ATLANTA, GA | The Morehouse College baseball team added another milestone to its historic 2026 campaign, as the Maroon Tigers finished ranked No. 6 in the final Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Small School Top 10 Poll.
The final ranking marks the first time in program history that Morehouse has finished a season ranked in the Black College Nines final Top 10 poll. The recognition comes after a breakthrough year in which the Maroon Tigers finished 25-21, reached the final day of the SIAC Baseball Tournament and continued to establish themselves among the top HBCU small-school baseball programs in the country.
Morehouse's No. 6 final ranking placed the Maroon Tigers among a strong group of HBCU baseball programs across NCAA Division II and NAIA. Talladega College finished No. 1 in the final poll, followed by Edward Waters, Huston-Tillotson, Albany State and Savannah State. Morehouse checked in ahead of Benedict, Florida Memorial, Stillman and Wilberforce to close out the Top 10.
The ranking is another major step forward for a Morehouse program that cracked the Black College Nines Top 10 earlier this season for the first time since the poll began in 2015. After entering the national conversation during the regular season, the Maroon Tigers closed the year by holding their place among the nation's top HBCU small-school programs.
Morehouse also made history inside the SIAC. The Maroon Tigers finished third at the SIAC Baseball Tournament, matching the program's highest tournament finish since Morehouse placed third in 2005, a season they also finished third in the regular season. Morehouse advanced through the elimination bracket and reached the final day of the championship, further showing the progress of a program that has taken a major step forward under head coach Antonio Grissom.
"This season was about belief, growth and showing what Morehouse baseball can become," said Grissom. "Our players bought into the work every day, and they earned every bit of this recognition. Finishing in the final Black College Nines Top 10 for the first time is a proud moment for our program, but it is also a reminder that we are building something that can last."
The 2026 season was filled with program milestones. Morehouse finished with 25 victories, setting a program record for wins, and produced one of the most successful seasons for Maroon Tiger baseball in decades. The team's postseason run included elimination-game victories over Kentucky State, Miles and Benedict before the season ended against No. 1 seed Spring Hill, by a score of 6-4, in the elimination-bracket final.
The Maroon Tigers also collected several postseason honors. Grissom was named SIAC Coach of the Year, Tripp Braswell earned SIAC Freshman of the Year honors, Elijah Pinckney received the SIAC Elite 16 Award and multiple Maroon Tigers earned All-SIAC recognition. Vernon Clay and Robert Robinson Jr. were later selected to the SIAC Baseball All-Tournament Team after helping lead Morehouse through its historic tournament run.
"This is an important moment for Morehouse baseball and for Morehouse Athletics," said Director of Athletics Harold Ellis. "To finish the season ranked sixth in the final Black College Nines poll, to earn the program's first final Top 10 ranking and to post the highest SIAC Tournament finish since 2006 speaks to the commitment of Coach Grissom, his staff and our student-athletes. They represented Morehouse with pride and gave our alumni and supporters a team to rally behind."
For Morehouse, the final Black College Nines ranking served as a fitting close to a season that changed the direction and expectations of the program. The Maroon Tigers went from a team building momentum to a nationally recognized HBCU baseball program, finishing the year with a final Top 10 ranking, a record-setting win total and one of the strongest postseason performances in program history.
Morehouse will look to build on that momentum entering the 2027 season as the Maroon Tigers continue their climb in the SIAC and on the national HBCU baseball stage. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or on Instagram at morehouse_baseball.
