For the first time ever, Florida A&M University has moved into the No. 1 ranking in our Black College Nines 2016 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) regular season baseball poll announced on April 5, 2016.
The Rattlers are 18-9 overall, 8-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), winners of 4 of their last 5 games, received the most first-place votes and total points in the “large school” division made up of NCAA Division I baseball programs. Florida A&M, in an MEAC Southern Division conference three-game series, swept foe North Carolina Central University this past weekend to take the series. Right behind Florida A&M and dropping down for the first time in two seasons to the No. 2 spot in the poll rankings from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is Alabama State University.
Jackson State University locked down the No. 3 position for a second straight week, but significant movement occurred throughout the rest of the poll. Grambling State University rose four spots to No. 4, Norfolk State University moved up one spot to No. 5, Bethune-Cookman University climbed three spots to No. 6. Two teams slipped in the poll, Texas Southern University dropped two spots to No. 7 while North Carolina Central University fell four spots to No. 8. Two teams entered the poll for the first time this season, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at No. 9 and Savannah State University, which shares the No. 10 spot with Prairie View A&M University.
In the “small school” division, for the second consecutive week, Benedict College retains the No. 1 ranking in Black College Nines Top 10 rankings. The Tigers, having won 7 of its last 10 games, are 19-8 overall and 3-3 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). As a team, Benedict has 10 players with batting averages of .300 or better in 27 games so far this season.
Several teams bettered their previous poll rankings, Miles College moved up into the No. 2 spot while Edward Waters College jumped from No. 4 to No. 3, Paine College jumped one spot to No. 4 as Selma University fell three spots from No. 2 to No. 5. Of the remaining top 10, making their first appearance in the 2016 poll is Winston Salem State University at No. 6 and West Virginia State University comes in at No 7. Jarvis Christian leaps two spots to No. 8 while Talladega College drops three spots from No. 6 to No. 9. Like West Virginia State, Harris-Stowe State College also entered the rankings for the first time, rounding out at the Top 10.
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 | Florida A&M University | MEAC | 18-9 | 2 |
| 2 | Alabama State University | SWAC | 19-12 | 1 |
| 3 | Jackson State University | SWAC | 17-11 | 3 |
| 4 | Grambling State University | SWAC | 11-16 | 8 |
| 5 | Norfolk State University | MEAC | 11-14 | 6 |
| 6 | Bethune Cookman University | MEAC | 11-18 | 9 |
| 7 | Texas Southern University | SWAC | 13-13 | 5 |
| 8 | North Carolina Central University | MEAC | 13-16 | 4 |
| 9 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | SWAC | 8-18 | NR |
| 10 (tie) | Prairie View A&M University | SWAC | 8-17 | 7 |
| 10 (tie) | Savannah State University | MEAC | 9-20 | NR |
Small School Division
| No. | School | Conference | W-L | Previous |
| 1 | Benedict College | SIAC | 19-8 | 1 |
| 2 | Miles College | SIAC | 22-11 | 3 |
| 3 | Edward Waters College | GCAC | 19-11 | 4 |
| 4 | Paine College | SIAC | 19-11 | 5 |
| 5 | Selma College | Independent | 17-8 | 2 |
| 6 | Winston Salem State University | CIAA | 16-16 | 7 |
| 7 | West Virginia State University | MEC | 12-8 | NR |
| 8 | Jarvis Christian College | RRAC | 15-22 | 10 |
| 9 | Talladega College | GCAC | 14-16 | 6 |
| 10 | Harris Stowe State University | AMC | 15-18 | NR |
Previous Poll Results: (click on links below)
Week 1 (March 13, 2016)
Point made Mickey
Thank you Mickey for bringing realism to this poll.
How in the world is Miles College ranked as high as #2? They have a cupcake schedule, they are 8-0 against losing NAIA teams ( 4-0 Concordia, 4-0 Tougaloo) beat up on a 1-25 Lane College who has one win in the last two years. Schedule full of conference opponents, weak non-conference schedule. Miles only big meaningful games is the last three games series of the season against #1 Benedict.