PEMBROKE, N.C. (NCBWA) – Defending national champion Wingate raked in a majority of the available first-place votes, but it is 8-time national champion Tampa that sits atop the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Preseason Top 25 that was released on Monday afternoon.

The Spartans, who return eight position starters and three of their top four pitchers from last season's 23-6 club that advanced all the way through to the national semifinals, raked in seven first-place votes to edge out the Bulldogs for the top spot by just three points. Wingate, who completed a magical run through the NCAA postseason with a 5-3 win over Central Missouri in the national title game, collected 10 of the available 19 first-place votes to nestle into the No. 2 spot.

Central Missouri and Colorado Mesa both picked up a first-place vote before settling into the Nos. 3 and 4 positions, respectively. It is the eighth time in the 20-year history of the NCBWA Division II Top 25 that Tampa has started the season in the No. 1 position. It is the first time that the Spartans have held the No. 1 ranking since the 2020 preseason poll, however.

Molloy made its program debut in the NCBWA Division II Top 25 with Monday's release, Chico State makes an appearance for the first time since the 2018 preseason poll and Arkansas Tech is among the nation's top 25 teams for the first time since the 2015 preseason release. Columbus State and Colorado Colorado Springs are back in the top 25 after brief appearances last season.

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