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College  | Rankings | 3/11/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 11

Nick Herfordt
Allendale Doesn't Rhyme With Knoxville or Danville. The Baseball Does. Meet the Three Coaches Turning Small College Programs Into National Contenders.

There's something happening in small college baseball right now that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Three programs — separated by hundreds of miles and spread across three different governing bodies — are in the middle of the kind of rebuilds that make you wonder why anyone ever counted them out in the first place. One is in a Michigan lakeside college town. Two are in places that end in 'ville. All three have coaches who looked at a program and saw something nobody else did. The Perfect Game small school rankings noticed. You should too. See where Grand Valley State, Johnson U, Centre and the rest of the schools are positioned in the latest Perfect Game Top 25 Small School Rankings.



NCAA DII

For a generation of DII baseball fans, Grand Valley State baseball meant one thing: winning. Under head coach Steve Lyon, the Lakers went 552-205-2 over 14 years, reached the NCAA Tournament in 11 consecutive seasons, won five Great Lakes Regional titles, made five World Series appearances, and played in the 2004 national championship game. Lyon did something most thought was impossible — turn a program in Michigan into a genuine national power. When he stepped away, the standard he left behind was almost unfair to whoever followed. His successor couldn't sustain that level, and Grand Valley State gradually faded from the national conversation, spending the better part of a decade as a solid GLIAC program rather than a DII heavyweight.

That began to change when Jordan Keur was hired in June 2023. The former Michigan State standout came to Allendale after stops at Lansing Community College — where he guided the Stars to a 47-3 record and a No. 1 national ranking in 2021 — and as a recruiting coordinator at Western Michigan. The results at GVSU have been immediate. In two seasons Keur posted a 73-39 record, won a GLIAC title, and made two NCAA Tournament appearances, including hosting an NCAA Regional in 2025 for the first time since 2006.

Now in his third year, Keur has the Lakers looking like a team capable of making a deep run. Grand Valley State has opened 2026 at 15-2, with an opening series sweep of Northwood and a romp through Missouri that included four wins over Missouri S&T and a victory over Augustana University. The Lakers are outscoring opponents 195-65 while hitting a collective .350 as a team. Shortstop Evan Morrison, the program's engine, is off to a ridiculous start — hitting .513 with 35 runs scored in 17 games — picking up right where he left off after last year's record-breaking season. The pitching staff has been equally dominant, holding opponents to a .222 batting average through 17 games. The program that Lyon built into a DII institution, and that spent years searching for its footing, looks like a team with postseason expectations again — and a coach who has earned the right to carry them.

Rank School State Record Weekly
1 Pittsburg State Gorillas KS 19-1 2-1
2 North Greenville Trailblazers SC 19-2 3-0
3 Tampa Spartans FL 16-3 2-2
4 Point Loma Sea Lions CA 18-3 4-0
5 Catawba Indians NC 16-4 3-1
6 Grand Valley State Lakers MI 12-1 2-0
7 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 18-2 4-0
8 Texas Tyler Patriots TX 16-6 2-2
9 Central Missouri Mules MO 17-3 2-1
10 Young Harris Mountain Lions GA 18-3 4-0
11 Seton Hill Griffins PA 9-3 2-2
12 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 11-5 2-2
13 East Stroudsburg Warriors PA 11-5 5-0
14 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears NC 14-4-1 3-1
15 UNC Pembroke Braves NC 16-4 3-1
16 Francis Marion Patriots SC 19-3 4-0
17 Wingate Bulldogs NC 18-4 4-0
18 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 13-7 2-2
19 West Alabama Tigers AL 18-3 3-1
20 Angelo State Rams TX 16-6 2-2
21 Westmont Warriors CA 14-5 3-1
22 Augustana Vikings SD 12-4 4-0
23 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 18-5 3-1
24 Cal State Monterey Bay Otters CA 13-5 2-2
25 West Florida Argos FL 16-5 4-2
DROP Harding Bisons AR  


NAIA

Not long ago, Johnson University baseball was one of the sport's cautionary tales. The Royals went 5-44 just a few years back, the kind of record that makes recruiting hard and keeps programs stuck. That era is over. Dave Serrano arrived in Knoxville with a resume that dwarfs the NAIA level — head coaching stops at UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, and the University of Tennessee, a College World Series title, and a Baseball America national coach of the year award — and he has wasted no time putting that experience to work. In two seasons he rebuilt Johnson from the ground up, going 60-40 and delivering the program its first conference tournament appearance, first NAIA Opening Round berth, and first top-25 national ranking, earning AAC Coach of the Year along the way.

