Alabama State and Edward Waters claim Black College Nines National Championships.
After another fantastic season of HBCU baseball, Alabama State University in the “large school” division has been crowned Historically Black College and University National Champions by the polling committee at Black College Nines. Edward Waters University in the “small school” division rightfully claimed the Tyson Foods Black College World Series calling themselves Black College World Series winners. Both Are HBCU Baseball 2022 national champions.
Alabama State, with a 34-23 record, fought a tough regular-season conference and non-conference schedule and won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship. The Hornets went undefeated in the tournament, winning three of the four games by one run, including a dramatic (6-5) 14 inning thrilling victory over Southern in the SWAC championship game to win the tournament.
The Hornets’ 2022 championship makes four HBCU baseball national titles… in the 2020 season and back-to-back in 2015 and 2016.
Alabama State has earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I post-season regionals and will play the nation’s top rank and No. 1 seed Tennessee Volunteers in the Knoxville Regional scheduled to take place on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Edward Waters University’s title was the first since 2011 and the second time in program history.
Edward Waters defeated Kentucky State, 3-2, in the championship game of the Tyson Foods Black College World Series at Riverwalk Stadium this past May 14, 2022, in Montgomery, Alabama, climbed into the No. 1 spot and ultimately became the small school champion.
Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Ranking Committee determines the Top 10 rankings for both large schools and small schools.
Records indicated are through May 29th.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Won | Lost | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 4-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 1 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 1/7.03 | 34 | 23 | 1 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 2-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 10 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 2/6.81 | 27 | 32 | 8 | |
| Coppin State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 6 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 11/5.87 | 24 | 28 | 4 | |
| Delaware State University (MEAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-0 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 7 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 10/5.94 | 25 | 23 | 6 | |
| Florida A&M University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 3 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 4/6.76 | 29 | 30 | 2 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 9 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 7/6.42 | 26 | 31 | 10 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 4 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 8/6.41 | 29 | 27 | 9 | |
| Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 1-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 5 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 9/6.31 | 30 | 27 | 7 | |
| Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 3-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 8 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 5/6.61 | 27 | 31 | 3 | |
| Texas Southern University (SWAC) Record Since Last Poll: 0-2 Previous BCN Poll Rank: 2 Current Massey Rank/Rating: 6/6.48 | 28 | 25 | 5 |
Also receiving multiple votes: North Carolina A&T
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: none
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.