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Final Collegiate Baseball Rankings Place Apps at No. 29; Most Successful Season Since ’84 Complete

June 28, 2012. For the first time since joining NCAA Division I in 1972, Appalachian State University has finished its season ranked in one of college baseball’s major national polls with the Mountaineers coming in at No. 29 in the final Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll of the season, which was announced on Wednesday.

The No. 29 ranking in the final Collegiate Baseball poll of the 2012 campaign marks the sixth time this year that Appalachian State has appeared in one of college baseball’s major polls, with a high-water mark of No. 24 in Baseball America’s May 14 rankings. Prior to 2012, Appalachian had been nationally ranked just once — at No. 29 in the final Collegiate Baseball poll of the 1984 regular season. 

The Mountaineers went 41-18 in 2012, setting a school record for victories while winning its first Southern Conference championship since 1987 and earning its first NCAA postseason berth since 1986. Appalachian upset national powers Oklahoma and Virginia to move to the championship round of the NCAA’s Charlottesville Regional before falling just one victory short of its first-ever regional title and three wins shy of advancing to the College World Series.

Four of Appalachian’s school-record 41 victories came over teams that are also in the final Collegiate Baseball poll of the season (two at No. 9 LSU, one over No. 13 Oklahoma and one at No. 27 Virginia).  

The Collegiate Baseball poll is college baseball’s oldest, having originated in 1957.