Now in his third year, Serrano has the Royals firmly in the national picture. Johnson has opened 2026 at 20-2, a start that includes a three-game sweep at Reinhardt — ranked 14th at the time — and a clean series sweep of Spartanburg Methodist. The Royals are hitting .305 as a team with an on-base percentage of .433 and have scored 181 runs in 22 games, an offensive pace that reflects the speed and lineup depth Serrano has assembled. The pitching staff carries a 3.69 ERA with 153 strikeouts over 183 innings, and the team has already locked in its postseason schedule, with the AAC Tournament, NAIA Opening Round, and NAIA World Series all on the docket.

The schedule ahead will test how real this is. Johnson still has dates against Georgia Gwinnett and Tennessee Wesleyan on the books, and conference play will sharpen the résumé one way or another. But for a program that was losing 44 games in a season not long ago, being 20-2 and ranked in the top ten nationally is not a fluke — it's evidence that the rebuild is complete and the next chapter has already started.

Rank NCAA  State Record Weekly
1 LSU Shreveport Pilots LA 21-3 3-1
2 Taylor Trojans IN 18-1 2-0
3 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 20-2 3-1
4 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 19-5 3-1
5 Cumberlands Patriots KY 15-4 2-1
6 Johnson Royals TN 20-2 4-1
7 Southeastern Fire FL 15-6 3-2
8 William Carey Crusaders MS 17-6 3-0
9 St. Thomas Bobcats FL 15-7 4-0
10 Keiser Seahawks FL 16-5 3-0
11 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 10-4 1-1
12 Hope International Royals CA 15-8 2-2
13 Ottawa Braves KS 20-3 4-0
14 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes KS 17-4 2-2
15 Bellevue Bruins NE 15-3 3-1
16 Loyola Wolf Pack LA 16-8 2-2
17 Doane Tigers NE 13-4 2-2
18 Abraham Baldwin Stallions GA 16-8 2-1
19 Texas Wesleyan Rams TX 19-4 3-0
20 A&M Victoria Jaguars TX 16-9 3-0
21 Nelson Lions TX 18-7 3-1
22 Louisiana Christian Wildcats LA 21-5 2-1
23 Concordia Bulldogs NE 11-7 0-4
24 Webber International Warriors FL 13-9 2-3
25 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles OK 15-9 2-2
DROP Faulkner Eagles AL    


NCAA DIII

The historical record at Centre was not kind to baseball. For most of the program's existence, the Colonels were a middling DIII program — the kind that showed up, competed, and went home without making much noise nationally. Drew Briese, a Centre graduate himself who returned as head coach in 2016 after years as a hitting coach at Birmingham Southern, has methodically changed that. The early returns were modest — back-to-back losing seasons in 2017 and 2018 — but the trajectory has been unmistakable. Centre won 24 games in 2019, then 28 in 2023, then 36 in 2024, when the Colonels won both the SAA regular season and tournament title and made the NCAA Tournament. Last year's 32-win campaign kept the Colonels in the Perfect Game top 25 all season long and ended with an NCAA regional run that included two wins before a narrow exit to Case Western Reserve. Those three seasons — 28, 36, and 32 wins — are the three highest single-season totals in program history.

Now in his tenth year, Briese has Centre positioned to make its deepest run yet — and what makes the early returns particularly striking is that they've come without Ben Prather, the program's two-time All-American and one of the best two-way players in DIII baseball. Prather was named a preseason First Team All-American heading into the season, capping a 2025 campaign in which he hit .377, went 8-0 on the mound, and delivered the walk-off grand slam that kept the Colonels alive in the SAA Tournament. He has yet to appear in the 2026 lineup through 12 games. That Centre is 10-2 anyway speaks to the depth Briese has built. The offense is hitting .335 as a team with an on-base percentage of .435, led by center fielder Ayden Lohr, who is absolutely scorching — hitting .491 with 16 stolen bases in 12 games, picking up right where his 11-home run season left off. Aaron Lopez is at .405, catcher Evan Weyler is at .318 with 11 walks, and the pitching staff has posted a 2.85 ERA while holding opponents to a .207 batting average. Freshman Nolan Asher, the touted prep arm from Kentucky, has stepped right into the rotation with 34 strikeouts in 21 innings. The SAA preseason poll picked Trinity atop the conference, but Centre enters as a legitimate threat to own the league — and if Prather returns to the mix, one of the most dangerous teams in DIII baseball.

