DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: May 15

Photo: Brent Francisco (DAVE JANOSZ)

NCAA DII 

RkSchoolStateRecordLst WeekPrev Rk
1Tampa SpartansFL43-71-21
2Central Missouri MulesMO47-82-22
3UNC Pembroke BravesNC42-121-03
4Point Loma Sea LionsCA40-10-14-14
5North Greenville CrusadersSC41-120-05
6Missouri Southern St. LionsMO42-135-08
7Young Harris Mountain LionsGA39-130-07
8West Chester Golden RamsPA43-74-010
9Augustana VikingsSD45-84-011
10Lubbock Christian ChaparralsTX41-143-013
11Colorado Mesa MavericksCO38-164-015
12Mount Olive TrojansNC37-160-012
13St. Leo LionsFL38-111-29
14Angelo State RamsTX36-182-26
15Millersville MaraudersPA37-140-114
16East Stroudsburg WarriorsPA41-123-218
17Catawba IndiansNC40-140-017
18Seton Hill GriffinsPA36-140-116
19Lander BearcatsSC38-150-019
20Lee FlamesTN37-160-020
21Georgia College BobcatsGA34-205-0NR
22Charleston Golden EaglesWV43-84-0NR
23Georgia Southwestern HurricanesGA35-180-122
24Ashland EaglesOH40-132-224
25West Texas A&M BuffsTX37-160-025
DROPLincoln Memorial Railsplitters   

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Carson Boles, Lincoln Memorial – Boles has made exponential strides at the plate in each of his three seasons at LMU. After batting .290 as a freshman, his average jumped to .358 last in 2023, and somehow skyrocketed yet again this spring as he finished with a .475 mark (currently second in DII) along with 24 doubles (also second nationally), one triple and 15 home runs. He also had 40 walks (11th in DII) with only 18 strikeouts to amass an incredible .572 OB%. He was named the South Atlantic Conference player of the year and almost single-handedly powered the Railsplitters into the national tournament as he had eight hits in 13 at bats (four of which were home runs) to lead them into the SAC Championship against Wingate. 

Runner-Ups: Joey Rezek, UNC Pembroke; David Lewis, North Greenville, Carson Ogilvie, Lubbock Christian; Hayden Jatczak, Saginaw Valley State

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Brent Francisco, East Stroudsburg – The 6’7” redshirt senior has rewritten the ESU record book with a sensational season to cap a first-class college career. He was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Pitcher of the Year as he helped the Warriors earn their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and a 41-12 record headed into the postseason. His 1.97 ERA is the school’s lowest in over a decade and currently fourth in DII nationally. In 82 ⅓ innings he has only allowed 51 hits (only nine of which were for extra bases) with just 10 walks for a 0.74 WHIP which easily tops the nation. He also has earned 74 strikeouts, thrown five complete games (three of which were shutouts) and has a 11-1 record which matches the school’s best mark.

Runner-Ups: Luke Lashutka, St. Leo; Cole Gayman, Missouri Southern State; Jacob Kroeger, Maryville; Reece Fields, North Greenville

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Saginaw Valley State’s success has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season, and their winning ways have been spearheaded by senior Hayden Jatczak. He was named the GLIAC Player of the Year after earning first-team conference honors as both a designated hitter and a pitcher. At the plate he is batting a DII leading .476 with 25 doubles, three triples and 15 home runs. He also has 40 walks to compile a .560 OB% which also ranks among the national leaders.  On the mound he has made 10 starts in which he has earned a 2.53 ERA over 46 ⅓ innings. He accumulated 44 strikeouts while only allowing 34 hits as opposition is batting .198 against him.

Runner-Ups: Carson Boles, Lincoln Memorial; Darrien McDowell, West Florida; Jack Hines, Augustana; Scott Anderson, Point Loma; Carson Ogilvie, Lubbock Christian

NAIA

RkSchoolStateRecordLst WeekPrev Rk
1Southeastern FireFL48-64-01
2Georgia Gwinnett GrizzliesGA46-61-02
3Cumberlands PatriotsKY48-60-03
4Missouri Baptist SpartansMO39-10-10-04
5Tennessee Wesleyan BulldogsTN37-160-05
6Webber International WarriorsFL42-120-06
7William Carey CrusadersMS34-140-07
8William Jessup WarriorsCA39-90-08
9LSU Shreveport PilotsLA42-90-09
10Kansas Wesleyan CoyotesKS45-100-010
11Central Methodist EaglesMO43-90-211
12Mid-America Christian EvangelsOK40-112-012
13Bellevue BruinsNE39-121-013
14Lewis-Clark State WarriorsID37-110-114
15Taylor TrojansIN41-141-015
16Faulkner EaglesAL35-150-016
17Hope International RoyalsCA37-140-017
18Reinhardt EaglesGA38-160-018
19Concordia BulldogsNE41-131-019
20Oklahoma City StarsOK35-160-120
21Doane TigersNE38-130-121
22Loyola Wolf PackLA36-170-022
23Point Park PioneersPA41-130-023
24Ottawa (OUAZ) SpiritAZ34-170-024
25USAO DroversOK34-160-125

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Charlie Muñiz, Cumberlands – The Patriots catcher has been one of the NAIA’s top players since he arrived on campus. He earned NAIA First-Team All-American honors in 2022 and 2023, and absolutely, positively will once again this spring. He has helped propel the Cumberlands’ program to new heights as the team has been in the top ten the entire season, has set a program single-season record for wins and is one the precipice of advancing to the NAIA World Series for the second straight season. Muñiz was named the Mid-South Conference Player of the Year and is batting .388 with an NAIA leading 34 home runs. He also has 10 doubles and a combined 46 BB/HBP for a .480 OB% 

