DALLAS (NCBWA) - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 27th year with its 2024 weekly surveys, and Wake Forest rates No. 1 in the preseason poll ahead of No. 2 LSU (defending champion) and No. 3 Florida.
This is the first time the Deacons to have received the NCBWA’s preseason nod for No. 1. LSU was the writers’ choice in pre-2023 and then won the NCAA championship. The Tigers downed No. 2 Florida in the ’23 NCAA World Series title round. Wake Forest has one NCAA crown to its name in 1955.
Some of the other traditional powers among the Top 10 are No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 TCU, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 9 Texas and No. 10 Texas A&M.
Other previous No. 1 entries on the preseason NCBWA rankings have been LSU (1998, 2001, 2023), Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06, 10, 22) Rice (2004, 07), Cal State Fullerton (2005, 14), Arizona State (2008), North Carolina (2009), TCU (2011, 17), Florida (2012, 18, 21), Arkansas (2013) and Vanderbilt (2015, 19, 20).
There are 10 conferences represented in the first 35-team survey with the Southeastern Conference leading the way with nine among 305 schools competing in NCAA Division I. The Atlantic Coast Conference is next with six schools. Last year, there were 15 different conferences with teams in the poll along with a NCBWA-record 19 conferences represented in 2019 surveys.
There were 59 schools and 16 conferences rated or receiving votes among the first Top-30 survey in ‘24, and the poll will continue with Top 25 teams on Monday, Feb. 19. The final NCBWA poll will be released after the completion of the NCAA World Series in Omaha, Nebraska., June 14-23.
Rank School Conference Record Pvs.
1 Wake Forest ACC 54-12 3
2 LSU SEC 54-17 1
3 Florida SEC 54-17 2
4 Arkansas SEC 43-18 17
5 Tennessee SEC 44-22 5
6 TCU Big 12 44-24 4
7 Vanderbilt SEC 42-20 19
8 Oregon State Pac-12 41-20 26
9 Texas Big 12 42-22 11
10 Texas A&M SEC 38-27 25
11 Virginia ACC 50-15 7
12 Clemson ACC 44-19 18
13 East Carolina American Athletic 47-19 22
14 Duke ACC 39-24 15
15 South Carolina SEC 42-21 13
16 North Carolina ACC 36-24 NR
17 Stanford Pac-12 44-20 8
18 NC State ACC 36-21 NR
19 Coastal Carolina Sun Belt 42-21 24
20 Texas Tech Big 12 41-23 28
21 Iowa Big Ten 40-16 NR
22 UCLA Pac-12 28-24-1 NR
23 Alabama SEC 43-21 16
24 UC Santa Barbara Big West 35-20 NR
25 Auburn SEC 34-23-1 NR
26 Oral Roberts Summit League 52-14 6
27 Kansas State Big 12 35-24 NR
28 Northeastern CAA 44-16 NR
29 Oklahoma State Big 12 41-20 27
30 Southern Miss Sun Belt 46-20 10
Also Receiving Votes (Alphabetically):
Alabama State (41-18), Arizona (33-26), Arizona State (32-23), Bethune-Cookman (33-27), Campbell (46-15), Connecticut (44-17), DBU (47-16), Florida State (23-31), Gonzaga (18-34), Grand Canyon (37-21), Indiana (43-20), Indiana State (45-17), Kansas (25-32), Kentucky (40-21), Louisiana (41-24), Maryland (42-21), Miami (Fla.) (42-21), Mississippi State (27-26), Oklahoma (32-28), Ole Miss (25-29), Oregon (41-22), Texas State (36-23), Troy (40-22), UC Irvine (38-17), UNCW (34-23). USC (34-23-1), West Virginia (40-20), Washington (35-20), Xavier (Ohio) (39-25).
By Conference
SEC 9, ACC 6, Big 12 5, Pac-12 3, Sun Belt 2, AAC 1, Big Ten 1, Big West 1, CAA 1, Summit 1.
