17 | 6 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current RPI: 274 | 15 | 14 | 4 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) This Past Week: 0-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current RPI: 171 | 17 | 10 | 1 | |
| North Carolina A&T University (MEAC) This Past Week: 4-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 264 | 13 | 14 | 5 | |
| North Carolina Central University (MEAC) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current RPI: 139 | 19 | 11 | 2 | |
| Texas Southern University (SWAC) This Past Week: 1-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 245 | 10 | 18 | 9 |
Teams Dropped From Top Ten... Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Southern University
Small School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benedict College (SIAC) This Past Week: 4-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current RPI: 535 | 13 | 9 | 8 | |
| Edward Waters College (GCAC) This Past Week: 5-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current RPI: 399 | 21 | 12 | 1 | |
| Florida Memorial University (SUN) This Past Week: 1-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current RPI: 290 | 20 | 14 | 5 | |
| Harris Stowe State University (AWC) This Past Week: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current RPI: 408 | 23 | 12 | 2 | |
| Jarvis Christian College (RRAC) This Past Week: 3-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 474 | 19 | 18 | 10 | |
| Miles College (SIAC) This Past Week: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: N/A Current RPI: 338 | 19 | 13 | 7 | |
| Talladega College (GCAC) This Past Week: 5-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current RPI: 339 | 20 | 13 | 3 | |
| Virginia State University (CIAA) This Past Week: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current RPI: 455 | 14 | 7 | 6 | |
| West Virginia State University (MEC) This Past Week: 3-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current RPI: 391 | 14 | 11 | 9 | |
| Winston Salem State University (CIAA) This Past Week: 1-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current RPI: 323 | 18 | 12 | 4 |
Teams Dropped From Top Ten... Albany State, Texas College
2018 Poll Dates (with links to poll results):
Pre-Season
Week 1 (March 13, 2018)
Week 2 (April 3, 2018)
Week 3 (April 17, 2018)
Week 4 (April 24, 2018)
Week 5 (May 1, 2018)
Week 6 (May 8, 2018)
Week 7 (May 15, 2018)
Week 8* (May 22, 2018)
*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 32 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 22rd, 2018 at Noon (EST) on the Black College Nines’ website and Facebook pages.