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College  | Rankings | 3/19/2025

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 19

Nick Herfordt
The college baseball season is fast approaching its halfway mark, and teams across the country are beginning to separate themselves as serious contenders. With conference play heating up and postseason dreams starting to take shape, every game carries more weight as squads battle for positioning in the rankings. In the small-school ranks—NCAA DII, NAIA, and NCAA DIII—several programs have emerged as frontrunners, showcasing dominant pitching, explosive offenses, and the depth needed for a deep playoff run.

Along with a fresh look at the top teams in each of these divisions, this week’s update highlights some of the most electrifying individual performances of the season so far. From shutdown aces to power-hitting sluggers, these players have been difference-makers, leading their teams with jaw-dropping numbers and clutch performances. With the second half of the season on the horizon, expect the intensity to rise as teams and players push toward their championship aspirations.



NCAA DII 

Delta State’s Drake Fontenot has taken the DII baseball world by storm, emerging as one of the nation’s most dominant pitchers this season. Over the previous two years, he logged 144 innings with a hefty 5.94 ERA—but this spring, he has been nothing short of spectacular. Fontenot extended his scoreless inning streak to 39 last weekend, leading DSU to a crucial series win over Valdosta State. On the season, he has pitched 47 innings, allowing just 32 hits for a stifling .188 opponent batting average. Even more impressively, he has issued only 10 walks while striking out 50 batters, cementing himself as a true ace.

Kolby Dugan spent the past three seasons at the University of Kansas, where he struck out 116 batters over 93 innings. Now a graduate student at Pittsburg State, he has taken his dominance to another level. In just 38 innings, he has surrendered a microscopic 14 hits while racking up 69 strikeouts. His most electrifying performance came against Truman State, where he mowed down 16 batters in just seven innings, allowing only a single hit. Dugan isn’t just overpowering hitters—he’s completely shutting them down.

The Regis Rangers entered the season with high expectations, but early struggles saw them drop out of the national rankings. However, they stormed back into the spotlight last weekend with an offensive explosion, scoring 45 runs in a sweep over Colorado Springs to improve to 17-9. At the heart of this offensive surge is senior catcher Adam Paniagua. After missing part of last season, he still managed to hit .427 with 17 home runs in just 38 games—a preview of even bigger things to come. This year, Paniagua has been on another level, slashing .436 with 19 home runs in just 26 games. Nearly 60% of his hits have gone for extra bases, including six doubles and a triple, making him one of the most dangerous hitters in the nation.

At Florida State, Jordan Williams flashed potential but saw limited playing time, appearing in 35 games with just three starts. Despite hitting .435 in 23 at-bats, he was primarily used for his elite speed. Now at Tampa, Williams has become one of DII’s most electrifying players. The senior outfielder is batting .398 and wreaking havoc on the basepaths with a staggering 39 stolen bases in just 24 games. Last weekend, he helped keep the Spartans atop the national rankings, delivering five hits, two doubles, and six stolen bases in a single series. Williams isn’t just playing—he’s igniting Tampa’s offense every time he steps on the field.

Rank School State Record Last Wk. Prev Rk.
1 Tampa Spartans FL 20-3 4-0 1
2 Central Missouri Mules MO 17-4 3-1 2
3 Westmont Warriors CA 22-3 2-0 4
4 East Stroudsburg Warriors PA 14-3 2-1 9
5 Angelo State Rams TX 20-6 2-1 5
6 Catawba Indians NC 19-7 2-1 8
7 Point Loma Sea Lions CA 16-8 1-1 6
8 North Greenville Trailblazers SC 21-6 1-3 3
9 Millersville Marauders PA 13-3 6-0 11
10 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears NC 21-4 3-1 14
11 Texas Tyler Patriots TX 20-8 1-4 7
12 Florida Southern Moccasins FL 18-5 2-1 12
13 West Chester Golden Rams PA 14-3 5-0 13
14 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 13-1 3-0 16
15 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 14-8 4-1 19
16 Young Harris Mountain Lions GA 16-8 1-1 15
17 Cal State Monterey Bay Otters CA 14-7 2-0 18
18 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 18-8 3-1 20
19 Augustana Vikings SD 10-6 3-3 10
20 Carson-Newman Eagles TN 19-6 3-1 21
21 Chico State Wildcats CA 16-9 1-3 17
22 Grand Valley State Lakers MI 16-4 4-0 24
23 UNC Pembroke Braves NC 16-10 2-2 25
24 Missouri Southern St. Lions MO 15-8 3-2 22
25 Davenport Panters MI      

