From staff reports

Southern Miss’ first trip to the College World Series has netted the program its first top-10 ranking.

Southern Miss was ranked eighth in the final Collegiate Baseball poll, which is voted on by coaches, sports writers and sports information directors from around the country. It’s the Golden Eagles’ first appearance in the final poll since 2003, when they were ranked 25th.

The poll bases its final rankings on the results of the NCAA Tournament and College World Series. National champ LSU was ranked first, followed by Texas, Arizona State and Arkansas. North Carolina, which eliminated USM from the CWS, was fifth.

USM finished the season with a 40-26 record, advancing to a super regional and the CWS for the first time. The Golden Eagles lost both of their games in Omaha, 7-6 to Texas and 11-4 to North Carolina. Southern Miss won 40 games in a season for the fifth time in seven years.

Ole Miss, which lost to No. 6 Virginia in the super regional, was ranked 12th in the poll. It’s the Rebels’ fifth appearance in the final poll since 2004, and their highest ranking since coming in at No. 11 in 2005 and 2006.

Ole Miss was one of seven Southeastern Conference teams ranked. Florida checked in at No. 13, along with South Carolina at No. 21, Alabama at No. 26 and Vanderbilt at No. 28. Southern Miss was one of three Conference USA teams ranked in the top 16, joining Rice at No. 11 and East Carolina at No. 16.