In the unpredictable world of college baseball, it’s a rare feat for the preseason number one team to maintain that position and ultimately secure the national title. Historically, the pressures of the season, upsets, and the unpredictability of the postseason often derail even the most highly touted squads. But in 2025, the story is different. This year, the Perfect Game preseason top team in each of the three small-school divisions—NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NCAA Division III—is still standing tall as the top team headed into the postseason.
In NCAA Division II, the defending champion Tampa Spartans, with a blistering 38-6 record, have firmly asserted themselves as the team to beat. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, and their pitching staff is as dominant as ever. Meanwhile, in NAIA, LSU Shreveport has been nothing short of unstoppable, riding a 47-game winning streak into the postseason, backed by a pitching staff that has baffled opponents all season long. And in NCAA Division III, Johns Hopkins, despite a tiny mid-season hiccup, has surged back to the top, riding an 18-game winning streak into the tournament, bolstered by a potent offense and a strong rotation.
This rare alignment of preseason expectations and postseason dominance speaks to the unique strength and consistency of these three programs. As the postseason approaches, all eyes will be on whether these teams can continue their dominance or if the surprises and drama of college baseball will once again shake up the landscape.
Along with the updated rankings is a review of the each of the three teams defying the odds to start and finish the season as the number one team.
NCAA DII
With a 38-6 record and a 14-game heater, Tampa isn’t just the top team in the Perfect Game DII rankings—they’re owning it. The defending champs are firing on all cylinders and looking every bit like the team to beat. The only real threat right now? Angelo State, the same squad Tampa took down in last year’s national title game. However if one team absolutely dominates the upcoming Millersville vs. East Stroudsburg clash, they could enter the conversation too—but this is Tampa’s throne for now.
Since dropping a series to rival Florida Southern, the Spartans have flipped a switch. Last weekend? Pure domination. They steamrolled Eckerd with 59 runs across three games, including a savage 27-1 beatdown and a 16-0 shutout. They close the regular season with Barry and Saint Leo, both bottom-half SSC teams, which should keep the momentum rolling heading into the postseason.
Now, don’t let the lack of ranked wins fool you—Tampa’s battled some dudes. They’ve taken on Georgia College, Nova Southeastern, and Ashland, all preseason contenders, plus Davenport and top-tier SSC foes like Rollins and Lynn. This team hasn’t been coasting.
Offensively, they’re stacked—.323 team batting average, 122 doubles, 21 triples, and a wild 130 bags swiped. This squad doesn’t just get on—they run you into the ground. And the arms? Legit. All three weekend starters are dealing. Even Skylar Gonzalez, who’s been the least dominant this year, still holds weight as last year’s multi-time National Pitcher of the Year. Add in a slick .972 fielding percentage, and it’s clear: this is a complete team.
But don’t sleep on Angelo State. Stat-wise, they’re neck-and-neck with Tampa. Both lineups rake, both run like crazy, and both have power arms. Tampa might have the edge in starting pitching, but the Rams’ bullpen is deeper, and come postseason, that could matter big time.
Bottom line: Tampa’s the favorite to run it back and make history by passing Florida Southern for the most DII baseball titles. But this isn’t over yet. Angelo State’s hungry, and if they get hot, we could be headed for a must-see rematch with everything on the line.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk. | Prev Rk. |
| 1 | Tampa Spartans | FL | 38-6 | 3-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Angelo State Rams | TX | 41-7 | 2-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Central Missouri Mules | MO | 35-10 | 3-1 | 3 |
| 4 | North Greenville Trailblazers | SC | 42-11 | 2-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Millersville Marauders | PA | 34-7 | 3-1 | 5 |
| 6 | East Stroudsburg Warriors | PA | 35-9 | 5-0 | 6 |
| 7 | Minnesota State Mavericks | MN | 39-5 | 4-1 | 7 |
| 8 | Texas Tyler Patriots | TX | 41-9 | 4-0 | 8 |
| 9 | Catawba Indians | NC | 36-12 | 4-0 | 9 |
| 10 | Westmont Warriors | CA | 37-11 | 3-1 | 10 |
| 11 | Point Loma Sea Lions | CA | 32-12 | 2-0 | 11 |
| 12 | Colorado Mesa Mavericks | CO | 33-10 | 3-0 | 12 |
| 13 | Lenoir-Rhyne Bears | NC | 40-9 | 4-0 | 14 |
| 14 | Florida Southern Moccasins | FL | 32-12 | 2-1 | 13 |
| 15 | Young Harris Mountain Lions | GA | 37-13 | 3-1 | 16 |
| 16 | Grand Valley State Lakers | MI | 35-10 | 4-0 | 15 |
| 17 | Pittsburg State Gorillas | KS | 36-9 | 3-1 | 17 |
| 18 | North Georgia Nighthawks | GA | 36-13 | 3-1 | 18 |
| 19 | Lander Bearcats | SC | 37-13 | 4-0 | 24 |
| 20 | Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks | ID | 38-12 | 4-0 | 22 |
| 21 | Carson-Newman Eagles | TN | 35-15 | 3-1 | 23 |
| 22 | Francis Marion Patriots | SC | 39-11 | 3-0 | NR |
| 23 | West Chester Golden Rams | PA | 32-13 | 1-3 | 19 |
| 24 | Augustana Vikings | SD | 31-14 | 3-2 | 25 |
| 25 | Lewis Flyers | IL | 34-12 | 2-3 | 20 |
| DROP | Delta State Statesmen | MS | 21 |
NAIA
After crushing Jarvis Christian in a three-game series the final weekend of the regular season, LSU Shreveport solidified their place in the college baseball record books as they won their 46th and 47th consecutive games to earn the title of having the best start and longest winning streak among four-year programs at any level. Only junior college Howard College can claim more consecutive wins, as they amassed 57 in 2007. Their bonkers season is a cut above any other team in the NAIA, even diminishing a 46-4 mark by Georgia Gwinnett.