Dropped: Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils

NAIA

Missouri Baptist entered the season with high expectations, ranked fourth in the preseason polls. While they haven’t fully lived up to that billing, they’ve still been a force to be reckoned with, posting a 17-7 record entering the week. They recently split a four-game series with conference rival Columbia. One player who has not only met expectations but exceeded them is graduate pitcher Carter Sabol. Sabol, who previously pitched at Ohio and Purdue Fort Wayne, earned All-Horizon League honors last season with the Mastodons. This spring, he has been dominant. In his first five starts, he logged 27 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out a staggering 45 batters. Although he had a rough outing against Columbia, he still boasts a 1.78 ERA on the season, solidifying himself as Missouri Baptist’s ace.

Tabor College cracked the initial 2025 rankings but tumbled out after a 5-5 start, largely due to a struggling pitching staff with a team ERA north of 8.00. However, their explosive offense has kept them in the conversation for a return to the Top 25. The Bluejays are hitting a scorching .357 as a team with a .601 slugging percentage. Leading the charge is Marcelo Aguirre, an absolute force at the plate. The senior slugger is batting .389, slugging .833, and has already launched 13 home runs, tallying a team-leading 75 total bases. He’s also showing patience at the plate, drawing 19 walks to push his on-base percentage to .504. Aguirre looks to keep his bat scorching hot as the Bluejays travel to Dakota State this weekend.

Houston-Victoria made history last month, breaking into the Perfect Game Top 25 for the first time ever after a blazing 25-4 start, highlighted by wins over Mid-America Christian, Central Methodist, and Texas A&M Texarkana. While their success has been a team effort, graduate slugger Cristian Garcia has been a standout star. After transferring from DI Western Kentucky, Garcia has been a game-changer for UHV. The first baseman has started every game and already racked up 44 hits in 29 contests, boasting a staggering .506 batting average. With nine doubles and four home runs, he has been the heartbeat of the Jaguars' offense. UHV faces a tough test this weekend against Louisiana Christian, last year’s Red River Athletic Conference tournament champion and an NAIA Opening Round contender.

Cumberland University has a rich baseball tradition, including multiple NAIA championships, but their dominance has been relatively subdued over the last decade. While they’ve had flashes of brilliance and standout players, they haven’t been in serious title contention—until now. The Phoenix are on a mission to reclaim their place among the NAIA elite, and a resurgent pitching staff has been a key factor. Leading the charge is senior ace Quinlan Wiley. Last year, Wiley struggled, posting a 5.15 ERA while allowing 52 hits in just 36 â…” innings. But this season, he has been nothing short of dominant. In six starts, he has thrown 31 innings, surrendering just 19 hits and three earned runs for an eye-popping 0.87 ERA. Opponents are hitting a mere .168 against him, and he has 45 strikeouts with just six walks. Wiley and the Phoenix look to keep their momentum rolling as they host Bethel this weekend in a showdown between two of the Mid-South Conference’s top teams.

Rank School State Record Last Wk. Prev Rk.
1 LSU Shreveport Pilots LA 25-0 3-0 1
2 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 23-5 4-0 3
3 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 23-3 3-1 2
4 Cumberlands Patriots KY 20-5 3-1 4
5 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles OK 26-2 4-0 6
6 Reinhardt Eagles GA 21-4 4-0 7
7 Faulkner Eagles AL 19-5 3-1 8
8 Webber International Warriors FL 21-5 2-2 5
9 Loyola Wolf Pack LA 21-6 3-1 11
10 Southeastern Fire FL 23-3 2-2 10
11 Taylor Trojans IN 21-4 6-0 12
12 Hope International Royals CA 21-5 3-1 13
13 Keiser Seahawks FL 19-2 2-2 16
14 Ottawa Braves KS 23-4 3-1 14
15 Arizona Christian Firestorm AZ 21-8-1 5-0 15
16 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 17-7 4-2 9
17 Houston-Victoria Jaguars TX 25-3 3-0 17
18 Mid-America Christian Evangels OK 22-7 4-0 18
19 William Carey Crusaders MS 22-4 4-0 19
20 Johnson Royals TN 19-5 3-1 22
21 Cumberland Phoenix TN 21-6-1 2-2 20
22 USAO Drovers OK 18-9 3-1 21
23 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes KS 17-9 3-0 23
24 Ottawa (OUAZ) Spirit AZ 19-9 3-1 24
25 Concordia Bulldogs NE 13-7 3-1 25*

Dropped: Central Methodist Eagles

NCAA DIII

Jack Gold played a pivotal role in Pomona-Pitzer’s resurgence last season, hitting .294 with 10 home runs as a freshman. This year, he's taken his game to another level—and the Sagehens' success has followed. Pomona-Pitzer has already racked up impressive series wins against top competition, taking down East Texas Baptist, Chapman, and Tufts. Gold has been on an absolute tear, batting a scorching .481 in 17 starts with 26 hits in 54 at-bats. His stat line is stacked: six doubles, a triple, and an NCAA DIII-leading 10 home runs. This weekend, Gold and the Sagehens are in for a showdown, as they face off in a top-10 battle against La Verne.

