PEMBROKE, N.C. (NCBWA) – Defending national champion North Greenville got some company atop the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Top 25 on Wednesday afternoon as Angelo State hauled in 11 first-place votes this week to nestle itself beside the Crusaders in the No. 1 spot.
North Greenville claimed all nine of the remaining first-place votes to stay on top of the ranking for a record-tying 18th-straight week, however. The Crusaders current reign at No. 1 matches a superlative established by Tampa who held on to No. 1 for all 13 polls during the 2014 campaign, and then staked claim to No. 1 for the first five polls of the 2015 season as well.
Wednesday’s ranking marks the first time since May 4, 2022 (Week 12) that a team other than North Greenville has staked claim to at least a share of the No. 1 ranking. Then-defending national champion Wingate was No. 1 for Week Nos. 10-12 before conceding to the Crusaders. Angelo State is back in the No. 1 spot for the first time since Week 4 (March 11) of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Three teams – Belmont Abbey (No. 19), East Stroudsburg (22) and Azusa Pacific (24) – reentered Wednesday’s national ranking after varying lengths of absences. Maryville (Mo.) checked in to the No. 25 spot this week – the first national ranking for the Saints in the 21-year history of the NCBWA Division II Top 25.
| 2023 NCBWA DIVISION II POLL (MAY 17) | |||||
| Rk. | School [1st place] | Location | Record | Pts. | Pvs. |
| t1. | Angelo State [11] | San Angelo, Texas | 47-8 | 489 | 2 |
| t1. | North Greenville [9] | Tigerville, S.C. | 44-8 | 489 | 1 |
| 3. | Tampa | Tampa, Fla. | 40-9 | 457 | 3 |
| 4. | Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Mo. | 41-13 | 428 | 4 |
| 5. | Colorado Mesa | Grand Junction, Colo. | 45-9 | 408 | 5 |
| 6. | Quincy | Quincy, Ill. | 44-9 | 406 | 6 |
| 7. | Millersville | Millersville, Pa. | 40-8 | 370 | 7 |
| 8. | Newberry | Newberry, S.C. | 41-13 | 333 | 9 |
| 9. | Cal State Monterey Bay | Seaside, Calif. | 36-16 | 316 | 12 |
| t10. | Missouri Southern State | Joplin, Mo. | 42-15 | 308 | 11 |
| t10. | Southern New Hampshire | Manchester, N.H, | 37-11 | 308 | 10 |
| 12. | West Florida | Pensacola, Fla. | 37-15 | 300 | 15 |
| 13. | Seton Hill | Greensburg, Pa. | 44-10 | 229 | 16 |
| 14. | St. Edward's | Austin, Texas | 39-15 | 221 | 14 |
| 15. | Southern Arkansas | Magnolia, Ark. | 39-16 | 208 | 18 |
| 16. | Illinois-Springfield | Springfield, Ill. | 35-13 | 202 | 19 |
| 17. | Cal State San Bernardino | San Bernardino, Calif. | 38-17 | 197 | 21 |
| 18. | Montevallo | Montevallo, Ark. | 38-14 | 167 | 23 |
| 19. | Belmont Abbey | Belmont, N.C. | 38-16 | 115 | NR |
| 20. | Rollins | Winter Park, Fla. | 34-16 | 96 | 8 |
| 21. | UT Tyler | Tyler, Texas | 37-17 | 91 | 22 |
| 22. | East Stroudsburg | East Stroudsburg, Pa. | 35-12 | 74 | RV |
| 23. | Mount Olive | Mount Olive, N.C. | 36-15 | 54 | T24 |
| 24. | Azusa Pacific | Azusa, Calif. | 34-17 | 45 | RV |
| 25. | Maryville | St. Louis, Mo. | 34-18 | 38 | NR |
| Also receiving votes: MSU Denver (42-12) 32; Ouachita Baptist (37-17) 30; Goldey-Beacom (34-18) 28; Wayne State (Mich.) (42-11) 27; Charleston (W. Va.) (43-10) 13; Point Loma (36-14) 8; Valdosta State (33-18) 4; Augustana (S.D.) (42-18) 3; Le Moyne (31-19) 3; Northwood (41-17) 1. | |||||
| Dropped out: Wayne State (Mich.) (13); Point Loma (17); Young Harris (20); Charleston (W. Va.) (24). | |||||
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.