Rank NCAA  State Record Weekly
1 Lynchburg Hornets VA 8-3-1 2-1-1
2 Denison Big Red OH 6-1 2-0
3 Salisbury Seagulls MD 8-2 3-1
4 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays MD 9-2 3-1
5 Salve Regina Seahawks RI 4-1 0-0
6 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags CA 9-4 3-1
7 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 1-3 0-0
8 Endicott Gulls MA 1-4 0-2
9 Kean Cougars NJ 6-3-1 2-1
10 Trinity Tigers TX 6-4 1-2
11 Centre Colonels KY 10-2 3-0
12 Rowan Profs NJ 3-0 3-0
13 Belhaven Blazers MS 12-0 5-0
14 Cal Lutheran Kingsmen CA 12-3 4-0
15 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens CA 12-6 2-1
16 Case Western Reserve Spartans OH 6-4 2-2
17 Washington Bears MO 9-0 3-0
18 Christopher Newport Captains VA 10-4 3-1
19 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 4-5-1 2-3
20 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets OH 5-2 1-0
21 Gettysburg Bullets PA 8-0 3-0
22 Keene Owls NH 3-3 0-3
23 Bridgewater Eagles VA 12-2 1-2
24 Messiah Falcons PA 2-6 0-1
25 Roanoke Maroons VA 10-2 3-1
DROP Alvernia Golden Wolves PA 4-2 2-2
DROP Coast Guard Bears CT
DROP Adrian Bulldogs MI
DROP Penn State Harrisburg Lions PA  
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College | Rankings | 4/1/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 1
Nick Herfordt
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Welcome to another week of Perfect Game Small School baseball — and if you're looking for clarity at the top, you've come to the wrong place. Across all three classifications, the No. 1 spot is very much an open question, and nobody is sleeping comfortably right now. In NCAA Division II, Pittsburg State is stumbling at precisely the wrong moment, leaving the door cracked wide open for hungry challengers to come knocking. In the NAIA, defending national champion LSU Shreveport has dropped four straight and suddenly looks far more vulnerable than a program of their pedigree ever expects to be. And in NCAA Division III, the race for the top ranking is less a competition and more a ten-car pileup of elite programs, none of whom have done enough to pull away — and all of whom have done plenty to deserve it. Three classifications, three vacancies at the top, and a whole lot of...
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High School | General | 4/2/2026

NHSI Scout Notebook

Cam McElwaney
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An extended look at ‘26 RHP Wilson Andersen… 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K. @HailStateBB signee. #NHSI26 @JesuitBaseball @Florida_PG @PG_Draft @PGAllAmerican https://t.co/VLwECd2qZ8 pic.twitter.com/JbTFR3Gd2l — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 30, 2026 Wilson Andersen, RHP, Tampa Jesuit  Andersen got the ball on day two of the event and showed a quick tempo, pounding the zone with a power mix. He ran the fastball up to 97 mph, working comfortably in the mid-90s, with a power curveball/changeup mix he showed confidence in. He’s one of the top right-handers in the class that saw his stock rise in Cary. Andersen is signed with Mississippi State.    An extended look at ‘26 RHP Cooper Sides… 5 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. @LSUbaseball signee. #NHSI26 @olubaseball @PG_Draft @California_PG https://t.co/Ag1MfBAR5a pic.twitter.com/5wSszVjBn8...
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All American Game | Story | 4/2/2026

All American Classic Heading to Citizens Bank

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026   Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during America’s 250th birthday celebration   Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.   The game will take place on...
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Juco | Story | 4/1/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 1

Troy Sutherland
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Another week of JUCO baseball and another week full of wins for No. 1 ranked Johnson County . The Cavaliers have won 18 games in a row and have swept through the Jayhawk Conference to this point, setting a new school home run record along the way. Walters State returns to the top 5 this week on the strength of a 12-game winning streak. Both McLennan and Pearl River are coming off of undefeated weeks and look like strong top 10 caliber teams, while Midland (now 30-3) continues to climb in the rankings for the third consecutive week. For the first time all year this ranking will feature 4 California schools as Palomar joins Ohlone, Fresno City and Santa Ana in the JUCO rankings. Check back in next week for an update as most of JUCO baseball is now past its halfway point in the 2026 season. RK School Week Overall 1 Johnson County (KS) 4-0 34-2 2 Gaston (NC) 2-1 35-3 3 Walters State (TN) 3-0...
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College | Story | 4/1/2026

Collegiate Midseason All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Midseason Awards * denotes Midseason Award Winner - All-Americans chosen based on statistics, prospect status, future projection, among other factors - Only true freshmen considered for Freshmen All-American teams - All Statistics as of Monday, March 30th First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech JR .423 .541 .845 36 41 9 1 10 36 7 1B Quinton Coats Cincinnati SO .360 .441 .896 38 45 8 1 19 46 7 2B Jarren Advincula Georgia Tech JR .411 .489 .563 31 46 2 0 5 30 5 3B Ace Reese Mississippi State JR .330 .417 .661 32 36 12 0 8 37 1 SS Roch Cholowsky UCLA JR .350 .493 .730 39 35 8 0 10 32 1 IF Dee Kennedy Kansas State JR .430 .549 .910 44 43 10 1 12 43 15 OF Will Gasparino UCLA JR .351 .468 .794 31 34 5 1 12 38 1 OF AJ Gracia Virginia JR .350 .504 .650 37 36 7 0 8 24 1 OF Landon Hairston* Arizona State SO .469 .551 1.027 44...
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High School | Rankings | 3/31/2026

