Rivals Top 25: LSU finishes on top
By Kendall Rogers, Yahoo! Sports Jun 29, 1:48 am EDT
Attach another accolade to LSU’s resume.
The Tigers won their sixth national title and Paul Mainieri’s first with a thrilling win over Texas last week at the College World Series. For that and much more, LSU tops the final Rivals.com Top 25 for the 2009 season.
LSU is one of five SEC teams ranked in our final list. Arkansas comes in at No. 7, Mississippi comes in at No. 12, Florida comes in at No. 14 and South Carolina finishes the season at No. 22.
The ACC also finishes the season with five teams in the top 25, including North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, Clemson and Georgia Tech.
Rice, Southern Mississippi and East Carolina headline Conference USA and Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State pave the way for the Big 12.
The WCC, Big East, Big Ten, Sun Belt and Mountain West each finish the ’09 campaign with one representative in our rankings.
Here are the conference breakdowns: SEC (5), ACC (5), Big 12 (3), C-USA (3), Pac-10 (2), Big West (2), WCC (1), Big East (1), Big Ten (1), Sun Belt (1), Mountain West (1).
Records in the rankings do not include ties.
RIVALS.COM BASEBALL TOP 25
1. LSU (56-17) – Previous rank: 2
The Tigers put together an amazing postseason run and finished the season with their sixth national title and Paul Mainieri’s first.
The Tigers put together an amazing postseason run and finished the season with their sixth national title and Paul Mainieri’s first.
2. Texas (50-16) – Previous rank: 5
The Longhorns won the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. They also had an exciting postseason run and finished runner up for the national title.
The Longhorns won the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. They also had an exciting postseason run and finished runner up for the national title.
3. Arizona State (51-14) – Previous rank: 4
The Sun Devils had little trouble winning the Pac-10 title and also cruised through regional and super regional play with ease before falling short in Omaha.
The Sun Devils had little trouble winning the Pac-10 title and also cruised through regional and super regional play with ease before falling short in Omaha.
4. North Carolina (48-18) – Previous rank: 8
The Tar Heels put together another great campaign and made a fourth consecutive trip to the College World Series. But once again, they fell short of a title.
The Tar Heels put together another great campaign and made a fourth consecutive trip to the College World Series. But once again, they fell short of a title.
5. Cal State Fullerton (47-16) – Previous rank: 3
The Titans were absolutely dominant the final few weeks of the season, but picked the College World Series to play their worst baseball of the year.
The Titans were absolutely dominant the final few weeks of the season, but picked the College World Series to play their worst baseball of the year.
6. Virginia (49-15) – Previous rank: 11
The Cavaliers played their best brand of baseball the final few weeks of the season despite having the toughest road to the College World Series.
The Cavaliers played their best brand of baseball the final few weeks of the season despite having the toughest road to the College World Series.
7. Arkansas (41-24) – Previous rank: NR
The Razorbacks began the season red-hot and hit a tough skid in the middle of the year. However, they finished the season playing a great brand of baseball.
The Razorbacks began the season red-hot and hit a tough skid in the middle of the year. However, they finished the season playing a great brand of baseball.
8. Rice (43-18) – Previous rank: 7
The Owls had another great team this season and won the Conference USA tournament title before winning the Houston Regional and falling short in super regional play.
The Owls had another great team this season and won the Conference USA tournament title before winning the Houston Regional and falling short in super regional play.
9. UC Irvine (45-15) – Previous rank: 1
The Anteaters fell short against Virginia in the Irvine Regional, but were one of the nation’s most consistent teams during the regular season.
The Anteaters fell short against Virginia in the Irvine Regional, but were one of the nation’s most consistent teams during the regular season.
10. Florida State (45-18) – Previous rank: 6
The Seminoles vastly overachieved this season and dominated the Tallahassee Regional field before falling just short in super regional play against Arkansas.
The Seminoles vastly overachieved this season and dominated the Tallahassee Regional field before falling just short in super regional play against Arkansas.
11. Southern Mississippi (40-26) – Previous rank: NR
The Golden Eagles didn’t exactly put together a great regular season resume, but got hot at the right time and made the first CWS appearance in school history.
The Golden Eagles didn’t exactly put together a great regular season resume, but got hot at the right time and made the first CWS appearance in school history.
