By all measures, the 2024 college baseball season was a success for the Kentucky Wildcats and coach Nick Mingione.
After being swept in both games of the Baton Rouge Super Regional by eventual national champion LSU a year ago, the Wildcats had one of the biggest breakthrough seasons in the SEC in 2024.
They reached the College World Series for the first time in school history. The program’s first win in Omaha was also a thriller, featuring a walk-off home run from Mitchell Daly to defeat North Carolina State, 5-4, in 10 innings. Kentucky’s season, which featured a school record 46 wins, came to an end when the team was eliminated by Florida.
After Tennessee was crowned national champions following a 6-5 victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the CWS Finals on Monday night, the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll was released Tuesday. Kentucky (46-16 overall) finished at No. 3 behind the Volunteers and Aggies.
No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 North Carolina rounded out the top five. Florida finished at No. 6 with Virginia, North Carolina State, Clemson and Georgia ranked Nos. 7-10.
Kentucky finished No. 13 in the final coaches poll in 2023.
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