TUCSON, Ariz. --- For the first time in program history, the Tusculum College baseball team is ranked second in the country according to this week's Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Coaches' Poll.

Tusculum is receiving 456 total points and has jumped two spots from last week's No. 4 ranking. The No. 2 ranking is the highest ranking in school history in the coaches' poll, surpassing the No. 3 ranking on April 9 of this season.

The Pioneers (46-8) have been nationally-ranked for 12 consecutive weeks, including the last five in the top-five.

Tampa is the new top-ranked team in the poll, up one position from last week with 480 points. Following Tusculum is St. Mary's (Texas), Mount Olive, Central Missouri, Francis Marion, Minnesota State-Mankato, St. Cloud state, Lynn and Delta State to comprise this week's top 10.

Armstrong is 11th, followed by West Chester, USC Aiken, Western Oregon, Seton Hill, Angelo State, Indianapolis, Grand Valley State, Catawba, LeMoyne, Southern New Hampshire, Colorado Mesa, North Alabama, St. Edwards, Kutztown, Franklin Pierce, Cal State-Chico, Georgia College, Southern Arkansas and Lander.

With the regular-season completed, the 2012 South Atlantic Conference champions will sit and await the announcement of the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship bracket, which will be announced this Sunday night at 10 p.m. (EST). TC has already punched its NCAA postseason ticket by winning the SAC Tournament title and the league's automatic bid that comes with it.

TC's 46 wins are the second most in school history and tied for the third most in conference history, matching the 46-win campaign by Wingate in the 1995 season. TC needs one more victory to match Catawba's 47 wins in 2006 and four more to match the 50-14 slate posted by the Pioneers in 2007.

Tusculum's .852 won-loss percentage is on-pace to be a new single-season school and league mark. The school record is .781 by the 2007 squad, while Catawba's 38-7 record in 1992 was good enough for a .844 winning percentage.

- TC -

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Coaches' Poll
Rk Team Rec Pts Prv
1 Tampa 38-8 480 2
2 TUSCULUM 46-8 456 4
3 St. Mary's (Texas) 41-8 452 3
4 Mount Olive 44-8 436 1
5 Central Missouri 41-7 416 5
6 Francis Marion 34-14 400 6
7 Minnesota St.-Mankato 39-9 384 7
8 St. Cloud St. 42-10 354 12
9 Lynn 34-13 344 NR
10 Delta St. 37-11 326 8
11 Armstrong Atlantic 36-13 322 9
12 West Chester 38-10 306 14
13 USC Aiken 34-16 294 12
14 Western Oregon 36-9 288 11
15 Seton Hill 42-8 268 15
16 Angelo St. 37-14 240 16
17 Indianapolis 37-13 228 17
18 Grand Valley St. 37-13 196 20
19 Catawba 39-14 192 19
20 LeMoyne 35-12-1 174 22
21 Southern New Hampshire 38-12 134 23
22 Colorado Mesa 38-12 114 21
23 North Alabama 38-15 102 27
24 St. Edwards 35-12 92 28
25 Kutztown 35-17 84 NR
26 Franklin Pierce 33-15-1 78 18
27 Cal. St. Chico 36-14 74 RV
28 Georgia College 29-19 66 25
29 Southern Arkansas 35-14 54 30
30 Lander 34-16 26 30

Others Receiving Votes: New Mexico Highlands (12), Nova Southeastern (12), Florida Southern (12), Mercyhurst (12), U.C. San Diego (10), Shippensburg (6), Southeastern Oklahoma (6), UNC Pembroke (2), Texas A&M-Kingsville (2), Rockhurst (2), Missouri Western (1), Missouri Southern (1), West Texas A&M (1), Florida Tech. (1), Rollins (1), Wayne State, Mich. (1), Wayne State, Neb. (1).