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USA Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Final 2025 USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll unveiled: Was Alabama ranked?
For the sixth straight college baseball season, an SEC team took home the Men's College World Series trophy in Omaha on Sunday. The LSU Tigers defeated Coastal Carolina, 5-3, in the CWS Finals at Charles Schwab Field to win their second national championship in three years under coach Jay Johnson, and their eighth overall title in school history. LSU finished the year 53-15 overall and were the unanimous No. 1 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, released Monday. Alabama had a lot to be proud of in 2025. With a talented roster led by shortstop Justin Lebron, coach Rob Vaughn guided the Crimson Tide to their first 40-win regular season since 2002. But it was an all-too-familiar ending for Alabama in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide dropped both games in the Hattiesburg Regional -- to the Miami Hurricanes and host Southern Miss -- as the program's College World Series drought reached 26 years. Alabama, which climbed to as high as No. 8 in the Coaches Poll during the regular season on March 31 after taking two of three from Oklahoma in a top 10 series, entered the tournament ranked No. 20. The Crimson Tide were unranked in the final Coaches Poll Monday. They received the second most votes for top 25 consideration with 73, behind Florida with 85 votes. Alabama also finished unranked in the final coaches poll in 2024. In 2023, the Crimson Tide were ranked No. 17 in the final coaches poll after reaching the Winston-Salem Super Regional against Wake Forest. Alabama was unranked in the preseason poll this year, released back on Feb. 3. Eight SEC teams placed in the final top 25, led by LSU. The Tigers won an elimination game over Little Rock in the Baton Regional Regional, then breezed through the rest of the tournament. They swept West Virginia in a Super Regional and went 5-0 in Omaha, rallying for a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over rival Arkansas to clinch a berth in the CWS Finals. The eight SEC teams ranked in the final top 25 were the most by any conference. Here's a look at the full top 25 Coaches Poll rankings. Full USA TODAY Sports Baseball Coaches Poll 2025 final rankings Schools Dropped Out No. 18 Florida; No. 20 Alabama; No. 21 Northeastern; No. 22 Dallas Baptist; No. 23 Kansas; No. 25 TCU Others Receiving Votes Florida 85; Alabama 73; Northeastern 55; Dallas Baptist 53; Oklahoma 28; Wake Forest 24; TCU 22; Kansas 18; Virginia 14; North Carolina State 14; East Carolina 14; Western Kentucky 12; Oklahoma State 12; Mississippi State 11; Creighton 11; USC 9; Austin Peay 4; Arizona State 4; East Tennessee State 3; Troy 2; Cincinnati 2; Little Rock 1 Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron receives 2025 All-American honors
Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron receives 2025 All-American honors The 2025 postseason honors continued to roll in for Alabama Crimson Tide shortstop Justin Lebron earlier this past week, as he was named a Third Team All-American by Perfect Game. A selection at the shortstop position, the players who received First and Second Team honors ahead of the Alabama star were UCLA's Ross Cholowsky, Perfect Game's Player of the Year, as well as Wake Forest's Marek Houston. Starting all 59 games for Alabama at shortstop, Lebron slashed .316/.421/.636 for the Crimson Tide during the 2025 season with 18 home runs and a team-leading 72 RBI. Lebron was also one of Alabama's top base stealers this past season, swiping 17 bags. Other accolades for Lebron's sophomore season at Alabama included Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team. The Alabama shortstop was also a semifinalist for the 2025 Golden Spikes Award. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama star Justin Lebron reportedly makes decision amid transfer portal buzz
