Final 2012 College Top 25
DURHAM, N.C—Arizona completed a perfect 10-0 run through the NCAA tournament to win its first national title since 1986 and finish atop Baseball America's final Top 25 rankings. The Wildcats were ranked No. 5 in the preseason and never dropped below No. 14, where they sat for two weeks in May. They entered the NCAA tournament with a No. 13 ranking, then caught fire in the postseason. The Wildcats last topped BA's rankings on March 10, 2008.
National runner-up South Carolina ends the season at No. 2, a jump of five spots from the end of the regular season. Florida, which entered the season and the postseason ranked No. 1, falls to No. 3 after a disappointing 0-2 showing in the College World Series.
Five teams vault into the rankings after winning regionals, including two teams that went all the way to Omaha: No. 6 Arkansas and No. 8 Kent State. Stony Brook, meanwhile, makes the biggest jump of any team that was ranked at the end of the regular season, from No. 25 to No. 7. The Seawolves, Hogs and Golden Flashes won challenging super regionals on the road against LSU, Baylor and Oregon, which finish the year ranked ninth, 10th and 11th, respectively.
The other newcomers in the Top 25 are No. 14 Oklahoma, No. 15 St. John's and No. 16 Texas Christian. Those three teams won road regionals at Virginia, North Carolina and Texas A&M, respectively.
The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are through games of June 25 and do not include ties.
Rk. Team W-L NCAA tourney Prev.
1. Arizona 48-17 10-0 13
2. South Carolina 49-20 9-3 7
3. Florida 47-20 5-2 1
4. Florida State 50-17 7-2 5
5. UCLA 48-16 6-2 9
6. Arkansas 46-22 7-3 NR
7. Stony Brook 52-15 6-4 25
8. Kent State 47-20 6-3 NR
9. Louisiana State 47-18 4-2 3
10. Baylor 49-17 5-3 4
11. Oregon 46-19 4-2 10
12. North Carolina State 43-20 4-3 18
13. Stanford 41-18 3-2 19
14. Oklahoma 42-25 4-3 NR
15. St. John's 40-23 3-2 NR
16. Texas Christian 40-22 4-3 NR
17. North Carolina 46-16 2-2 6
18. Rice 41-19 1-2 8
19. Texas A&M 43-18 1-2 9
20. Kentucky 45-18 2-2 11
21. Cal State Fullerton 36-21 1-2 12
22. Mississippi State 40-24 1-2 14
23. Purdue 45-14 1-2 15
24. Oregon State 40-20 2-2 16
25. Virginia 39-19 1-2 17
Dropped out: Central Florida (20), Arizona State (21), Vanderbilt (22), Miami (23), Pepperdine (24)
DURHAM, N.C—Arizona completed a perfect 10-0 run through the NCAA tournament to win its first national title since 1986 and finish atop Baseball America's final Top 25 rankings. The Wildcats were ranked No. 5 in the preseason and never dropped below No. 14, where they sat for two weeks in May. They entered the NCAA tournament with a No. 13 ranking, then caught fire in the postseason. The Wildcats last topped BA's rankings on March 10, 2008.
National runner-up South Carolina ends the season at No. 2, a jump of five spots from the end of the regular season. Florida, which entered the season and the postseason ranked No. 1, falls to No. 3 after a disappointing 0-2 showing in the College World Series.
Five teams vault into the rankings after winning regionals, including two teams that went all the way to Omaha: No. 6 Arkansas and No. 8 Kent State. Stony Brook, meanwhile, makes the biggest jump of any team that was ranked at the end of the regular season, from No. 25 to No. 7. The Seawolves, Hogs and Golden Flashes won challenging super regionals on the road against LSU, Baylor and Oregon, which finish the year ranked ninth, 10th and 11th, respectively.
The other newcomers in the Top 25 are No. 14 Oklahoma, No. 15 St. John's and No. 16 Texas Christian. Those three teams won road regionals at Virginia, North Carolina and Texas A&M, respectively.
The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are through games of June 25 and do not include ties.
Rk. Team W-L NCAA tourney Prev.
1. Arizona 48-17 10-0 13
2. South Carolina 49-20 9-3 7
3. Florida 47-20 5-2 1
4. Florida State 50-17 7-2 5
5. UCLA 48-16 6-2 9
6. Arkansas 46-22 7-3 NR
7. Stony Brook 52-15 6-4 25
8. Kent State 47-20 6-3 NR
9. Louisiana State 47-18 4-2 3
10. Baylor 49-17 5-3 4
11. Oregon 46-19 4-2 10
12. North Carolina State 43-20 4-3 18
13. Stanford 41-18 3-2 19
14. Oklahoma 42-25 4-3 NR
15. St. John's 40-23 3-2 NR
16. Texas Christian 40-22 4-3 NR
17. North Carolina 46-16 2-2 6
18. Rice 41-19 1-2 8
19. Texas A&M 43-18 1-2 9
20. Kentucky 45-18 2-2 11
21. Cal State Fullerton 36-21 1-2 12
22. Mississippi State 40-24 1-2 14
23. Purdue 45-14 1-2 15
24. Oregon State 40-20 2-2 16
25. Virginia 39-19 1-2 17
Dropped out: Central Florida (20), Arizona State (21), Vanderbilt (22), Miami (23), Pepperdine (24)
