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In the fall of 2015, we presented our inaugural Top 100 Programs rankings, which we described as an attempt to asses the overall health of each program in the current era. A lot can change quickly in college baseball, so we decided to make this a biennial exercise. We updated the Top 100 in 2017 and again in 2019. But after the pandemic wiped out the 2020 season, we decided to push the 2021 update back a year to 2022.
For the purpose of this exercise, we don’t care what happened in the 1970s or 80s, or even the 90s or 2000s — that’s ancient history to a potential recruit in 2021. Tradition is nice, but it’s more important to establish a tradition of consistent winning in the last decade, and especially in the last five years. Our ultimate goal here is to identify the programs in the best shape right now, with an eye toward the next five to 10 years.
So we began by awarding each program points for making regionals, winning regionals, reaching the Men’s College World Series, and winning the national championship in the last five (completed) seasons, and a fewer amount of points for success between six and 10 years ago. That gave us a starting point; then national writers Aaron Fitt, Kendall Rogers, Mike Rooney, Joe Healy and Mark Etheridge made adjustments based on evaluations of coaching staff quality and stability, facilities, scholarship/financial aid situation, conference dynamics, momentum and recruiting and player development proficiency. As the chairman of the Division I Baseball Committee likes to say every year, it’s more of an art than a science, but we tried to take many factors into consideration and debated our rankings internally at length. Reasonable minds will disagree on the rankings, and we want to hear your take, so weigh in with your own thoughts on the D1Baseball forums.
This fall, we’re counting down from No. 100 to No. 1. Programs ranked 11-100 can be found within the links at the bottom of this article. Below, we conclude with the top 10, in reverse order.
10. Florida State
The last five years have been something of a roller coaster for Florida State, at least by the program’s absurdly consistent historical standards. After FSU scrapped and clawed its way to Omaha in Mike Martin’s 2019 swan song, the Seminoles made regionals in both of Mike Martin Jr.’s two completed seasons as head coach, but both seasons were fairly pedestrian, as FSU saw its remarkable streak of 40 straight seasons with 40-plus wins snapped in the COVID-altered 2021 campaign, then followed it up with a 34-win season in 2022. Florida State quickly changed tack, replacing Martin Jr. with former FSU star Link Jarrett, fresh off leading Notre Dame to Omaha. Expectations were high for the Jarrett era, but his debut season was a disaster, as the Noles cratered to 23-31 overall and 9-12 in the ACC, snapping their streak of 44 consecutive regionals with a resounding thud. But year two was the polar opposite, as Jarrett quickly led FSU back to national prominence, guiding his rebuilt squad to a 49-17 record and a trip to Omaha. It’s safe to say Florida State is officially back, and under Jarrett’s leadership this program should remain an elite national powerhouse for many years to come. The tradition and culture are top-notch, the recruiting base is strong, the facilities are still attractive despite getting a bit long in the tooth and the fan base is passionate. Florida State baseball remains a very powerful brand, and we expect this machine will keep on rolling now that it has regained its footing.
9. Texas
A strong case can be made that Texas has a more glorious baseball history than any other program, with a record 62 regional appearances and 38 Men’s College World Series appearances (13 more than any other program), to go along with six national titles (behind only USC and LSU, which won its seventh last year). So it’s striking that Texas did not rank inside the top 10 in any of our previous Top 100 Programs lists since this exercise began in 2015. The program remained in the top 20, but clearly it started to slip in the final years of the Augie Garrido era, and the David Pierce era that followed had its ups and downs. But its fair to say there were more ups than downs, as Pierce led the Longhorns to Omaha in 2018, 2021 and 2022, along with a super regional in 2023 and regional trips in 2017 and 2024. Only 2019 was a failure, resulting in a last-place finish in the Big 12. Nonetheless, Texas decided to move on from Pierce after this past season, and made a big splash with the hiring of Jim Schlossnagle, fresh off a MCWS runner-up season at arch-rival Texas A&M. That transition was filled with drama, but when the dust settled, Texas AD Chris Del Conte had his man, and there’s no questioning Schlossnagle’s status as one of college baseball’s elite head coaches, given his five MCWS trips at TCU and his two trips in three years at A&M. Schlossnagle also brought star recruiting coordinator Nolan Cain and rising pitching coach Max Weiner with him from College Station, and kept Troy Tulowitzki from the previous staff, giving the Longhorns one of college baseball’s best coaching staffs. Combine that with everything else Texas has to offer — tradition, facilities, fan base, academics, brand power, recruiting base and now a move to the SEC — and it’s easy to see why Texas has returned to the top 10, even coming off back-to-back seasons that ended shy of Omaha. It’s the dawn of a new and exciting era in Austin.
