Gaston College gets first No. 1 NJCAA ranking

Ever since Gaston College restarted its athletics program in the fall of 2021, it has enjoyed success in all five sports.

On Monday, the Rhinos' baseball program was ranked No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association official poll for the first time.

"I think our kids deserve it," said Gaston College head coach Shohn Doty, whose team is 35-2 overall and 12-0 in Region 10 and has currently won a school-record 26 straight games. "I think we've gone out and proven it."

Gaston College, which never drew a NJCAA official ranking when it had athletics from 1965 to 1972, has now been ranked in the top 10 in baseball in all three seasons since the school restarted athletics.

The Rhinos were ranked as high as No. 3 in Division II in 2022, No. 10 in the final 2023 poll after moving up to Division I and have been No. 2 the last four weeks until Monday's No. 1 ranking.

"For our program, it's just another something our next group can build upon," Doty said. "It's great for recruiting. And we just want to continue to build and try to have somebody top it."

Earlier Monday, Gaston College remained No. 1 in the Dream Big Athletics poll for the third straight week. And the Rhinos could move to No. 1 in the Perfect Game and 2-Year Baseball polls when they are released on Tuesday.

The Rhinos return to action this weekend in 1 p.m. doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday at Gastonia's Sims Legion Park against Region 10 rival Spartanburg Methodist.