Bethune-Cookman in the large school division and Talladega College in the small school division retain top spots in the sixth edition of Black College Nines’ top 10 polls of 2026.
Defending large school champion Bethune-Cookman University tops the rankings in the sixth edition of the Black College Nines’ Historically Black College and University regular season Top 10 baseball poll as announced on May 20, 2026. The large school classification is made up of NCAA Division I institutions.
Alabama State continues to rise in the poll moving into the number two spot with Florida A&M at number three and Southern University at number four. Grambling State University rounds out the top five.
With no new entries, the last five in the large school division were all ranked in the top ten in BCN’s fifth edition of its poll.
In the small school division, which includes NCAA Division II schools as well as those affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), Talladega College remains on top in the newest poll with Edward Waters University an extremely close second. Talladega played in the opening round of the NAIA tournament going 1-2, while Edward Waters played in the Division II regional tournament also going 1-2.
Huston-Tillotson University, which also competed in the opening round of the NAIA tournament, moved into the number three spot flip-flopping with Albany State, now number four. Savannah State rounds out the top five, remaining in the fifth position where it has rested the past two polls.
The bottom five remain ranked again this edition with one exception. Wilberforce University works its way back into the top ten barely knocking Bluefield State University from the tenth slot.
Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Ranking Committee determines the Top 10 rankings for both large schools and small schools.
Records indicated are through May 17th.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Poll
| Rank | School | Current Record | Winning Pct. | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State University (SWAC) | 30-21 | 0.588 | 2 | |
| Univ of Arkansas Pine Bluff (SWAC) | 23-32 | 0.418 | 7 | |
| Bethune Cookman University (SWAC) | 37-18 | 0.673 | 1 | |
| Florida A&M University (SWAC) | 27-22 | 0.551 | 3 | |
| Grambling State University (SWAC) | 21-30 | 0.412 | 5 | |
| Jackson State University (SWAC) | 26-25 | 0.510 | 6 | |
| Norfolk State University (NEC) | 20-31 | 0.392 | 9 | |
| North Carolina A&T University (CAA) | 14-38 | 0.269 | 10 | |
| Southern University (SWAC) | 27-21 | 0.562 | 4 | |
| Texas Southern University (SWAC) | 20-22 | 0.476 | 8 |
Receiving Votes: Prairie View A&M
Small School Poll
| Rank | School | Current Record | Winning Pct. | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany State University (SIAC) | 28-18 | 0.609 | 4 | |
| Benedict College (SIAC) | 23-13 | 0.639 | 7 | |
| Edward Waters University (SIAC) | 33-21 | 0.611 | 2 | |
| Florida Memorial University (SUN) | 21-27 | 0.437 | 8 | |
| Huston-Tillotson University (HBCUAC) | 33-20 | 0.623 | 3 | |
| Morehouse College (SIAC) | 25-21 | 0.543 | 6 | |
| Savannah State (SIAC) | 27-20 | 0.574 | 5 | |
| Stillman College (HBCUAC) | 24-18 | 0.571 | 9 | |
| Talladega College (HBCUAC) | 33-19 | 0.635 | 1 | |
| Wilberforce University (HBCUAC) | 22-21 | 0.512 | 10 |
Receiving Votes: Bluefield State, Claflin University, Miles College, Southern University at New Orleans, Virginia State University, West Virginia State University
2026 Poll Dates (with links to poll results):
Week 1 (March 11 , 2026)
Week 2 (March 25, 2026)
Week 3 (April 8, 2026)
Week 4 (April 22, 2026)
Week 5 (May 6, 2026)
Week 6 (May 20, 2026)
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 are named in two divisions… the “large school” division which is composed of the 17 HBCU schools representing NCAA Division I and a “small school” division made up of the 38 HBCU schools with NCAA Division II, NAIA NCCAA and USCAA status.