Runner-Ups: Blaze O’Saben; Georgia Gwinnett; Drew Flemming, Concordia (MI); Carlos Negron, Central Methodist; Trey Furrey, Jessup 

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Darien Smith, Southeastern – Smith won the Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year honors each of the past two seasons. This season he has dominated opposition with a 1.81 ERA over 89 ⅓ innings of baseball. He has struck out more than twice as many batters he has issued to, with 126 K’s and only 56 hits allowed. He has also demonstrated uncanny control with only 19 walks issued on the season. He has a 11-0 record with four complete games and is holding opposition to a dainty .172 batting average with only 12 extra base hits allowed. Even more impressively, he has not been racking up his numbers against cupcakes. Nine of his 15 starts were against teams which advanced to the NAIA Opening Round.

Runner-Ups: Isaac Rohde, LSU Shreveport; Blayne Huter, Webber International; Andrew Herbet, Reinhardt; Blake Peyton, Tennessee Wesleyan; Luke Schafer, Indiana Southeast

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Trey Furrey, Jessup – The Jessup Warriors improved from 18-22-1 a year ago to 39-11 an inclusion in the top ten of the national rankings thanks in large part to the addition of Trey Furrey. In his first season with the Warriors after transferring from Oklahoma Baptist, he batted .489 with 12 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs. With 31 walks he pushed his on base percentage to a lofty .566. He also stole 17 bases. With Furrey in the lineup the team won the GSAC Tournament for just the second time in school history and he was named the conference’s Player of the Year.

Runner-Ups: Drew Flemming, Concordia (MI);  Drew Barragan, Embry-Riddle (AZ); Peeko Townsend, Blue Mountain Christian; AJ Fritz, LSU Shreveport

NCAA DIII

RkSchoolStateRecordLst WeekPrev Rk
1Endicott GullsMA41-23-01
2Johns Hopkins Blue JaysMD32-91-02
3Denison Big RedOH39-64-13
4Baldwin Wallace Yellow JacketsOH36-83-14
5East Texas Baptist TigersTX36-80-05
6UW-Whitewater WarhawksWI35-83-09
7Salisbury SeagullsMD28-90-16
8Case Western Reserve SpartansOH31-90-08
9Misericordia CougarsPA33-92-012
10Salve Regina SeahawksRI33-81-27
11Cortland State Red DragonsNY30-12-12-211
12Rowan ProfsNJ27-130-010
13Christopher Newport CaptainsVA26-91-015
14Trinity TigersTX31-120-014
15Pomona-Pitzer SagehensCA32-113-021
16Penn State Harrisburg LionsPA34-91-213
17Lynchburg HornetsVA30-153-023
18Babson BeaversMA30-115-124
19Benedictine EaglesIL32-124-1NR
20UW LaCrosse EaglesWI31-132-218
21Aurora SpartansIL34-114-220
22Arcadia KnightsPA31-120-216
23La Verne LeopardsCA27-13-11-219
24Eastern Connecticut WarriorsCT29-132-217
25Randolph-Macon Yellow JacketsVA28-130-222
DROPShenandoah Hornets   

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Kell, Salisbury – Kell was a bench player in 2023 who was a starter in only two of his 25 games played. He was penciled in for a defensive relief role once again this spring and made appearances off the bench in four of his first five games played. Nonetheless, he impressed his coaches with his tremendous work ethic and they gave him an opportunity to play everyday. He responded by becoming DIII’s top hitter. On the season Kell is batting .509 which is 40 points higher than anyone on any roster. His 57 hits in 112 at bats include 15 doubles, two triples and six home runs. He has 37 BB/HBPs to raise his OB% to .599 headed into the NCAA postseason tournament. The leadoff hitting center fielder also has 11 stolen bases and Kell was named the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year.  

Runner-Ups: Eric Colaco, Denison; Sam Angelo, Montclair State; Tyson Bass, North Carolina Wesleyan;  Isaac Kim, Pomona-Pitzer; Landon Morkis, Greenville

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Sayers Collins, East Texas Baptist – Collins is not only one of DIII’s best pitchers in 2024, he is one of the division’s top pitchers of all time. To cap off an amazing career for the Tigers, Collins has a 0.84 ERA over 75 ⅓ innings. He has only allowed 39 hits for a measly .147 batting average against him, and struck out 81 batters while only issuing 17 walks. He has been awarded the American Southwest Conference Pitcher of the Year award for the third year in a row as ETBU aims to head back to the DIII CWS where they finished as one of the final four teams.

Runner-Ups: Dylan Weber, Christopher Newport, Michael Hilker Jr., Wisconsin-Whitewater; Luis Misla, Cortland; Jackson Teer, Trinity; Sam Slevin, Randolph Macon

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Connor Maryniak, Misericorida – The Cougars are having one of their best seasons in their storied history and junior Connor Maryniak has been a huge part of that success. Misericorida’s junior utility player has excelled both as a shortstop and a pitcher. At the plate he is batting .373 and leading the team with 12 home runs. He also has 10 doubles, four triples and 13 stolen bases.  On the mound he has appeared in 11 games with nine of them being starts. He has a 1.97 ERA over 59 ⅓ innings in which he is limiting opposition to a .242 batting average. He had 54 strikeouts with only 15 walks and was named toe MAC Freedom conference Player of the Year.  

Runner-Ups: Eric Colaco, Denison; Trent Youngblood, Transylvania; Eric Prough, Pomona-Pitzer; Eli Frank, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Andrew Mazzone, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

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