The Florida Gators men’s baseball team finished their season with a 42-18 record and after being consistently ranked NO. 1 in every major preseason poll the University has now been ranked No. 1 for the 64-team NCAA Division I college baseball tournament.
According to the chairman of the Division I baseball committee the No. 1 ranking was a “close vote” however Florida’s 21-10 record against top 25 teams eventually gave them the edge over UCLA, Florida State, Baylor, Oregon, North Carolina, LSU and two-time defending College World Series champion South Carolina.
If South Carolina can pull off a third-straight title they will join the 1970-1975 Southern California squad as the only teams to three-peat.
Leading the tournament is the Southeastern Conference which had 8 teams in the hunt while the Atlantic Coast Conference has seven teams.
Extending its own record is 36-21 Miami which is appearing in the tournament for the 40th straight year while Florida State is making its 35th consecutive appearance.
Failing to make the cut this year was Texas (30-22), the last failed attempt by the university was in 1998. Also out was Utah Valley which had a 47-12 record but suffered from a low PRI. Utah Valley was being considered for a last second spot but eventually lost out to other programs.
The Gators will now begin hosting one of 16 four-team, double-elimination regionals that begin Friday
Florida will open the tournament against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Bethune-Cookman who finished 34-25.
Do you think the Florida Gators deserved to receive the No. 1 ranking heading into the NCAA Division I college baseball tournament?
