It is hard to believe that the college baseball season in Oklahoma is already over. It seems like it was yesterday that Oklahoma Panhandle State got things started in Arizona on January 25.

To be honest, we thought we had at least one more week with both OU and OSU hosting regionals last week. But, alas, here we are with our final poll of the College Power 10.

Each week until the postseason, we will rank what we think are the 10 best teams in the state relative to their level. We will look at the results of each team based on the level of their competition compared to the other teams in the state.

Does that mean if a junior college team is ranked ahead of an NCAA D1 team we think that JUCO would be the D1? No it doesn’t. But it does mean we think that the JUCO team is playing better than the D1 at their respective levels.

Here is where we think things stand right now (through games on June 3).

Please remember this is for fun and should be treated as such.

---

Dropped Out

• Western Oklahoma State College Pioneers (38-18, 21-9), NJCAA D2

Receiving Consideration

• Western Pioneers

Western was a mainstay in our poll for almost the entirety of the season. However, when the Pioneers played in the Region 2 Tournament, they went out with a whimper at 1-2. Given the fact they lost their last series to NOC Tonkawa, finished 2nd in the conference, and didn’t advance beyond the conference tournament kept them out of the top 10 in a razor thin margin.

---

Top Ten

10. Connors State Cowboys (51-9, 18-6), NJCAA D1

• Previous: 5
• T1 – Region 2 standings with Seminole State

Connors State had the most wins of any college squad in the state of Oklahoma for the 2nd year in a row. However, for the 2nd year in a row, the Cowboys made an early exit in the Region 2 Tournament and didn’t even play for the Region 2 championship.

The Cowboys did tie Seminole State for the regular season title, however. Couple that with the most wins in the state, and the Cowboys make the final 10.

9. NOC Tonkawa Mavs (42-19, 19-11), NJCAA D2

• Previous: NR
• 2nd – Region 2 (Oklahoma teams)
• Region 2 Tournament finalist

The Mavs started the season looking like one of the best teams in the state and even garnered rankings in some national polls. However, they struggled through the middle of the season.

After losing a series to Redlands on the first weekend of April, the Mavs won 10 of their next 12 conference games to finish in 2nd place among the Oklahoma schools.

Tonkawa then used that momentum to make a run in the Region 2 tournament beating #1 seed, UA Rich Mountain on their way to forcing a winner take all regional final vs South Arkansas CC, but the Mavs unfortunately lost a close game (South Ark went on to make it to the NJCAA D2 World Series).

Simply put, at the end of the season, NOC Tonkawa was the best NJCAA D2 team in the state.

8. UCO Bronchos (37-16, 22-11), NCAA D2

• Previous: 2
• 4th Place – MIAA Conference
• 5th Place – NCAA D2 Central Region Rankings
• NCAA D2 National Tournament – Central Regional At-Large Bid

UCO was at or near the top of our power poll for most of the season. The Bronchos was our #1 team for several weeks in the early part of 2024. They started off by winning their first 11 games and 14 of their first 16 games.

Although they did go 23-12 in their last 35 games, it was still enough for them to host a first round series in the MIAA Tournament by finishing 4th in one of the toughest conferences in the season and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA D2 National Tournament by finishing 5th in the Central Region rankings.

7. OCU Stars (35-18, 17-7), NAIA

• Previous: 7
• T2 – Sooner Athletic Conference
• Runner Up – SAC Tournament
• NAIA National Tournament/Opening Round – At-Large Bid

OCU was another team that started hot in 2024 winning 8 straight games including a win over then #7 Bellevue. However, it didn’t last as they lost their next 7 games.

The Stars righted the ship and had a solid season after that. Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, OCU finished 14th in the BoChips ratings (the NAIA version of the RPI).

They’ll tell you that the ’24 season didn’t live up to their standards, but the Stars still had a nice season nonetheless with another trip to the NAIA National Tournament.

Chad Pike was named an NAIA 1st Team All American as a closer.

6. USAO Drovers (36-18, 17-7), NAIA

• Previous: 8
• T2 – Sooner Athletic Conference
• 3rd – SAC Tournament
• NAIA National Tournament/Opening Round – At-Large Bid (2-2)

It is only fitting that the Drovers are one spot ahead of the Stars. These two teams seem to not be able to rid each other the last number of years.

The Drovers started slow to start the season, but finished strong. Feeling like they needed a surge to end the season to get into the NAIA Opening Round (without winning the SAC Tournament), USAO went 10-3 in April including winning their last 7 games.

In the SAC Tournament, the Drovers were the only team to beat eventual champ, MACU.

They got the at-large bid, but got somewhat of a bad draw with Southeastern as the Regional #1 seed. The Drovers beat Doane and Mount Mercy for two wins at the regional, but they couldn’t figure out the Fire as Southeastern beat them twice.

Those two wins at the Opening Round gave them the edge over OCU who went 0-2 at the Opening Round.