Like Tampa in DII, the Pilots aren’t piling up their wins playing against patsies. They’ve faced seven teams that have spent time in the Perfect Game rankings this season (IU Southeast, Mid-America Christian, USAO, Tabor, Central Methodist, Texas Wesleyan, and Houston-Victoria). Only four of their 47 wins this year have been by a single run, they’ve reached double-digit run totals in 28 contests, and their pitching staff has combined to shut out the opposition twelve times.
The offense is not launching the ball out of the stadium. No player has reached 10 home runs, and even if they play another dozen games, it’s unlikely anyone other than Austin Gomm will reach that mark. They are simply following the approach of Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler, whose motto was to “Keep your eye on the ball and hit ’em where they ain’t.” The Pilots have compiled a team .368 batting average with 113 doubles and 30 triples. They are also uber-aggressive on the basepaths, with 154 successful steals. As a testament to how good this team is at the plate, sophomore Cooper Huspen, who is batting .524 in 21 at-bats, is primarily limited to being a pinch runner.
Nevertheless, it’s LSUS’s pitching staff that makes them the team to beat this season. Each of their three primary starting pitchers has sub-2.00 ERAs with strikeout totals well over their number of innings pitched. Again, as a testament to how good the team is, Lex Meinderts, who had a 2.20 ERA last season in 14 appearances with eight starts, has been moved to the bullpen. Draven Zeigler, Isaac Rohde, and Cobe Reeves have all been masterful, with a combined 10 complete games, 298 strikeouts in 227 ⅔ innings, and they have held the opposition to a .174 batting average. Don’t worry about Meinderts, though—he’s still getting plenty of action and continuing to dominate in his new role. He has struck out 38 batters in 24 innings as the team’s closer and has earned five saves—he’d have a lot more if the Pilots weren’t blowing everyone out.
Lastly, LSUS has been magnificent on defense. The team has only been charged with 24 errors on the season, leading to 22 unearned runs. Shortstop Jose Sallorin has only two errors in 154 total chances, and the opposition has managed just 32 stolen bases against their catching corps.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk. | Prev Rk. |
| 1 | LSU Shreveport Pilots | LA | 47-0 | 3-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies | GA | 46-4 | 4-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs | TN | 38-11 | 3-0 | 4 |
| 4 | Cumberlands Patriots | KY | 41-8 | 1-2 | 3 |
| 5 | Reinhardt Eagles | GA | 38-9 | 3-0 | 5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles | OK | 43-7 | 2-1 | 6 |
| 7 | Taylor Trojans | IN | 41-8 | 4-0 | 8 |
| 8 | Loyola Wolf Pack | LA | 35-14 | 2-1 | 9 |
| 9 | Webber International Warriors | FL | 37-13 | 2-2 | 7 |
| 10 | Missouri Baptist Spartans | MO | 37-9 | 2-0 | 11 |
| 11 | Faulkner Eagles | AL | 33-12 | 2-1 | 10 |
| 12 | Hope International Royals | CA | 39-7 | 1-0 | 12 |
| 13 | Southeastern Fire | FL | 39-11 | 3-1 | 14 |
| 14 | Concordia Bulldogs | NE | 37-9 | 4-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Arizona Christian Firestorm | AZ | 37-12-1 | 2-2 | 13 |
| 16 | Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes | KS | 35-13 | 3-0 | 16 |
| 17 | Mid-America Christian Evangels | OK | 37-13 | 2-0 | 17 |
| 18 | William Carey Crusaders | MS | 33-13 | 1-2 | 18 |
| 19 | Houston-Victoria Jaguars | TX | 37-13 | 3-0 | 20 |
| 20 | Cumberland Phoenix | TN | 33-15-1 | 2-1 | 25* |
| 21 | Ottawa Braves | KS | 38-12 | 2-2 | 19 |
| 22 | Columbia Cougars | MO | 39-7 | 2-0 | 22 |
| 23 | Oakland City Mighty Oaks | IN | 36-13 | 3-2 | 21 |
| 24 | Northwestern Ohio Racers | OH | 37-11-1 | 3-2 | 23 |
| 25 | Johnson Royals | TN | 33-14 | 2-1 | 24 |
| DROP | Keiser Seahawks | 25* |
NCAA DIII
Although they briefly dropped from the No. 1 spot for two weeks in March, preseason favorite Johns Hopkins has reasserted itself as the top team in DIII baseball. An undefeated April helped fuel their current 18-game winning streak, and they now sit at 36-3 on the season. Two of their three losses came during a demanding spring break trip to Florida, where they played nine games in 10 days, falling to current No. 2 and No. 3 teams Endicott and Denison. Their only other loss came in a late collapse against Franklin & Marshall, where they let a 7-1 lead slip away. Notably, none of their losses have been by more than two runs.