Despite capturing the 2024 national title, Misericordia has hovered near the tail end of the Top 25 rankings this season, with much of last year’s championship squad having graduated. But one key returner has been a game-changer—Jack Regenye. A defensive standout last year, Regenye has stepped up at the plate this spring, nearly single-handedly carrying the Cougars. The senior outfielder is hitting .429 and leads all of DIII with 20 stolen bases. This weekend’s three-game set against Delaware Valley—who has managed just two wins this spring—should give Regenye and the Cougars a boost in their effort for back-to-back titles.

Kean has been a powerhouse under longtime head coach Neil Ioviero, who has led the program since 1998. With a national title in 2007 and five NCAA DIII College World Series appearances, success is nothing new for the Cougars. But this season is shaping up to be one of their best yet, thanks in large part to senior ace Jason Gilman. In his first five starts, Gilman has been lights out, posting a 1.35 ERA over 33 â…“ innings. He has allowed just 20 hits while racking up 54 strikeouts. His most recent outing? A dominant three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts against St. Joseph’s. With a razor-sharp 0.84 WHIP—second-best in DIII—Gilman has been nearly untouchable.

Tyler Kaltreider’s journey has been anything but conventional. After two seasons at DI Virginia Military Institute, where he appeared in 34 games, he didn’t pitch at all last year. Now at Lynchburg, he’s resurrected his career in jaw-dropping fashion, becoming one of DIII’s toughest pitchers to hit. In 35 innings, he has allowed just 18 hits and two walks, boasting an eye-popping 0.57 WHIP. Opposing hitters simply can’t figure him out—he has surrendered only two earned runs all season, good for a minuscule 0.51 ERA. His dominance on the mound has been a huge reason why the Hornets are sitting comfortably in the top 10 with a 15-2 record heading into this weekend’s series against Guilford.
Rank School State Record Last Wk. Prev Rk.
1 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays MD 13-1 4-1 1
2 Endicott Gulls MA 8-2 3-1 2
3 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 8-0 5-0 3
4 Lynchburg Hornets VA 15-2 3-1 6
5 Denison Big Red OH 9-3 2-1 4
6 La Verne Leopards CA 15-1 3-0 8
7 Salve Regina Seahawks RI 9-2 2-2 5
8 Salisbury Seagulls MD 11-3 4-1 7
9 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens CA 12-5 2-1 9
10 Case Western Reserve Spartans OH 10-5 4-0 16
11 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags CA 14-3 4-0 17
12 Rowan Profs NJ 10-1 5-0 20
13 UW LaCrosse Eagles WI 2-2 0-0 13
14 East Texas Baptist Tigers TX 12-7 3-0 19
15 Penn State Harrisburg Lions PA 11-3 2-2 10
16 Babson Beavers MA 5-2 2-2 11
17 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets OH 6-5 2-2 12
18 Trinity Tigers TX 15-4 2-3 14
19 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 7-7 2-2 15
20 Centre Colonels KY 13-3 2-2 18
21 Kean Cougars NJ 15-2 3-1 NR
22 Coe Kohawks IA 5-2 3-1 22
23 Eastern Connecticut St. Warriors CT 5-3 2-1 21
24 Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets VA 8-5 3-1 24
25 Misericordia Cougars PA 11-5 3-1 25

Dropped: Christopher Newport Captains
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    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   SHANE VICTORINO AND JOE GIRARDI NAMED MANAGERS FOR PERFECT GAME DICK'S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC AT CITIZENS BANK PARK   Former Phillies Stars to Lead Nation's Top High School Baseball Players on August 16 in Philadelphia   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Wednesday, July 29, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that former Phillies All-Star outfielder Shane Victorino and former Phillies manager Joe Girardi will serve as managers for Team East and Team West, respectively, at the 2026 Perfect Game DICK'S All-American Classic, taking place on Sunday, August 16, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa.   Joining Girardi and...
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