12. Mississippi (44-20) – Previous rank: 9
The Rebels put together a solid regular season campaign and won the SEC co-title with national champion LSU. They came up short in the Oxford Super Regional.
The Rebels put together a solid regular season campaign and won the SEC co-title with national champion LSU. They came up short in the Oxford Super Regional.
13. Texas Christian (40-18) – Previous rank: 16
The Horned Frogs certainly had a season to remember. After winning the Fort Worth Regional over Oregon State, they came up just short in the Austin Super Regional.
The Horned Frogs certainly had a season to remember. After winning the Fort Worth Regional over Oregon State, they came up just short in the Austin Super Regional.
14. Florida (42-22) – Previous rank: 15
The Gators put together a nice regular season campaign and cruised through the Gainesville Regional before falling short of an Omaha bid against USM.
The Gators put together a nice regular season campaign and cruised through the Gainesville Regional before falling short of an Omaha bid against USM.
15. East Carolina (46-20) – Previous rank: 18
The Pirates won the Conference USA regular season title and the Greenville Regional over South Carolina before falling short against North Carolina.
The Pirates won the Conference USA regular season title and the Greenville Regional over South Carolina before falling short against North Carolina.
16. Clemson (44-22) – Previous rank: 17
The Tigers quietly put together a solid regular season campaign before winning the Clemson Regional. They fell short against Arizona State in super regional play.
The Tigers quietly put together a solid regular season campaign before winning the Clemson Regional. They fell short against Arizona State in super regional play.
17. Louisville (47-18) – Previous rank: 14
The Cardinals took care of business in Big East play before winning the Louisville Regional. They fell short against Cal State Fullerton in super regional play.
The Cardinals took care of business in Big East play before winning the Louisville Regional. They fell short against Cal State Fullerton in super regional play.
18. Oklahoma (43-20) – Previous rank: 10
The Sooners had an impressive regular season campaign and were a national seed entering regional play. OU’s season was ended by Arkansas.
The Sooners had an impressive regular season campaign and were a national seed entering regional play. OU’s season was ended by Arkansas.
19. Georgia Tech (38-19) – Previous rank: 13
The Yellow Jackets put together a nice regular season campaign before losing to Southern Miss in the Atlanta Regional final. It was a disappointing finish.
The Yellow Jackets put together a nice regular season campaign before losing to Southern Miss in the Atlanta Regional final. It was a disappointing finish.
20. Kansas State (43-18) – Previous rank: 20
The Wildcats had the most memorable campaign in school history, and it ended with an incredibly tough regional loss to perennial power Rice.
The Wildcats had the most memorable campaign in school history, and it ended with an incredibly tough regional loss to perennial power Rice.
21. Minnesota (40-19) – Previous rank: 19
The Golden Gophers had a great season and came close to hosting an NCAA regional. Their season ended with a loss to LSU in the Baton Rouge Regional.
The Golden Gophers had a great season and came close to hosting an NCAA regional. Their season ended with a loss to LSU in the Baton Rouge Regional.
22. South Carolina (40-23) – Previous rank: 21
The Gamecocks were one of the nation’s youngest teams this season, but still managed to reach the Greenville Regional final. The future is bright for this program.
The Gamecocks were one of the nation’s youngest teams this season, but still managed to reach the Greenville Regional final. The future is bright for this program.
23. Gonzaga (36-18) – Previous rank: NR
Mark Machtolf’s Bulldogs had a season to remember. They won the WCC title before knocking off Georgia Southern in the Fullerton Regional. It was a solid season.
Mark Machtolf’s Bulldogs had a season to remember. They won the WCC title before knocking off Georgia Southern in the Fullerton Regional. It was a solid season.
24. Western Kentucky (42-20) – Previous rank: NR
The Hilltoppers had a good regular season campaign but played their best in the Oxford Regional, where they took host Ole Miss to a second championship game.
The Hilltoppers had a good regular season campaign but played their best in the Oxford Regional, where they took host Ole Miss to a second championship game.
25. Oregon State (37-19) – Previous rank: NR
The Beavers had a respectable regular season campaign and played TCU for the Fort Worth Regional title. It was a solid campaign for the Beavers.
The Beavers had a respectable regular season campaign and played TCU for the Fort Worth Regional title. It was a solid campaign for the Beavers.