Albany State back on top in this week’s “small school” poll while Prairie View retains its lead in “large school”poll.
For the second consecutive week, Prairie View A&M, after winning six straight conference games, remains No. 1 in Black College Nines’ HBCU large school top 10 regular season baseball poll announced on May 4, 2022.
Head coach Auntwan Riggins has led his Panthers to 10 wins in its last 12 ball games and its best start in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at 17-4 including a weekend sweep over divisional foe Alcorn State.
Alabama State remains No. 2, Florida A&M leapfrogs from the previous poll No. 7 to No. 3, Texas Southern jumps two spots to No. 4, Jackson State falls to No. 5, Bethune-Cookman falls three spots to No. 6, Coppin State, previously No. 8, moves to No. 7, as Delaware State, Southern, and Grambling State rounds out the large school poll.
Albany State reclaims the top spot for the second time this season in the BCN small school Top 10. Savannah State is No. 2 for the second time this season. West Virginia State leaped five big spots to No. 3, with Florida Memorial at No. 4, Paine up to No. 5, while Rust also moved a spot to No. 6. Some of the remaining poll movers from last top 10 poll of April 27 have been Miles at No. 8, Edward Waters No. 9, and Bluefield State remains the No. 10 ranked team.
The small school Top 10 poll will have national implications throughout the 2022 regular season which will lead to HBCU baseball programs competing for a national title in the second annual Black College World Series scheduled for May 10-15, 2022, at Riverwalk Stadium (home of the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits) in Montgomery, Alabama.
Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Ranking Committee determines the Top 10 rankings for both large schools and small schools.
Records indicated are through May 1st.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 1/7.11 | 24 | 17 | 2 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 3/6.76 | 19 | 24 | 6 | |
| Coppin State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 10/5.80 | 21 | 25 | 7 | |
| Delaware State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 11/5.76 | 17 | 21 | 8 | |
| Florida A&M University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 4/6.74 | 21 | 23 | 3 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-3 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 5/6.49 | 19 | 24 | 10 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 9/6.26 | 21 | 22 | 5 | |
| Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 8/6.42 | 27 | 18 | 1 | |
| Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 2-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 6/6.49 | 15 | 26 | 9 | |
| Texas Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 7/6.48 | 21 | 20 | 4 |
Also receiving multiple votes: North Carolina A&T, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore
Small School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State University (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 1/6.49 | 27 | 12 | 1 | |
| Bluefield State College (Independent) Record Since Last Poll: 1-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 5/5.67 | 21 | 24 | 10 | |
| Edward Waters College (GCAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 8/5.48 | 24 | 24 | 9 | |
| Florida Memorial University (SUN) Record Since Last Poll: 1-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 3/6.27 | 23 | 20 | 4 | |
| Kentucky State University (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-1 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 9/5.29 | 22 | 20 | 7 | |
| Miles College (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-4 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 6/5.65 | 23 | 21 | 8 | |
| Paine College (NCCAA) Record Since Last Poll: 0-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 15/4.74 | 18 | 14 | 5 | |
| Rust College (GCAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 19/4.39 | 16 | 13 | 6 | |
| Savannah State (SIAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 2/6.45 | 33 | 10 | 2 | |
| West Virginia State University (MEC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 4/6.03 | 24 | 17 | 3 |
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.