Virginia Lands Interesting Spot in First D1 Baseball Field of 64 Projection For 2026

Where did the Virginia Cavaliers land in the latest projection?

Virginia Cavaliers outfielder Harrison Didawick | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

We are now just one day away from the college baseball season, and the Virginia Cavaliers are approaching their first three-game series of 2026.

With their next campaign rounding the corner, D1 Baseball has now released its Field of 64 Projections. Writers Mark Etheridge, Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt bring a combined 60 years of college baseball coverage, and broke down their projections for this year. Here's how things are looking right now.

Where Did UVA Land in the Projection?

Duke Blue Devils head coach Chris Pollard | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Last year, the Cavaliers finished sixth in the ACC with a 31-18 overall record and 16-11 in conference play. This time around, they're hoping to improve their record and climb their way into the NCAA tournament after missing it for the first time since 2019.

Now under a new head coach, Chris Pollard, UVA is aiming for redemption. For 22 seasons, Brian O'Connor led Virginia's baseball program, but he stepped down in the spring and accepted a position at Mississippi State. Perhaps this was the change needed to bring UVA back into contention.

Having said that, the trio of D1Baseball writers placed Virginia as a No. 2 seed in their Field of 64 Projections, heading to Starkville to face none other than former UVA head coach Brian O'Connor and the Bulldogs. The Cavaliers weren't named one of the last four in, first four out, nor are they considered one of the four teams to watch. Arizona State and Fairfield were the other schools in the regional.

If it worked out this way, there would be plenty of storylines for a regional involving Mississippi State and Virginia.

As thoroughly explained by D1Baseball, "The NCAA Baseball Selection Committee will now rank the Top 32 teams, with 17-32 teams being grouped in pods as two seeds with the Top 16 seeds. For instance, teams in the 29-32 range will go national seeds in the No’s 1-4 range, teams in the 25-28 range will go to national seeds No’s 5-8, teams in the 21-24 range will go to national seeds in the No’s 9-12 range and teams in the 17-20 range will be two seeds at the No’s 13-16 regionals..."

This is a new chapter for the Cavaliers, particularly because they're now entering their inaugural year of the Pollard era. Virginia has an opportunity to prove itself to the selection committee this year, but much of that will depend on Pollard's coaching and the players who will be navigating their first season with UVA.

There's plenty of optimism surrounding the Cavaliers this season, but will they meet the high bar that has been set? Last year did not play out as expected, but that doesn't mean history has to repeat itself.