UNC baseball climbs back into Top 10 of USA TODAY Sports Coaches' Poll

We're now a full month into college baseball season, with strong programs starting to separate themselves from the rest.

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The UNC baseball team, with plenty of fresh faces on its roster, is thriving early. North Carolina (17-3-1, 4-2 ACC) swept Cal over the weekend, winning its first conference series and remaining perfect on the road.

In USA TODAY Sports' latest Coaches' Poll, the Diamond Heels climbed four spots to 10th. UNC, one of seven ACC teams in the March 16 poll, is a slot behind Florida State and one slot in front of the USC Trojans.

1UCLA Bruins17-2746261-1/22Texas Longhorns18-172042-2/33Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets17-36870413/54Auburn Tigers17-26440514/95Georgia Bulldogs17-45640835/136Mississippi State Bulldogs16-45560333/67Arkansas Razorbacks14-65400615/98Oklahoma Sooners17-350101138/NR9Florida State Seminoles16-345501569/1710North Carolina Tar Heels17-340901446/1411USC Trojans19-1400019811/NR12Virginia Cavaliers16-4399016412/NR13North Carolina State Wolfpack16-4394010310/1914Florida Gators18-335101848/1815Southern Miss Golden Eagles16-43400787/2016Oregon State Beavers14-4327017112/1817Clemson Tigers16-43050989/1718Kentucky Wildcats18-2295022418/NR19Oregon Ducks17-31870NR719/NR20Coastal Carolina Chanticleers13-613302557/2521Texas A&M Aggies16-3125020120/NR22West Virginia Mountaineers13-41150NR622/NR23Tennessee Volunteers14-6112021215/2324Ole Miss Rebels16-589024-21/NR25Wake Forest Demon Deacons15-5870121312/25

North Carolina started its 2026 season a perfect 6-0, before winning, tying and losing once each against East Carolina. The Diamond Heels generated another 6-game winning streak, including a record-breaking series against Le Moyne College, before suffering their greatest setback in a series loss to Virginia.

Besides head coach Scott Forbes, who are the main drivers behind UNC's early success? At the plate, North Carolina has five guys hitting a minimum .300. Stony Brook transfer Erik Paulsen leads the Diamond Heels in batting average (.357), runs scored (30) runs batted in (23), home runs (six).

On the mound, Jason DeCaro looks every bit of a top pitcher in college baseball. DeCaro has a 4-1 win-loss record, 1.67 earned run averaged and struck out 23 batters. UNC's bullpen is the deepest in recent memory, with guys like Walker McDuffie, Matthew Matthijs and Jackson Rose mowing down opposing hitters left and right.

North Carolina hosts UNC-Greensboro on Wednesday at 4 p.m., then Louisville this coming weekend. The Diamond Heels are hoping for another College World Series trip this spring, with early returns a promising sign.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball rises to 10th in March 16 USA TODAY Sports Coaches' Poll

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