Adding to their motivation this season, legendary head coach Bob Babb has announced this will be his final year at the helm. Babb, who’s led the program since 1979, has built Johns Hopkins into one of the premier programs in DIII baseball.
Offensively, few teams can match the Blue Jays. They boast a team batting average of .338 and a team OPS north of 1.000. Three players have already reached double-digit home runs, and Dillon Soviginer leads the charge with a .430 batting average. The lineup is deep and consistent—eight players have started at least 35 of the team’s 39 games, and only one regular is hitting below .300 (and he’s just one hit away from reaching the mark).
On the mound, the Blue Jays lean on their starting rotation. The trio of Drew Grumbles, Kieren Collins, and Quinn Rovner has combined to throw nearly half of the team’s total innings. Each is stingy with free passes, and Grumbles, in particular, has emerged as a standout. The sophomore entered the year with just three career starts but now owns a 1.31 ERA, 66 strikeouts in 55 innings, and a sub-1.00 WHIP, while holding opponents to a .193 batting average.
Still, Johns Hopkins isn’t alone in the top-tier conversation. Endicott, Denison, and UW-Whitewater are also legitimate contenders for the No. 1 ranking. That trio has combined for a remarkable 97-9 record this season. Heading into the week, Endicott—which leads DIII with nearly 12 runs per game—had won 23 straight and gone undefeated in conference play, locking up the top seed for the postseason tournament.
UW-Whitewater has also been impressive, posting a 22-1 record on the road and leading the WIAC standings going into the final weekend series against UW-Platteville. Matt Sconlan, who’s hitting .436, recently became the school’s career home run leader with his 48th blast.
| Rank | School | State | Record | Last Wk. | Prev Rk. |
| 1 | Johns Hopkins Blue Jays | MD | 36-3 | 4-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Endicott Gulls | MA | 30-3 | 5-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Denison Big Red | OH | 29-5 | 4-0 | 3 |
| 4 | UW-Whitewater Warhawks | WI | 31-3 | 6-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Lynchburg Hornets | VA | 33-6 | 2-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Trinity Tigers | TX | 33-7 | 3-0 | 6 |
| 7 | Kean Cougars | NJ | 34-6 | 4-1 | 7 |
| 8 | Salisbury Seagulls | MD | 29-7 | 3-0 | 9 |
| 9 | La Verne Leopards | CA | 29-6 | 3-0 | 11 |
| 10 | Salve Regina Seahawks | RI | 25-7 | 4-0 | 13 |
| 11 | Case Western Reserve Spartans | OH | 25-12-1 | 3-1 | 8 |
| 12 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags | CA | 28-9 | 2-1 | 10 |
| 13 | UW LaCrosse Eagles | WI | 29-7 | 5-1 | 12 |
| 14 | Penn State Harrisburg Lions | PA | 29-9-1 | 4-1 | 16 |
| 15 | Rowan Profs | NJ | 29-8 | 6-0 | 19 |
| 16 | Centre Colonels | KY | 27-8 | 3-1 | 21 |
| 17 | Eastern Connecticut St. Warriors | CT | 23-10 | 2-2 | 14 |
| 18 | Webster Gorloks | MO | 31-7 | 4-1 | 22 |
| 19 | Coe Kohawks | IA | 27-8 | 2-1 | 17 |
| 20 | Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens | CA | 24-12 | 3-1 | 25* |
| 21 | Brockport Golden Eagles | NY | 30-3-2 | 4-0-1 | 25* |
| 22 | UT Dallas Comets | TX | 32-6 | 2-2 | 18 |
| 23 | Concordia (TX) Tornados | TX | 31-9 | 3-0 | 24 |
| 24 | Cal Lutheran Kingsmen | CA | 25-11 | 1-2 | 15 |
| 25 | East Texas Baptist Tigers | TX | 25-14 | 2-3 | 20 |
| DROP | Babson Beavers | MA | 23 |