Brian Ereu was named a 3rd Team All American.

5. OK Wesleyan Eagles (35-20, 26-10), NAIA

• Previous: 9
• 3rd Place – KCAC Conference
• Champions – KCAC Conference Tournament
• NAIA Tournament/Opening Round – Auto Bid

The Eagles had a turn around season in 2024 in that they made the NAIA Tournament/Opening Round for the first time since 2021 when they went to the NAIA World Series.

OKWU’s season really took off when they hit KCAC play. The Eagles were in 1st place in the KCAC standings for most of the season until the last week when they were surpassed by Tabor and eventual regular season champ, Kansas Wesleyan (KWU eventually went to the NAIA World Series).

The Eagles swept the KCAC Tournament winning games vs Tabor and KWU along the way to earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament/Opening Round. Unfortunately they went 0-2 while being eliminated by MACU.

Victor Sanchez was named a 3rd Team All American.

4. Seminole State Trojans (39-16, 18-6), NJCAA D1

• Previous: 4
• T1 – Region 2 standings with Connors State
• Region 2 Tournament Champions
• South Central District Championship Team

Up through the 3rd week of March, it looked like the Trojans were going to have just a “so-so” season.

Then Seminole State went on a monster run to establish themselves as the top NJCAA D1 team in the Sooner State. Starting on March 25, the Trojans went on a 14 game winning streak and won 22 of their last 23 games through the Region 2 Tournament, including going undefeated in the Region 2 Tournament.

Unfortunately, the Trojans finished one step away from the NJCAA World Series when they were beaten in the district tournament by Crowder.

The Trojans were an offensive juggernaut this season as they slashed .327/.444/.580 with 104 home runs as a team.

Caden Powell was named as a 1st Team All American.

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (42-19, 19-9), NCAA D1

• Previous: 10
• 2nd – Big 12 Regular Season standings
• Big 12 Tournament Champions
• NCAA Tournament Automatic Bid
• NCAA Regional Host/#11 National Seed

The Cowboys made the biggest jump in our poll since the last release. They finished strong down the stretch to finish in 2nd place in the conference standings. After an early loss to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament, the Pokes won their next three games including a finals win over OU to win the Big 12 Tournament.

OSU hosted a regional as the #11 national seed. Things looked good for them as they beat Niagara and Florida to start the regional, but the Gators beat the Pokes twice to win the regional (and eventually move on to Omaha).

Outside the disappointment of losing in the regional, OSU deserves a high ranking at the end of the season.

2. Oklahoma Sooners (40-21, 23-7), NCAA D1

• Previous: 3
• Big 12 Regular Season champions
• Big 12 Tournament runners up
• NCAA Tournament At-Large Bid
• NCAA Regional Host/#9 National Seed

The Sooners exceeded expectations in 2024 (at least by the “experts”). Picked to finish 6th in the Big 12, OU went on to win the conference by 3.5 games over 2nd place OSU. OU was so dominant in conference play, they had 6 conference sweeps on the season.

Like the Cowboys, OU was one game away from advancing to the Super Regionals. OU lost their 2nd game of their regional, but the next day they won both games over Duke and UConn to set up a winner take all game vs the Huskies in the regional final. It wasn’t meant to be, unfortunately, for the Sooners as they lost, 7-1.

It was the Sooners’ second 40 win season under Skip Johnson and the second in the last three seasons. The OU program is headed in the right direction as they move into the SEC in 2025.

1. MACU Evangels (41-13, 20-4), NAIA

• Previous: 1
• Sooner Athletic Conference Regular Season Champions
• Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Champions
• NAIA Tournament/Opening Round Automatic Bid
• NAIA Opening Round Regional #1 Seed
• NAIA.org Final Regular Season Ranking: 11
• NAIA Ball Final Regular Season Ranking: 10
• BoChip Final Ranking: 6

To say the Evangels had their best season ever would be an understatement. During the 2024 season, the Evangels had: 1) their first ever national ranking, 2) their first ever top ten ranking (NAIA Ball), 3) their first ever conference regular season title, 4) their first ever conference tournament championship, and 5) their first ever NAIA National Tournament berth.

What is remarkable about the Evangels’ season is they were 12-8 after their first 20 games. MACU finished the season winning 29 of their last 34 games.

The Evangels were so dominant in the SAC this season, they had the SAC Coach of the Year (Brett Stanton) and SAC Pitcher of the Year (Isaac Baez). They also had six players on the All-SAC 1st Team: Zach Stark (C), Kyle Williams (1B), Noel McGarry-Doyle (OF), D’Andre Gaines (OF), Baez, Zane Robeaux (P). Jacob Police (2B) and Carlos Medina (SS) were named to the 2nd Team. Zach Stark was also named the SAC Gold Glove winner at catcher.

Isaac Baez was also named an NAIA All American (3rd Team).

---

Like this post? Leave your email in the box below and have SSBR content delivered directly to your inbox.