8. Mississippi State
Mississippi State is a tricky program to rank. The Bulldogs were riding high when last we conducted this exercise in 2022, one year removed from their first national title and three straight MCWS appearances, along with four consecutive super regionals. We gave MSU a pass for its startling 9-21 SEC finish in 2022, chalking it up to a post-championship hangover — but then the Bulldogs matched that 9-21 SEC mark in 2023. It was a jarring fall from grace, but Mississippi State regained some momentum with a strong 17-13 showing in the SEC last year, getting back to regionals. So while MSU has clearly slid since 2021 — as reflected in its five-spot drop in these rankings — it feels like the Bulldogs have righted the ship and positioned themselves to get back to the sport’s pinnacle in short order. Certainly, this program has some incredible built-in advantages, even relative to the other SEC superpowers: Dudy Noble Field remains the crown jewel of college baseball facilities, and the enormous crowds this program draws make Mississippi State feel big-time in a way very few programs can rival. And the coaching staff of Chris Lemonis, Jake Gautreau, Kyle Cheesebrough and Justin Parker remains one of college baseball’s best. Add in that 2021 national title, on the heels of four straight years of excellence, and Mississippi State has just enough to remain ahead of rejuvenated historical powers Texas and Florida State.
7. Texas A&M
Texas A&M would have been even higher in these rankings if not for the coaching upheaval that engulfed the program immediately after fell it one win short of its first national title in June. Certainly, A&M reached incredible heights in Schlossnagle’s three years at the helm, making Omaha in 2022 and the MCWS Finals in ’24, but his departure for Texas created just a bit of uncertainty. We are optimistic that Michael Earley is up for the task of taking over the head job after serving as Schlossnagle’s assistant, but it’s worth noting that A&M is the only program in our top 30 with a head coach who does not have any experience as a head coach. It’s natural to expect some kind of learning curve, although bringing on former Washington head coach Jason Kelly as associate head coach/pitching coach was a strong play, providing some stability. Of course, it’s entirely possible that the talented and charismatic Earley will simply hit the ground running and keep this program among the national elite. He certainly has every resource necessary to win, with perhaps the largest coffers of any college baseball program, which translates to a robust NIL program and more facility upgrades on the way to Blue Bell Park, which is already a marquee venue with one of the best atmospheres in college baseball. The in-state recruiting base remains an asset, and the Aggies are positioned to continue crushing the transfer portal, which has become such a critical part of success in the new landscape of college athletics.
6. Virginia
In our inaugural Top 100 Programs list in 2015, Virginia was fresh off a national title and back-to-back trips to Omaha, resulting in a No. 2 ranking — and it was a coin toss with Vandy for the No. 1 spot. The program dipped a bit over the next four years, culminating in back-to-back seasons that ended without a trip to regionals in 2018 and 2019. But Virginia has stormed back to national prominence emphatically with three MCWS trips over the last four years, re-establishing itself as the premier program in the ACC. With seven trips to Omaha and 18 regional appearances in 20 years as head coach, Brian O’Connor is already an ABCA Hall of Famer, and he’s still just 53 years old, which means he has many years left to lead this program with his steady hand. And associate head coach Kevin McMullan has been by his side for that entire span, giving this program unmatched leadership stability. The Cavaliers continue to lure blue-chip high school talent to Charlottesville and then develop stars year after year, and they have proven adept at nailing their evaluations in the transfer portal, even though they have not done much big-game hunting. Disharoon Park is a beautiful ballpark that keeps getting better, and Virginia has created perhaps the ACC’s best game-day atmosphere during O’Connor’s tenure, giving the program something else to sell recruits along with premier academics and a sterling track record of talent development.
5. Arkansas
The Razorbacks are still chasing the program’s first national title, but it’s safe to say they’ve still had a plethora of success over the past few seasons under the direction of long-time and legendary head coach Dave Van Horn. The Hogs recently went 44-16 overall, 20-10 in the SEC, and earned the No. 5 national seed before getting upset in the Fayetteville Regional. Before this past season, the Hogs had gone 43-18 overall (tied for the SEC regular season crown with Florida) in ’23 with a No. 3 national seed and yet another Regional host while also going 46-21 overall in ’22 with a trip to the Men’s College World Series. And in ’21, the Hogs went a miraculous 50-13 overall with a 22-8 record in the SEC. That year, the Hogs were the top overall national seed before getting upset in the Fayetteville Super Regional by NC State. Yes, not winning a national title – yet – is a knock on the Hogs, but literally everything else is checked. The Hogs are a perennial power, they’re insanely consistent in the toughest conference in college baseball, and the resources are plentiful in Fayetteville. Baum Stadium is exceptional, the player development facilities are the nation’s best, and the program is well-positioned in the NIL era. The Hogs are in a fantastic spot moving forward.