This is the first time the Deacons to have received the NCBWA’s preseason nod for No. 1. LSU was the writers’ choice in pre-2023 and then won the NCAA championship. The Tigers downed No. 2 Florida in the ’23 NCAA World Series title round. Wake Forest has one NCAA crown to its name in 1955.
Some of the other traditional powers among the Top 10 are No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 TCU, No. 7 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 9 Texas and No. 10 Texas A&M.
Other previous No. 1 entries on the preseason NCBWA rankings have been LSU (1998, 2001, 2023), Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06, 10, 22) Rice (2004, 07), Cal State Fullerton (2005, 14), Arizona State (2008), North Carolina (2009), TCU (2011, 17), Florida (2012, 18, 21), Arkansas (2013) and Vanderbilt (2015, 19, 20).
There are 10 conferences represented in the first 35-team survey with the Southeastern Conference leading the way with nine among 305 schools competing in NCAA Division I. The Atlantic Coast Conference is next with six schools. Last year, there were 15 different conferences with teams in the poll along with a NCBWA-record 19 conferences represented in 2019 surveys.
There were 59 schools and 16 conferences rated or receiving votes among the first Top-30 survey in ‘24, and the poll will continue with Top 25 teams on Monday, Feb. 19. The final NCBWA poll will be released after the completion of the NCAA World Series in Omaha, Nebraska., June 14-23.
2024 NCBWA Preseason Poll Top 30 Poll
Feb. 1, 2024
Feb. 1, 2024
Rank School Conference Record Pvs.
1 Wake Forest ACC 54-12 3
2 LSU SEC 54-17 1
3 Florida SEC 54-17 2
4 Arkansas SEC 43-18 17
5 Tennessee SEC 44-22 5
6 TCU Big 12 44-24 4
7 Vanderbilt SEC 42-20 19
8 Oregon State Pac-12 41-20 26
9 Texas Big 12 42-22 11
10 Texas A&M SEC 38-27 25
11 Virginia ACC 50-15 7
12 Clemson ACC 44-19 18
13 East Carolina American Athletic 47-19 22
14 Duke ACC 39-24 15
15 South Carolina SEC 42-21 13
16 North Carolina ACC 36-24 NR
17 Stanford Pac-12 44-20 8
18 NC State ACC 36-21 NR
19 Coastal Carolina Sun Belt 42-21 24
20 Texas Tech Big 12 41-23 28
21 Iowa Big Ten 40-16 NR
22 UCLA Pac-12 28-24-1 NR
23 Alabama SEC 43-21 16
24 UC Santa Barbara Big West 35-20 NR
25 Auburn SEC 34-23-1 NR
26 Oral Roberts Summit League 52-14 6
27 Kansas State Big 12 35-24 NR
28 Northeastern CAA 44-16 NR
29 Oklahoma State Big 12 41-20 27
30 Southern Miss Sun Belt 46-20 10
Also Receiving Votes (Alphabetically):
Alabama State (41-18), Arizona (33-26), Arizona State (32-23), Bethune-Cookman (33-27), Campbell (46-15), Connecticut (44-17), DBU (47-16), Florida State (23-31), Gonzaga (18-34), Grand Canyon (37-21), Indiana (43-20), Indiana State (45-17), Kansas (25-32), Kentucky (40-21), Louisiana (41-24), Maryland (42-21), Miami (Fla.) (42-21), Mississippi State (27-26), Oklahoma (32-28), Ole Miss (25-29), Oregon (41-22), Texas State (36-23), Troy (40-22), UC Irvine (38-17), UNCW (34-23). USC (34-23-1), West Virginia (40-20), Washington (35-20), Xavier (Ohio) (39-25).
By Conference
SEC 9, ACC 6, Big 12 5, Pac-12 3, Sun Belt 2, AAC 1, Big Ten 1, Big West 1, CAA 1, Summit 1.
