For the sixth consecutive week, Alabama State maintained the top spot on the Black College Nines’ HBCU Division I baseball poll announced April 21, 2015.
The Hornets, 27-11 overall and 15-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference, are riding a 12 game winning streak. ASU has scored at least six runs in 19 straight games and scored 10 or more runs in seven games, during the winning streak.
Once again this week, there was movement among the rest of the top 10. Norfolk State University moved up to the No. 2 ranking. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff dropped one spot to No. 3, Jackson State University climbed one spot to No. 4 and Alabama A&M University slipped to No. 5.
Rounding out the “large school” division top 10, made up of NCAA Division I baseball programs, are Texas Southern University, North Carolina Central University, Southern University, Savannah State University and Florida A&M University.
In the “small school” division, Winston-Salem State University, for the fifth consecutive week, retained the top spot in the Black College Nines’ poll. The Rams, 31-12 overall and 11-1 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, are coming off of a convincing four game road trip sweep and have a nine game winning streak.
Edward Waters College moved up one spot to No. 2, Virginia State University fell one spot to No. 3 and West Virginia State College jumped to No. 4. Talladega College climbed one spot to No. 5.
The rest of the small school poll, made up of NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools, are Benedict College, Jarvis Christian College, Wiley College, Paine College and Selma University.
The two divisional polls are as follows…
No. | School | Conference | Record | Previous |
1 | Alabama State University | SWAC | 27-11 | 1 |
2 | Norfolk State Unversity | MEAC | 18-10 | 4 |
3 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | SWAC | 19-14 | 2 |
4 | Jackson State University | SWAC | 25-15 | 5 |
5 | Alabama A&M University | SWAC | 22-22 | 3 |
6 | Texas Southern University | SWAC | 19-15 | 6 |
7 | North Carolina Central University | MEAC | 19-20 | 7 |
8 | Southern University | SWAC | 14-18 | 10 |
9 | Savannah State University | MEAC | 16-23 | NR |
10 | Florida A&M University | MEAC | 14-21 | 8 |
Dropped Out: Bethune Cookman University Others Receiving Votes (Listed Alphabetically): Bethune Cookman University |
No. | School | Conference | Record | Previous |
1 | Winston-Salem State University | CIAA | 31-12 | 1 |
2 | Edward Waters College | GCAC | 29-18 | 3 |
3 | Virginia State University | CIAA | 22-10 | 2 |
4 | West Virginia State University | MEC | 23-12 | 5 |
5 | Talladega College | GCAC | 25-19 | 6 |
6 | Benedict College | SIAC | 22-15 | 4 |
7 | Jarvis Christian College | RRAC | 26-20 | 7 |
8 | Wiley College | RRAC | 19-22 | 8 |
9 | Paine College | SIAC | 19-22 | 9 |
10 | Selma University | Independent | 11-10 | 10 |
Dropped Out: None Others Receiving Votes (Listed Alphabetically): Tuskegee University |
The voting committee is made up of a distinguished and distinctive group whose members continue to promote black college baseball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The group includes Ruffin Bell, originator of the former Black College Baseball HBCU National Championship poll and current Cheney State University Athletic Director. As well, the committee includes members of the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Black College Legends and Pioneers Committee – Harold Michael Harvey, Jay Sokol, John Winters and the previously mentioned Ruffin Bell. Chuck Curti, national sports journalists and Michael Coker, political blogger, round out the voting panel. Bell, Harvey and Coker each played baseball at HBCU schools. Champions will be named for two divisions… the “large school” division will be composed of the 20 HBCU schools representing NCAA Division I and a “small school” division made up of the 34 HBCU schools with NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and independent status.
Previous Poll Results: (click on links below)
Week 1 (March 17, 2015)
Week 2 (March 24, 2015)
Week 3 (March 31, 2015)
Week 4 (April 7, 2015)
Week 5 (April 14, 2015)
Week 6 (April 21, 2015)
Week 7 (April 28, 2015)
Week 8 (May 5, 2015)
Final Poll (May 12, 2015)