Alabama star Justin Lebron reportedly makes decision amid transfer portal buzz Alabama baseball star Justin Lebron is reportedly staying put after helping the Crimson Tide to their best regular season finish in over 20 years. According to a report from Jake Mckeever of College Baseball Report, Lebron will return to Tuscaloosa for his junior season in 2026 "despite rumors of (transfer) portal entrance and tampering." The 20-year-old shortstop, who came to Alabama from Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, Fla., is one of three players who won't be leaving their respective SEC schools for another program via the transfer portal, Mckeever reported. Kentucky Wildcats shortstop Tyler Bell and Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese are the two others. Lebron has been a foundational piece for Rob Vaughn in his first two seasons as the Crimson Tide's head coach. He batted .319 with a team-high 18 home runs and 72 RBIs to go with 18 doubles and 17 stolen bases this past season. Lebron started all 58 games as Alabama went 41-18 overall, recording its first 40-win regular season since 2002. Lebron, a potential No. 1 overall pick in next year's MLB draft, led the SEC in RBIs and was tied for third in the conference in doubles with MSU's Reese and Texas Longhorns shortstop Jalin Flores. Lebron placed 10th in the SEC in both home runs and stolen bases and was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award in 2025. Neither Lebron nor Yea Alabama, the school's official NIL entity, have made an official announcement but could do so in the coming days. The entity has made several announcements regarding Alabama athletes and scheduling news, including the recent decision by Crimson Tide basketball guard Labaron Philon to forgo the NBA draft. Vaughn will be returning to Alabama in 2026 after signing a contract extension following reports linking him to the Texas A&M job. The Aggies fired Michael Earley after only one season. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Justin Lebron? What to know about Alabama baseball star
Who is Justin Lebron? What to know about Alabama baseball star Show Caption Hide Caption College baseball player forms sweet bond with coach's daughters While playing for Coach Frank Avilla Jr., Brady Crabtree formed a special, sibling-like bond with his daughters - a connection that continued well after graduation. Lebron will soon suit up for the Alabama Crimson Tide as the regional tournament round of the college baseball postseason – the lead-up to the 2025 College World Series – begins Friday. No, not that LeBron. Shortstop Justin Lebron has emerged as one of the biggest baseball stars in the SEC over his first two seasons playing for the Tide. He's started in all 114 games he's played over the 2024 and 2025 seasons and boasts a career slash line of .326/.426/.596 in that span, good for an OPS of 1.021. In 2025, Lebron stole more bases, hit more home runs and knocked in almost twice as many RBIs as he did as a freshman. COLLEGE WORLD SERIES PREDICTIONS: Who will reach Omaha in 2025 NCAA baseball tournament? As Alabama gears up for its first game in the Hattiesburg regional on Friday, the Crimson Tide's No. 2 hitter and SEC All-Defensive Team shortstop will be a big name to watch. Here's everything to know about Justin Lebron: Who is Justin Lebron? Lebron, 20, is a sophomore shortstop for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has started all 114 games for Alabama since joining the team, with 113 of those starts coming at shortstop (his lone other start was as a center fielder). This year, he was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the conference's All-Defensive Team for his prowess in the middle infield. The sophomore led his team in several statistical categories, including home runs, RBIs and runs scored. As a high school recruit, he was ranked as the nation's No. 41-ranked shortstop by scouting organization Perfect Game, in part because of a perceived lack of power – he hit one home run in his high school career. In two years at Alabama, he has already hit 30 long balls. His 18 this year tied for fifth among all SEC players. NCAA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT: Regional host sites for College World Series bracket Is Justin Lebron related to LeBron James? No, Lebron has no relation to Los Angeles Lakers basketball player LeBron James. Justin Lebron stats 2024: Slashed .338/.429/.546 (.975 OPS) with 12 home runs, nine doubles, 37 RBIs and seven stolen bases Slashed .338/.429/.546 (.975 OPS) with 12 home runs, nine doubles, 37 RBIs and seven stolen bases 2025: Slashed .315/.422/.644 (1.066 OPS) with 18 home runs, 17 doubles, one triple, 72 RBIs and 17 stolen bases Slashed .315/.422/.644 (1.066 OPS) with 18 home runs, 17 doubles, one triple, 72 RBIs and 17 stolen bases Career: .326/.426/.596 slash line (1.021 OPS), 30 home runs, 26 doubles, one triple, 109 RBIs, 24 SBs Where is Justin Lebron from? Lebron was born in The Bronx, New York but grew up in Florida after his family moved there at a young age. Lebron attended Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, Florida. COLLEGE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT: