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College | Rankings | 3/12/2025

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 12

Nick Herfordt

Photo: Kolton Casson (Brian Miller)

One of the most thrilling aspects of college baseball is witnessing underdog programs rise from obscurity and challenge the sport’s traditional powerhouses. Unlike the predictable dominance seen in some other sports, baseball’s unpredictability allows for stunning turnarounds and Cinderella stories. Every season, teams that have long been relegated to the bottom of the standings suddenly catch fire—whether due to a dynamic new coach, a breakout freshman, or a group of overlooked veterans finally putting it all together. These unexpected success stories inject energy into the game, proving that in college baseball, history doesn’t dictate destiny. The excitement of seeing a once-struggling team take down nationally ranked opponents, earn a spot in the rankings, or even make a deep postseason run is what keeps fans coming back, reminding everyone that anything is possible on the diamond.

Along with the updated rankings this week is a look at a team who have made their debut in the Perfect Game rankings - not just of the season, but for the first time ever.

NCAA DII

Over the past fifteen years, if you were asked to predict how the Carson-Newman baseball team would finish a season, a safe bet would have been somewhere around the .500 mark. The Eagles have long been a solid, competitive team — consistently good, but not quite great. Over the years, they've produced some exceptional talent, including Steve Cishek, who recently retired after a 13-season career in the major leagues, and Kyle Koeneman, a first-team All-American who once led the nation in home runs. The Eagles have regularly notched wins, as well as series victories, over ranked opponents, but the program has not advanced to the NCAA Tournament since 2008, with its last World Series appearance dates all the way back to 1999.

This season, however, any notion of another middle-of-the-pack finish has been emphatically tossed out the window. The 2025 Eagles have stormed out of the gates as one of the winningest teams in the country. After opening the season with a scorching 10-0 start, they made a statement last weekend by taking a series from a red-hot Florida Southern squad. Those wins propelled Carson-Newman to a 16-5 record and earned them their first-ever spot in the Perfect Game Top 25 Rankings.

A major catalyst for the Eagles’ breakout season has been the dominant performance of sophomore pitcher Ryan Higgins. In high school, Higgins was a two-way standout, excelling both as a first baseman and a middle-of-the-order bat when he wasn’t on the mound. As a freshman last season, however, he strictly pitched — and the results were modest at best. He posted a 7.16 ERA over 32 ⅔ innings, striking out 31 batters but struggling with consistency.

This season, Higgins has been nothing short of sensational. In six starts, he has yet to allow more than one earned run in any outing and has pitched at least 5 ⅓ innings each time. Across 36 ⅔ innings, he has surrendered just 16 hits and 11 walks while racking up 37 strikeouts. His ERA sits at a microscopic 0.49, with an equally dazzling 0.74 WHIP. The only blemish on his record came in a narrow 2-1 loss at Newberry, where he still turned in a stellar performance. His most electrifying outing came last month when he tossed seven no-hit innings against Emory & Henry.

But Higgins isn’t the only young arm making waves. Freshman Kolton Casson has matched Higgins stride for stride, winning all six of his starts and tossing two complete games. In 36 ⅓ innings, Casson has struck out 38 batters while allowing just 25 hits, holding opponents to a stingy .195 batting average. The Eagles also have a third promising starter in sophomore Angel Bransen, who has yet to hit his stride but possesses the raw talent to give Carson-Newman a truly formidable rotation once he does.

Behind the plate, a big piece of the pitching staff’s success can be credited to fifth-year senior catcher Nick Castellana. After seeing limited action in two seasons at Division I Niagara and one year at Niagara Community College, Castellana transferred to Carson-Newman last season. Now entrenched as the team’s starting catcher, his veteran presence and game-calling skills have helped accelerate the development of the Eagles’ young arms. Castellana has also found his rhythm at the plate, boosting his batting average from .267 last season to .316 this year, with five extra-base hits.

Offensively, the Eagles have been far from a one-man show. Senior outfielder Trey Miller has been on an absolute tear, slashing .444 after struggling to a .202 average in 42 games last season. Designated hitter Tanner Kilgore has provided the muscle in the lineup, pacing the team with four home runs and batting a solid .325.

With dominant young pitching, a steady veteran presence behind the plate, and an offense firing on all cylinders, the 2025 Carson-Newman Eagles are making it clear: this is no longer a middle-of-the-pack program. If their current trajectory continues, a return to the NCAA Tournament — and perhaps even a deep postseason run — could very well be in their future.

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

Dropped: Ashland

NAIA

One of the NAIA’s biggest shockers this season has been the meteoric rise of the Johnson Royals. Until last year, the Royals were, in a word, dreadful. Season after season, they languished at the bottom of the standings, earning a reputation as one of the worst teams in the NAIA.

Their struggles seemingly hit rock bottom in 2021 when they stumbled to a brutal 0-12 start, suffered a humiliating 63-0 series sweep, and wrapped up the year with a dismal 9-39 record. The following season, their first in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, offered only a slight improvement at 17-35. Any glimmers of progress faded in 2023 as the Royals endured a catastrophic collapse, losing 12 of their final 13 games to finish with a ghastly 5-44 mark.

But then, in the summer of 2023, Johnson University pulled off a game-changing move. Athletic director Brandon Perry orchestrated a stunning coup by luring renowned coach Dave Serrano out of retirement to take the helm. Serrano’s decorated résumé boasts head coaching stints at UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Tennessee, and Cal State Northridge. He orchestrated UC Irvine’s first-ever College World Series appearance in 2007, earning Baseball America’s National Coach of the Year honors. His pedigree extends to Team USA, where he served as an assistant in 2010 before taking over as head coach in 2012. Serrano’s influence in the baseball world is undeniable—he has coached and recruited an astounding 190 players drafted by MLB teams, including 45 who reached the majors and 12 first-round picks.

