July 30, 2013
Get Your Lobo Pride Pass Today!
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The final official NCAA RPI rankings came out for the 2013 baseball season, and to no surprise the University of New Mexico Lobos ranked at the top of the Mountain West. Coming in at No. 60 overall, the Lobos outpaced UNLV (No. 84), fellow NCAA tournament participant San Diego St. (No. 97), Fresno St. (213), Nevada (214) and Air Force (256).
It should be no surprise that UNM produced the best RPI since it won a league-record 25 games this season and all 10 conference series on its way to winning the MW by a full seven games, which was another league record.
But the Lobos also ranked higher than numerous highly successful programs. Below is a list of schools that UNM finished ahead of in 2013:
Stanford (No. 63) – 16 College World Series appearances, two national titles, No. 1 overall pick in 2013 MLB draft (Mark Appel)
Texas (No. 74) – 34 CWS appearances, six national titles, including the 2005 national championship
Long Beach St. (No. 75) – four CWS appearances, and where current MLB All-Stars Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki and Jered Weaver all played collegiate ball
Baylor (No.76) – three CWS appearances
Texas Tech (No. 102)
TCU (No. 106) – one CWS appearances in 2010 and former MW rival
Minnesota (No. 109) – five CWS appearances, three national titles
California (No. 116) – six CWS appearances, two national titles
Southern Cal (No. 120) – 21 CWS appearances, 12 national titles, home of several current and former Major Leaguers including Barry Zito, Mark McGuire, Randy Johnson, Tom Seaver, Fred Lynn and Bret and Aaron Boone
New Mexico St. (No. 165)