High School Top 50: March 31

Tyler Russo
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Another pair of weeks has gone by this high school season and with that we have another High School Top-50 Update. Southern states are within a few weeks of the end of the season while some northern states are just getting started this week. Through the end of the spring, we will be bringing you updates to the Top-50 along with state rankings updates coming soon. For the first time in 2026, we have a new #1 in the country as Orange Lutheran (CA) takes over the top spot after winning the NHSI. Venice (FL) came in second place at the NHSI after a thrilling game against Orange Lutheran and comes in at #2. Previous #1 team in the country St. John Bosco (CA) rounds out the top-3 and will have a big showdown against Orange Lutheran starting tonight. Barbe (LA) boasts a 26-1 record and comes in at #4 while Corona (CA) continues to string together wins and holds down the #5 spot in this update....
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College | Story | 3/31/2026

PG Collegiate Midseason Awards

Vincent Cervino
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Midseason Awards  Perfect Game Midseason Player of the Year:  Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State  The season sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston is putting together is generational, even amongst the Hall of Fame talent Arizona State has fielded over the years.  Hairston, the 5-11/195 sophomore outfielder from Queen City, AZ has his club on track for another postseason appearance and they will make plenty of noise in the Big 12 regular season.  To put things in perspective on Hairston’s season, he is currently 5th in the nation in batting average, 3rd in hits, 8th in hits per game, tied for 2nd in home runs, tied for 5th in runs scored and is 4th in runs batted in so far.  He holds a batting average of .469 while slugging 1.027 and reaching base over half the time with an OBP of .551.  Hairston walks more than he strikes out and has 12 doubles, 17...
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Tournaments | Story | 3/31/2026

14u East Spring Opener Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Roman Keister (2030, Dade City, FL) Could not miss the barrel this weekend tallying 6 hits including 2 triples and 4 RBI. Starts the load early and controls his body well, the up the middle approach really plays in game. Also worked from off the mound for an inning and picked up a punch out.  Colton Russo (2030, Coral Springs, FL) Showed off the power burning outfielders all weekend. 5 hits including two triples that carried over the CF and RF heads. Has a good understanding about using the lower half in the swing and the bat to ball skills really impressed.  Karson Blakney (2030, St. Augustine, FL) Made his impact in a big way this week, collecting the win in the quarterfinals. In his outing he went 5 shutout innings and struck out 5 while only allowing 2 hits. Worked in the mid 70s with the FB and topped out at 78. Also produced on offense driving in 5 RBI on 4 hits. ...
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College | Story | 3/31/2026

College Players of the Week: March 31

Vincent Cervino
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March 31st Perfect Game/Co-Players of the Week:  Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State  The Arizona State Sun Devils (20-8) went (3-2) last week and now sit at No. 18 in our latest Top 25 poll.  They are proving that they are legitimate Big 12 contenders and Landon Hairston is making a strong case for National Player of the Year at the halfway point in the season.  The 5-11/195 sophomore outfielder from Queen City, AZ is putting up such loud numbers that they are almost hard to fathom.  In five games last week, the lefthanded hitter collected 12-hits in 19 Abs, scoring 13 runs on 6 walks, a double, 5 home runs and he drove in 11 runs on his own.  For the season, he has put together a slash line of .468/.991/.553 with 12 doubles, 15 round trippers, 45 RBIs, a 12:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio and he has swiped 8 bags so far.  It has been a special year for the...
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College | Rankings | 3/30/2026

College Top 25: March 30

Vincent Cervino
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Well college baseball fans, we are officially at the half-way point of the 2026 season and what an incredible ride it has already been.  While there is some separation at the top as we start to look at programs that could be potential NCAA tournament hosts, things continue to change as clubs revitalize their seasons by winning massive series in league play.  The Top 25 seems to be getting more volatile as we reach the midway point, and the second half is setting up to be something special.  The one thing that will remain the same as it has for a month now, is that the UCLA (25-2) will still be the No. 1 team in the nation.  The Bruins are winners of 19-consecutive games and have started off Big Ten league play by sweeping 4-straight series.  The Texas Longhorns (23-4) hold tight at No. 2 this week after sweeping previous No. 11 Oklahoma (19-8) and sit atop the...
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