Clemson Ranked Fourth in Two Final Baseball Polls

July 6, 2010

Clemson, SC-Clemson ranked fourth in the final Collegiate Baseball and USA Today Sports Weekly college baseball polls for the 2010 season. The Tigers finished the season with a 45-25 record, including Final Four finish at the College World Series in Omaha, NE.

Clemson’s number-four final ranking is tied for the second best final ranking in Clemson baseball history. The only season that is higher is the 2002 season when Clemson was ranked third by Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and Sports Weekly.

This marked the fifth time in school history Clemson has finished the season ranked fourth best in the nation. It also took place in 1980 (Collegiate Baseball) and 1991 (Baseball America) under Bill Wilhelm, and 1994 (Baseball America), and 1996 (Collegiate Baseball and Sports Weekly), under current head coach Jack Leggett. The 2010 season marked the sixth top five finish for Leggett as Clemson Head Coach.

Clemson posted seven wins in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, tied for the most in school history. Clemson won the Auburn Regional when it defeated host school Auburn in the championship game, then won two of three over Alabama to take the Super Regional Championship at Clemson. Clemson’s run to the Final Four of the College World Series included a victory over number-one ranked Arizona State and a victory over sixth-ranked Oklahoma.

Clemson has now been to the Super Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament nine times in the last 12 years, the same number of times Mike Krzyzewski has taken the Duke basketball program to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in the last 12 years.

Clemson was ranked 20th in the Sports Weekly poll entering the NCAA Tournament and moved to fourth in the final poll. The 16-place improvement from the beginning of the tournament to the final poll is the greatest improvement in Clemson history. The previous best was a five-place improvement from the final regular season poll to the final poll in Baseball America in 1989. Clemson improved 12 spots in Collegiate Baseball from the final regular season poll to the final poll.

Clemson’s Highest Ranked Baseball Teams