AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University baseball team is ranked 16th in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association NCAA Division II poll released Wednesday afternoon. It's the first time in program history the Hurricanes have cracked the NCBWA's Top 25 since joining the NCAA in 2006-07.

GSW reached No. 19 in the American Baseball Coaches Association coaches poll on May 15 of last season, but this is the first time being included in the NCBWA poll.

The Hurricanes have won eight games in a row heading into this weekend's Peach Belt Conference opening series at league newcomer USC Beaufort that begins Saturday at 1 p.m.