His impact on the Royals was immediate. In his first season at the helm, Johnson skyrocketed to a 24-21 record, a jaw-dropping turnaround that included a statement win over a powerhouse Cumberlands squad—one that lost only six games in the regular season and went on to play in the NAIA World Series.

And this year? The Royals are on fire.

They have blasted out of the gates with a scorching 16-4 start, turning heads across the NAIA. While some early wins came against fledgling programs like Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Defiance College (which is transitioning to a full NAIA schedule), the Royals have also notched marquee victories over elite competition. Not only did they replicate last season’s upset over Cumberlands, but they also stunned second-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan, taking two of three games from the national powerhouse. Those wins catapulted Johnson into the prestigious Perfect Game Top 25 rankings for the first time in program history.

At the heart of their success is a relentless, high-powered offense. The Royals are hitting a blistering .321 as a team and have swiped an eye-popping 71 bases in just 20 games. Freshman phenom Luke Wilson, a prized recruit from Irvine, has wasted no time making his mark. He leads the team with a scorching .438 average, six doubles, and 15 stolen bases. Bryson Shown, now in his third season, has made a dramatic leap—after hitting .278 last year, he’s currently batting .403 with four doubles and three homers. Another SoCal import, shortstop Nolan Cusey, has been a disciplined force at the plate, posting a .300 average and an impressive .451 on-base percentage while leading the team in walks and hit-by-pitches.

On the mound, junior ace Colby Reynolds, a Knoxville native, has been lights-out. The Royals have emerged victorious in five of his six starts as he’s carved up opposing lineups with a 3.06 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 35 ⅓ innings. Out of the bullpen, Garrett Borst has been nothing short of dominant. In five appearances, he has a microscopic 1.23 ERA, a win, and three clutch saves to his name.

What was once a program stuck in perpetual failure has now transformed into one of the most electrifying teams in the NAIA. With Serrano at the helm and a roster bursting with talent and energy, the Royals are proving that their resurgence is no fluke.

From the depths of despair to the national spotlight, Johnson’s Cinderella story is just getting started.

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

NCAA DIII

As the DIII baseball season gets underway, no new teams have cracked the rankings—yet. It’s still too early to determine whether certain hot starts signal a breakout season or are merely fast starts that will fade over time. However, a few programs are already turning heads and could soon force their way into the national conversation.

Rutgers-Camden has surged out to a strong 7-1 start, highlighted by a statement win over perennial powerhouse Cortland. This week, the Raptors face their biggest test yet as they head south for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. There, they’ll battle top-ranked Johns Hopkins and No. 12 Babson, matchups that will reveal whether Rutgers-Camden is a true contender.

Rhodes appeared to be a rankings-worthy squad after opening the season at 12-2, but their momentum came to a screeching halt over the weekend when they were convincingly swept by No. 18 Centre. The Lynx will look to bounce back as they also take on Babson in Florida during their Spring Break slate.

Meanwhile, the Gettysburg College Bullets have stormed to a flawless 10-0 start. However, they have yet to face a true test, and they won’t see elite competition until next month when they square off against Johns Hopkins.

Out west, Redlands has shown flashes of potential with solid wins over Pomona-Pitzer and East Texas Baptist. But consistency remains a concern—they also suffered lopsided defeats, falling 8-23 and 4-23 to Whitworth, as well as a 4-15 drubbing at the hands of the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats this past weekend. If Redlands can steady the ship, a strong showing in their upcoming series against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps could propel them into the rankings in the coming weeks.

While no new teams have officially cracked the Top 25 just yet, the next few weeks will be crucial in separating the true contenders from the early-season pretenders. Keep an eye on these programs as the season unfolds.

Rank	School	State	Record	Last Wk	Prev Rk
1	Johns Hopkins Blue Jays	MD	9-0	4-0	1
2	Endicott Gulls	MA	4-1	2-1	2
3	UW-Whitewater Warhawks	WI	3-0	0-0	3
4	Denison Big Red	OH	7-2	2-1	4
5	Salve Regina Seahawks	RI	7-0	2-0	5
6	Lynchburg Hornets	VA	12-1	3-0	6
7	Salisbury Seagulls	MD	7-2	1-1	7
8	La Verne Leopards	CA	12-1	4-0	8
9	Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens	CA	10-4	3-0	12
10	Penn State Harrisburg Lions	PA	9-1	4-1	10
11	Babson Beavers	MA	3-0	3-0	15
12	Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets	OH	4-3	2-1	14
13	UW LaCrosse Eagles	WI	2-2	2-2	11
14	Trinity Tigers	TX	12-1	4-0	16
15	Cortland State Red Dragons	NY	5-5	0-3	9
16	Case Western Reserve Spartans	OH	4-4	1-1	13
17	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags	CA	10-3	4-0	19
18	Centre Colonels	KY	11-1	3-0	20
19	East Texas Baptist Tigers	TX	9-7	4-0	24
20	Rowan Profs	NJ	4-1	2-0	23
21	Eastern Connecticut St. Warriors	CT	3-2	2-1	21
22	Coe Kohawks	IA	2-1	2-1	22
24	Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets	VA	5-4	1-2	18
25	Christopher Newport Captains	VA	9-6	2-3	17
25	Misericordia Cougars	PA	8-4	3-2	25