Alabama State University, the defending Black College Nines’ national large school baseball champion tops the first edition of the 2016 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) regular season Top 10 baseball poll as announced by Black College Nines on March 15, 2016.
The Hornets, who have had some remarkable wins in the early season, received the most first-place votes and total points in the “large school” division which is made up of NCAA Division I baseball programs. Alabama State (10-7) overall, is led by a talented crop of hitters, as well as a pitching staff which ranks among the top in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Right behind Alabama State is the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Florida A&M University (11-5).
In the “small school” division, made up of NCAA Division II and Division III schools as well as those in the NAIA, Benedict College leads the way, followed by Selma University (10-4), an NAIA Independent. Benedict, from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), started the 2016 season winning 8 of their first 10 games with solid pitching and hitting. As a team, the Tigers club has a .327 batting average and an earn run average of 4.41, to go along with its 12-5 record.
Black College Nines’ national rankings poll is in its second year of existence and is a renewal of the only previous HBCU baseball rankings, last conducted in 2012 by Ruffin Bell on his Black College Baseball website. The crowning of Black College Nines National Champions will be announced on Tuesday, May 24th, 2016 at 10 AM (EST) on the Black College Nines’ website.
The Voting Committee of Black College Nines determines the Top 10 rankings. Overall records do not include ties.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Division
| No. | School | Conference | W-L | Previous |
| 1 | Alabama State University | SWAC | 10-7 | – |
| 2 | Florida A&M University | MEAC | 11-5 | – |
| 3 | Jackson State University | SWAC | 7-7 | – |
| 4 | North Carolina Central University | MEAC | 9-8 | – |
| 5 | Texas Southern University | SWAC | 6-9 | – |
| 6 | Norfolk State University | MEAC | 6-9 | – |
| 7 | Prairie View A& University | SWAC | 5-8 | – |
| 8 | Grambling State University | SWAC | 4-9 | – |
| 9 | Bethune Cookman University | MEAC | 5-10 | – |
| 10 | Mississippi Valley State University | SWAC | 4-10 | – |
Small School Division
| No. | School | Conference | W-L | Previous |
| 1 | Benedict College | SIAC | 12-5 | – |
| 2 | Selma University | Independent | 10-4 | – |
| 3 | Miles College | SIAC | 14-6 | – |
| 4 | Edward Waters College | GCAC | 12-9 | – |
| 5 | Paine College | SIAC | 12-9 | – |
| 6 | Talladega College | GCAC | 14-12 | – |
| 7 | Winston Salem State University | CIAA | 12-13 | – |
| 8 | Morehouse College | SIAC | 12-12 | – |
| 9 | Huston-Tillotson University | RRAC | 7-8 | – |
| 10 | Jarvis Christian College | RRAC | 11-13 | – |
Wish there was a HBCU World Series to showcase the talent in our schools. If I had the bank, I would sponsor it. FAMU Baseball Graduate
Alabama State, good. No one saw Florida A&M coming this early in the season. Jackson State is right where they should be. Keep an eye on Norfolk State.