American Athletic Conference
2 RankedThe AAC lost Houston and UCF to the Big 12 but remains dangerous in college baseball. Tulane and East Carolina are perennial NCAA Tournament teams, while Memphis and Wichita State add depth. The conference plays aggressive schedules and consistently punches above its weight in postseason play.
2026 Preseason Storylines
- 01Tulane (#15) remains the flagship with elite pitching and Omaha pedigree
- 02East Carolina (#13) looking to return to form after coaching transition
- 03Memphis builds program with Austin Humphrey's hometown connection
- 04Wichita State brings strong regional recruiting in the Great Plains
- 05South Florida emerges as dark horse with improving roster
Ranked Teams (2)
East Carolina Pirates
NEWJacob Starling, C
Cliff Godwin has ECU in the hunt annually
Tulane Green Wave
NEWBennett Lee, OF
Travis Jewett builds on CWS success
Other Conference Teams (8)
Memphis Tigers
Daron Schoenrock developing talent in the Bluff City
Wichita State Shockers
Eric Wedge brings MLB experience to Wichita
South Florida Bulls
Billy Mohl builds in Tampa Bay area
Charlotte 49ers
Robert Woodard develops program
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Working toward AAC competitiveness
Rice Owls
Jose Cruz Jr. rebuilding storied program
UTSA Roadrunners
Building in San Antonio market
North Texas Mean Green
Developing program in DFW area
Rankings data sourced from D1Baseball preseason poll (2026).
Last updated: 3/4/2026, 10:03:49 AM CT