4. Vanderbilt
In each of the first four installments of our Top 100 Programs series over the last decade, Vanderbilt ranked either No. 1 or No. 2, flip-flopping with Florida in the top spot. The Commodores had an incredible decade, winning national titles in 2014 and 2019, and finishing as MCWS runners-up in 2015 and 2021, while also winning regionals in 2017 and 2018. But over the last three years, Vandy has slid out of that rarified air of the ultra-elite. The Commodores still make regionals every year — they haven’t missed one since 2005, in Tim Corbin’s third year at the helm — but they also have not won a regional since 2021, which is a long drought relative to this program’s absurd standards. The NIL era has allowed other SEC superpowers to catch up with and even surpass Vandy, and it will be fascinating to see how this proud program adapts to the new landscape moving forward. Obviously this program remains strong, which is why it retains its spot in the top five. Corbin has built a special culture that attracts winning players, and the Commodores still recruit at a very high level, but they no longer dominate the recruiting circuit the way they once did. Still, as the premier academic institution in the nation’s best baseball conference, with a Hall of Fame head coach and state-of-the-art player development facilities, Vanderbilt will remain a major force in the SEC. Time will tell if the Commodores can return to the very apex of the sport, but they aren’t far off.
3. Florida
Kevin O’Sullivan has created an absolute monster during his tenure in Gainesville, and the Gators moved up one spot from No. 4 to No. 3 in our latest ranking of the nation’s premier programs. To give you an idea what kind of culture the Gators have, look no further than last season. UF entered the 2024 campaign with high expectations. But for a myriad of reasons, they didn’t reach their full potential until the tail end of the season. Not only did the Gators squeak into a Regional, they won a Super Regional and made yet another trip to the Men’s College World Series. You also could argue they were a Jace LaViolette catch at the wall away from playing for a national title for a second-straight seasons. UF played for the national title two seasons ago against Paul Skenes and LSU, and finished that campaign with a 54-17 overall record. In ’22, UF went 42-24 overall, hosted yet another regional and was the No. 13 national seed, while going 38-22 overall back in ’21. The Gators are synonymous with Omaha and the Men’s College World Series, and this program remains in excellent shape with an incredibly rich recruiting ground, a fantastic overall facility and a tradition over the past decade that is only rivaled by a couple of programs in our sport. O’Sullivan is the epitome of consistency in the modern era of college baseball.
2. Tennessee
Tony Vitello has built a behemoth in Knoxville in very short order. It’s almost unfathomable that the Volunteers have skyrocketed from outside our Top 100 Programs list in 2015 and 2017 all the way to No. 2 on the list by 2024. The rise started when Vitello led the Volunteers to regionals in 2019, his second season at the helm, snapping a 14-year postseason drought. But since the pandemic, Tennessee has kicked its ascension into hyperdrive, going an absurd 211-62 (.772 winning percentage) over the last four years, resulting in four straight trips to supers, along with three MCWS appearances, capped by the 2024 national title. Clearly, Tennessee is the hottest program in college baseball, and not just because it is the reigning national champion; its domination of the rough-and-tumble SEC and its four consecutive postseason runs are just plain loud. The Vols only land behind No. 1 LSU because the Tigers are also hot, and have a longer track record of sustained excellence. But Tennessee feels like an unstoppable rocket ship right now, and the future looks even brighter with extensive (and long overdue) renovations to Lindsey Nelson Stadium on the way. This program is a recruiting juggernaut, repeatedly hitting on its evaluations on high school players and transfer portal players alike, and developing talent with remarkable prowess. Soon enough, we’ll find out if the Vols can sustain this dizzying level of success, or whether they will slip back to the pack a bit like recent SEC national champions Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Maintaining such an elite level of play is exceptionally difficult in the modern SEC, so it’s not a given that this locomotive will keep on chugging the way it is right now — but it certainly feels wise to bet on Tennessee remaining one of the very best programs in the country in the years to come.
1. LSU
The Fighting Tigers take over the No. 1 spot in the D1Baseball Program Rankings for good reason. The Tigers were No. 7 in our program rankings two years ago but ascended to the top spot after winning the program’s seventh national title two seasons ago with two of the best players in the modern era of college baseball in pitcher Paul Skenes and center fielder Dylan Crews. The Tigers have had great success since Jay Johnson took over the program following the 2021 campaign. LSU went 40-22 in Jay’s first season at the helm before winning that title last season. This past season, the Tigers certainly had their fair share of ups and downs, but played a strong brand of baseball in the Chapel Hill Regional — ending the season with a 43-23 overall record. The prognosis looking ahead is great for the Tigers with another elite recruiting class coming in, along with a strong and impactful transfer class. LSU, as with many programs in this area, checks every single box. I consider the Tigers to be the ‘Yankees’ of college baseball. There is not a more passionate fan base in college baseball than LSU fans. And though Alex Box Stadium could use a few upgrades, it’s still one of the best — if not the best in the postseason — atmospheres in our sport. In essence, LSU is one of many reasons why college baseball is where it is today. Tradition, passion, a premier national brand on the recruiting trail and a strong NIL operation to go along with those pluses? Yeah, I’d say the Tigers are in an outstanding spot, with Tennessee hot on its heels. LSU is the top overall program in our sport.
The rest of the rankings: (11-20), (21-30), (31-40), (41-50), (51-60), (61-70), (71-80), (81-90), and (91-100).
