TUCSON, Ariz. --- Tusculum College is ranked ninth in the nation according to the final 2012 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll.

The Pioneers' No. 9 ranking is the best end of the season ranking in school history, surpassing the 2007 team's No. 10 listing. The 2007 squad posted a school and South Atlantic Conference-best 50-14 mark.

This year, Tusculum received 344 total points in the season's final national ranking as the Pioneers went 48-10, as TC finished with the fourth most victories in the country.

NCAA II national champion West Chester (46-10) is the new top-ranked team, receiving 480 points. National runner-up Delta State (49-15) is second with 464 points. Minnesota State-Mankato is third with 448 points and ended the season with a nation's best 51 victories. Southeast Region champion Catawba is fourth with 432 points. St. Mary's (Texas) is fifth with 424 points with a 49-11 worksheet.

Central Missouri is sixth, followed by Francis Marion, Tampa, Tusculum and Mount Olive to round out the top 10.

Southern New Hampshire is 11th while Indianapolis and Armstrong are tied for 12th. St. Cloud State is 14th, followed by Cal State Chico, LeMoyne, Western Oregon, Lynn, Kutztown, USC Aiken, Seton Hill, St. Edwards, Nova Southeastern, Rockhurst, Lander, Southern Arkansas, Franklin Pierce, Grand Valley State, North Alabama, West Florida, New Mexico Highlands and Angelo State.

Tusculum accounted for one of the best seasons in school history in 20012. The Pioneers posted a sterling 48-10 record, including 24-3 in South Atlantic Conference play as TC captured both the league's regular season and tournament championships. Tusculum advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a sixth time in school history where the Pioneers went 2-2 to finish third at the Southeast Regional.

This marks the fifth time in the last eight seasons that the Pioneers ended the season nationally-ranked. TC was 13th in the nation following the 2005 season and a 44-17 record. TC followed that with a No. 26 ranking in 2006 (40-14-1), before being 10th in the final 2007 poll. TC was also 30th in the final 2008 rankings as the Pioneers went 41-15.

- TC -

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Coaches' Poll
Rk Team Rec Pts Prv
1 West Chester 46-10 480 9
2 Delta State 49-15 464 2
3 Minnesota State-Mankato 51-12 448 3
4 Catawba 45-17 432 4
5 St. Mary's (Texas) 49-11 424 1
6 Central Missouri 48-9 394 5
7 Francis Marion 40-18 380 6
8 Tampa 38-10 360 7
9 TUSCULUM 48-10 344 8
10 Mount Olive 44-10 328 9
11 Southern New Hampshire 43-15 320 14
12 Indianapolis 46-16 306 11
Armstrong Atlantic 41-16 306 13
14 St. Cloud State 48-14 272 15
15 Cal. St. Chico 40-19 262 12
16 LeMoyne 43-15-1 248 16
17 Western Oregon 40-11 226 17
18 Lynn 35-15 208 18
19 Kutztown 37-19 192 19
20 USC Aiken 37-18 176 20
21 Seton Hill 46-11 160 21
22 St. Edwards 37-16 144 22
23 Nova Southeastern 35-15 128 23
24 Rockhurst 35-19 112 24
25 Lander 38-20 96 25
26 Southern Arkansas 37-17 80 26
27 Franklin Pierce 38-19-1 64 27
28 Grand Valley St. 43-16 48 28
29 North Alabama 39-18 32 29
30 West Florida 35-19 16 30
New Mexico Highlands 41-16 16 30
Angelo St. 40-17 16 30
Mercyhurst 39-17 16 30

Others Receiving Votes: Colorado Mesa, Dixie St., Texas A&M-Kingsville, Georgia College, UNC Pembroke, UC San Diego, Florida Southern, St. Edwards, Southeastern Oklahoma, Missouri Western, Stillman, Valdosta State, Shippensburg, Northern Kentucky, Wayne St. (Mich.), Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri S&T, Wayne St. (Neb.).