The Loop
Alabama finishes regular season No. 1 in Golf World/Nike Golf men's coaches' poll ... but is that a good thing?
As was the case for the USC women last week, with the Alabama men finishing first in the latest Golf World/Nike Golf men's Division I coaches' poll, they joined rare company in claiming the No. 1 spot in every edition of the 2013-14 ranking. Four times since 2001-02 has a men's school swept the poll in every edition for a given school year: Clemson in 2002-03, Georgia in 2005-06 and Oklahoma State in 2009-10 and in 2010-11.
Yet also like the Trojans, the Crimson Tide must be wary of resting on its past accolades. Only one of the four other men's teams that have been wire-to-wire No. 1s has then gone on to win the NCAA title (Clemson in 2003).
Indeed, being the No. 1 team in the final Golf World/Nike Golf spring poll is not necessarily the best bit of mojo to take into the NCAA postseason. Just twice since 2001-02 has the No. 1 ranked team in the final spring poll actually won the NCAA title: Clemson in 2003 and Texas in 2012.
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It's not quite the fabled Wrong Ron Balicki curse, but don't say we didn't warn you Alabama fans.
At any rate, here's how the final D-I poll of the 2012-13 season shakes out:
Moving on to Division II ... Barry University, earning 15 of the 16 available first-place votes, enters next week's NCAA Championship as the top rated team in the latest men's coaches' poll. The Buccaneers have won five of their last six starts this spring as they attempt to defending their national title from 2013.
USC-Aiken held on to its No. 2 ranking in the latest poll with CSU-Monterey Bay remaining in the No. 3 spot. Nova Southeastern and Lynn round out the top five. Lynn received the one other first-place vote.
Mesa CC, fresh off its victory at the Region I Championship, jumped into the No. 1 spot of the latest NJCAA D-II men's coaches' poll. The Thunderbirds were one of five schools to earn first-place votes after defeating previously top-ranked South Mountain. They now get set to play in the National Championship May 20-23.
Other schools to earn first-place votes are: No. 2 Walters JC, No. 3 Tyler JC, No. 4 South Mountain and Owens, which was tied for No. 7 in the
