Welcome to May. The NHL and NBA playoffs are dominating the sports discourse, with a little bit of major championship golf sprinkled in as well. It is a fun time of year.
And then there is that one guy who has to bring up college baseball.
Spoiler alert: that guy is me.
I am all for Shai vs. Jokic arguments and overtime NHL Game Sevens, do not get me wrong. But the 9:00 p.m. quarterfinal game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds in the SEC Tournament fires me up as well, probably more than it should. Because when college baseball starts reappearing consistently on the conference-specific channels, I know the NCAA Tournament is near and the Road to Omaha is upon us.
The full 64-team NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday night, with regional play set to begin May 30. With the bracket almost set and the road to Omaha underway, let’s take a look back at the regular season, the conference champions, the biggest surprises, and the teams that enter the tournament looking like legitimate contenders.
SEC: The Standard
Regular Season Champion: Texas
Conference Tournament Champion: Vanderbilt
Host Teams: Vanderbilt, Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee
Southeastern Conference Baseball has cemented itself as one of the premier conferences in all of collegiate sports. Five consecutive national champions reside in the SEC, and only one year since 2008 has featured a title matchup without a team from the league.
No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Texas, No. 5 Arkansas, No. 8 Auburn, and No. 9 Vanderbilt lead the way in 2025. The Longhorns spent much of the conference season atop the national rankings but slipped behind the Tigers two weeks ago. Georgia, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Alabama also appear in the latest D1Baseball top 25. As usual, the conference has been fluid, wide open, and a test every weekend. There are no series off.
With the NCAA Tournament around the corner, the SEC again dominates national seeding. Texas looks to have the No. 1 overall seed locked up, with Vanderbilt and Arkansas close behind, likely also inside the top five. The Longhorns (42–12) lost just two series all season and lead the conference with a 3.56 team ERA, which ranks fifth nationally.
Vanderbilt (41–16) was swept at Arkansas to end March and flirted with a downward spiral, but Hall of Fame head coach Tim Corbin steadied the ship. Vandy won series at Florida, vs. Georgia, vs. Alabama, and at Tennessee down the stretch, and tore through the SEC Tournament on their way to a second title in three years.
Another story worth following is the rise of the Florida Gators (38–20). On April 8, the preseason top-10 team was 1–11 in the SEC and dealing with all sorts of problems. Since then, they have rattled off six consecutive series wins and surged back into the top 25.
The NCAA field will likely include 12 SEC teams. Eight host sites have already been announced, meaning teams like Kentucky, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida will hit the road during regional weekend, with their destinations left to the selection committee.
Players to Watch:
- Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas) – SEC Player of the Year, 18 HRs, 58 RBIs
- Liam Doyle (Tennessee) – SEC Pitcher of the Year, second-most strikeouts nationally
- Dylan Volantis (Texas) – Freshman closer with a 1.99 ERA and 12 saves
ACC: Stacked at the Top
Regular Season Champion: Georgia Tech
Conference Tournament Champion: North Carolina
Host Teams: North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State
Also known for its annual success and elite culture, the ACC stands proudly as the second-best conference in the sport. The latest rankings feature No. 3 North Carolina, No. 6 Florida State, No. 14 Clemson, No. 16 Georgia Tech, and No. 22 NC State near the top.
The Yellow Jackets (40–17) claimed the regular season title, benefitting from a favorable schedule that avoided UNC, Florida State, and NC State. Georgia Tech quietly stayed consistent all year with a top-15 team batting average and breakout star Drew Burress.
North Carolina (42–12) started hot, opening 13–0 in non-conference play. Despite a brief March slump, the Tar Heels have not lost a conference weekend since March 16 and just secured the ACC Tournament title. Their 3.41 team ERA leads all power conferences and ranks fourth nationally.
Florida State (38–14) and Clemson (44–16) have been national fixtures all season. Lefty Jamie Arnold and outfielder Cam Cannarella headline those teams and are expected to be early picks in the MLB Draft.
Middle-tier ACC teams like NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, and Louisville should feel confident heading into Selection Monday. Louisville leads the conference in quadrant-one wins and is No. 32 in RPI.
Players to Watch:
- Jake Knapp (UNC) – ACC Pitcher of the Year, 12–0, 2.17 ERA
- Alex Lodise (Florida State) – ACC Player of the Year, .422 average, 17 HRs
Big Ten: Newcomers Making Noise
Regular Season Champions: Oregon and UCLA (Tied)
Conference Tournament Champion: Nebraska
Host Teams: Oregon, UCLA
The Big Ten is not often known for elite college baseball, but new members Oregon and UCLA are changing that narrative. Oregon (42–14) ranks No. 4, with UCLA (42–16) at No. 13.
The Ducks won the in-season series against the Bruins but neither team boasts a top-20 strength of schedule or top-15 RPI, which may impact seeding. Still, they are the only two Big Ten teams to reach 40 wins and will both host regionals.
Southern California (35–21) may sneak in as the league’s third representative, but projections vary.
The surprise story here is Nebraska (32–27), which finished 15–15 in league play but stunned Oregon and UCLA to win the Big Ten Tournament for the second straight year.
Players to Watch:
- Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) – Big Ten Player of the Year, 22 HRs
- Mason Neville (Oregon) – National HR leader with 26
Big 12: Deep but Disrespected
Regular Season Champion: West Virginia
Conference Tournament Champion: Arizona
Host Teams: None
The Big 12 might pull off the ultimate irony: sending as many teams to the tournament as the ACC, but not receiving a single host site.
No. 24 TCU (39–18) and No. 25 Kansas (43–15) are the only top-25 teams, but a handful of others hover in contention. West Virginia (41–14) started the year 18–1 but stumbled late, dropping seven of their last nine.
Arizona (39–18) had a bumpy season but rallied to win the Big 12 Tournament in its first year as a conference member.
Arizona State (35–22), Kansas State, Cincinnati, and Oklahoma State are also in the mix. No Big 12 team has an RPI inside the top 15, but eight are ranked between 18 and 50.
Players to Watch:
- Kerrington Cross (Cincinnati) – Big 12 Player of the Year, led the league in nearly every offensive category
- Mason White (Arizona) – Tournament MVP, 7-for-11 with 3 HRs in conference tourney
Mid-Majors and Independents: Do Not Sleep
Host Teams: Oregon State, Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss
Over 30 conferences will send an automatic bid to the tournament, most of them one-bid leagues. But several mid-majors and independents are poised to make noise.
Oregon State (41–12) may not be in a traditional conference, but the program’s pedigree is unquestioned. With an RPI of 7 and wins over power programs, they earned a national seed.
Coastal Carolina (48–11) also earned a top-16 seed. They rolled through the Sun Belt, picked up big wins over Clemson and NC State, and boast one of the best pitching staffs in the country. Southern Miss (44–14) has won 16 of its last 17 and holds an RPI of 19.
Other dangerous mid-majors include UTSA, Dallas Baptist, and UC Irvine. All will likely be No. 2 seeds and are capable of winning a regional.
If there is one team to watch, it is Northeastern (48–9). The Huskies have won 27 straight and lead the nation in ERA, shutouts, WHIP, and opponent batting average. They are also third in stolen bases.
Final Word
There is talent across every corner of college baseball right now. From SEC powerhouses to streaking mid-majors, the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament has the makings of a wild and unforgettable ride. Selection Monday is coming. The road to Omaha is about to begin.
Get your brackets ready.
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