Surging Volunteers ascend to No. 1 in Hall of Fame Power Poll
LUBBOCK, Texas – The juggernaut that is Tennessee baseball through the first six weeks of the season has taken over the top spot in the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Power Poll, the fourth new No. 1 team in as many weeks.
Fresh off a three-game sweep of Ole Miss in a clash of top-ranked SEC teams, Tennessee received four of the possible five first place votes – the other first-place vote went to the Vols’ in-state rival, the Vanderbilt Commodores. Vandy falls from No. 1 after dropping an SEC series against South Carolina.
Another surging team, Virginia, moves up two spots to No. 3 after taking a weekend ACC series against an improving Wake Forest squad. Texas Tech moves up three spots to No. 4 after taking two of three in a Big 12 Conference lid-lifter against preseason No. 1 Texas, winning twice in dramatic, walk-off fashion on a steal of home in Game 1 and a grand slam home run in Game 2. Arkansas rounds out the top five.
Two teams return to the rankings after solid weeks. Miami, which swept Boston College in an ACC series, checks in at No. 24 while North Carolina State, after some early-season struggles, also is back after sweeping previous No. 16 Georgia Tech, which drops out of the poll along with Maryland.
Dropped out: Georgia Tech, Maryland
Also receiving votes: Georgia Tech, Oregon, Dallas Baptist, UCLA, Oklahoma, Southern Mississippi, UC-Santa Barbara, San Diego.