Edward Waters claims top spot in this week’s “small school” poll while Alabama State regains its lead in “large school”poll.
After a slow start to the 2022 season, Edward Waters University rightfully claimed the Tyson Foods Black College World Series and the No. 1 ranking in the small school Black College Nines (BCN) Top 10 poll. The Tigers fought out of the tournaments losers’ bracket to defeat Kentucky State by the score of 3-2 in a winner-take-all championship game to call themselves Black College World Series winners. Kentucky State ended the season ranked second nationally.
In the large school Top 10 BCN poll, Alabama State returned to No. 1 replacing Prairie View A&M. The Hornets continue to lead all HBCU DI teams with 29 victories and have clinched a berth as a top seed in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) tournament, scheduled to start Wednesday, May 25 – 29, 2022 Regions Field- Birmingham, Ala.
Some of the major poll rankings saw Delaware State climb from previous No. 8 to No. 4, and Texas Southern moved from No. 4 to No. 2.
Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Ranking Committee determines the Top 10 rankings for both large schools and small schools.
Records indicated are through May 15th.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-5 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 1/7.01 | 27 | 22 | 1 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 3/6.79 | 23 | 28 | 6 | |
| Coppin State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 12/5.81 | 21 | 28 | 9 | |
| Delaware State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 6-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 10/5.95 | 23 | 21 | 5 | |
| Florida A&M University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 2/6.79 | 25 | 26 | 4 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-5 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 7/6.40 | 22 | 29 | 8 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 5-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 8/6.39 | 26 | 25 | 7 | |
| Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-5 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 9/6.35 | 28 | 23 | 3 | |
| Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 6-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 6/6.55 | 21 | 28 | 10 | |
| Texas Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 5-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 5/6.55 | 26 | 22 | 2 |
Also receiving multiple votes: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Small School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State University (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 5-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 1/6.37 | 32 | 16 | 3 | |
| Bluefield State College (Independent) Record Since Last Poll: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 6/5.72 | 22 | 27 | 10 | |
| Edward Waters University (GCAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 8/5.50 | 28 | 27 | 1 | |
| Florida Memorial University (SUN) Record Since Last Poll: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 3/6.25 | 25 | 22 | 6 | |
| Kentucky State University (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 10/5.18 | 25 | 24 | 2 | |
| Miles College (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 5/5.80 | 27 | 24 | 7 | |
| Paine College (NCCAA) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 15/4.61 | 19 | 16 | 9 | |
| Rust College (GCAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 18/4.51 | 17 | 15 | 8 | |
| Savannah State (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 2/6.33 | 34 | 12 | 4 | |
| West Virginia State University (MEC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 4/6.04 | 25 | 20 | 5 |
Also receiving multiple votes: Talladega College, Xavier University of Louisiana
The large school and small school rankings/ratings used above are provided to us courtesy of Massey Ratings. A detailed explanation of Kenneth Massey’s ratings can be found here.
2022 Poll Dates (with links to poll results):
Pre-Season
Week 1 (March 9, 2022)
Week 2 (March 23, 2022)
Week 3 (April 6, 2022)
Week 4 (April 20, 2022)
Week 5 (April 27, 2022)
Week 6 (May 4, 2022)
Week 7 (May 18, 2022)
Week 8 (May 25, 2021)
Week 9 (June 1, 2022)
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 17 HBCU schools representing NCAA Division I and a “small school” division made up of the 30 HBCU schools with NCAA Division II, NAIA and NCCAA status.