By Michael Coker, Black College Nines
Bethune-Cookman University, in the “large school” division and Winston-Salem State University, in the “small school” division wraps up a tremendous regular season on the baseball diamond by being crowned Historically Black College and University (HBCU) National Champions by the polling committee at Black College Nines.
Bethune-Cookman topped the final poll for the 2017 season and regained the national crown which it previously won in 2001, 2004, 2007 and from 2008-2010. The Wildcats, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I post-season regional’s, finished the regular season with an overall record of 33-23 and now awaits the NCAA regional selection pairings.
Winston-Salem State University ranked 9th in the BCN week one poll of March 14, 2017, leapfrogged into the No. 1 spot during the second week of April 4th and ultimately became the unanimous small school champion. The Rams completed the season with a 39-19 record and clinched its second HBCU small school national title in three years.
Black College Nines is dedicated to preserving the tradition of baseball at historically black colleges and universities in selecting national champions. The “large school” division is made up of HBCUs in the NCAA Division I classification and the “small school” division consists of HBCU schools in the NCAA Divisions II and III, as well as those schools in the NAIA.
The final 2017 divisional polls are as follows…
Large School Division
| No. | School | Conference | W-L | Previous |
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman University | MEAC | 33-23 | 2 |
| 2 | Jackson State University | SWAC | 38-17 | 1 |
| 3 | Alabama State University | SWAC | 31-25 | 3 |
| 4 | North Carolina A&T University | MEAC | 28-25 | 4 |
| 5 (Tie) | Texas Southern University | SWAC | 20-32 | NR |
| 5 (Tie) | Norfolk State University | MEAC | 26-21 | 6 |
| 7 | Florida A&M University | MEAC | 27-26 | 5 |
| 8 | Delaware State University | MEAC | 22-24 | 8 |
| 9 | North Carolina Central University | MEAC | 22-28 | 9 |
| 10 | Grambling State University | SWAC | 22-30 | 7 |
Dropping Out: Southern University
Small School Division
| No. | School | Conference | W-L | Previous |
| 1 | Winston-Salem State University | CIAA | 39-19 | 1 |
| 2 | Talladega College | GCAC | 36-25 | 2 |
| 3 | Edward Waters College | GCAC | 35-24 | 4 (Tie) |
| 4 | Miles College | SIAC | 31-23 | 3 |
| 5 | Harris-Stowe State University | AMC | 30-19 | 4 (Tie) |
| 6 | Benedict College | SIAC | 25-16 | 7 |
| 7 | Jarvis Christian College | RRAC | 33-26 | 6 |
| 8 | Paine College | SIAC | 21-21 | 8 |
| 9 | Voorhees College | A.I.I. | 20-20 | 10 |
| 10 | Stillman College | A.I.I. | 20-22 | 9 |
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