Bracket winners and losers start with SEC Is Justin Lebron MLB draft-eligible? No. Since Lebron is only a sophomore, he will have to wait until after next season to be eligible for the MLB draft. Alabama baseball College World Series schedule Date: Friday, May 30 Friday, May 30 Matchup: Alabama vs. Miami (FL) Alabama vs. Miami (FL) Location: Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Mississippi Alabama begins their postseason quest for a College World Series berth at the Hattiesburg regional tournament. They'll play their first matchup against Miami (FL) on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. The winner of that game will play the winner of national No. 16 seed Southern Miss vs. Columbia on Saturday. The losers will also play each other. The regional tournament will conclude on either Sunday, June 1 or Monday, June 2, when all but one team has lost two games in the double-elimination format. The regional winner will move onto a super regional matchup against another regional winner, where the winner of an ensuing best-of-three series moves on to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Alabama lands in Top 25 college baseball polls, rankings entering NCAA Tournament
Where Alabama lands in Top 25 college baseball polls, rankings entering NCAA Tournament Alabama baseball is coming off its best regular season in the recent history of the program. With a roster that includes a top MLB draft prospect heading into next year in shortstop Justin Lebron, Alabama (41-16) reached 40 wins in a regular season for the first time since 2002. Dropping two of three to the Florida Gators to close the regular season and then losing on Day 2 of the SEC Tournament to Tennessee cost Alabama a shot at a host site regional for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but the Crimson Tide got a pretty favorable postseason draw regardless. They're in the Hattiesburg Regional featuring No. 16 overall seed and host Southern Miss (44-14). To look at it another way, Alabama essentially finished one spot below the host seed line and drew the lowest-seeded team of the 16 regional hosts. The Crimson Tide join the Miami Hurricanes (31-24) and Columbia Lions (29-17) from the Ivy League in Hattiesburg, only about two and a half hours by car from Tuscaloosa. Here's where Alabama baseball ranks in this week's Top 25 polls entering the NCAA Tournament. NCBWA updated Top 25 ranking for Alabama baseball In the latest Top 25 poll from the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association), Alabama fell four spots to No. 19 following their 15-10 loss to Tennessee at the SEC Tournament in Hoover. The Crimson Tide enter the NCAA Tournament ranked one spot below No. 18 Northeastern (48-9) and one spot ahead of No. 20 UC Irvine (41-15). Southern Miss, which placed second in the Sun Belt regular season standings to Coastal Carolina and was runner-up in their conference tournament, is ranked No. 13. LSU (43-14) tops the NCBWA poll at No. 1, followed by North Carolina (42-12) at No. 2, Vanderbilt (42-15) at No. 3, and Texas (42-14) at No. 4. Arkansas (43-13) rounds out the top five. The SEC has 10 schools teams in the NCBWA poll as regionals begin, the most of any conference. The ACC is second with five teams in the NCBWA's poll. D1 Baseball updated Top 25 ranking for Alabama D1 Baseball has Alabama at No. 24 in their new rankings, down one spot from last week. UC Irvine ranks one spot ahead of the Tide, while Kansas rounds out the top 25. UNC topped D1 Baseball's rankings at No. 1. The Tar Heels were also No. 1 in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and are the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Alabama is ranked No. 20 in the Coaches Poll, up one spot from last week. Baseball America, Perfect Game ranking for Alabama Baseball America and Perfect Game did not unveil new rankings after conference tournaments. In the most recent Baseball America poll on May 19, Alabama was ranked No. 18 following the regular season. The Crimson Tide were No. 20 in Perfect Game and No. 16 in The Athletic's rankings. Alabama's regional schedule The Crimson Tide, the No. 2 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional, opens the 2025 NCAA Tournament against No. 3 seed Miami at Pete Taylor Park Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on ESPN2. As the higher seed, Alabama will be the designated home team against Miami. After Alabama-Miami, Southern Miss will face No. 4 seed Columbia at 6 p.m. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinion.
