For the first time in program history, Miami ranks No. 1 in Baseball America’s 2020 recruiting class rankings.

The Hurricanes’ class is led by a trio of players who ranked in the top 100 of the BA500 top prospects for the 2020 draft (which includes all draft-eligible players). They brought in seven BA500 prospects overall.

Gino DiMare is entering his third season as Miami’s head coach after 19 years as an assistant coach under Jim Morris. He said this class stands out among the Hurricanes’ best during his long tenure in the program.

DiMare was quick to credit pitching coach J.D. Arteaga and players development coach Jonathan Anderson and especially recruiting coordinator Norberto Lopez for their impact putting the class together.

“It’s a testament to coach Lopez,” DiMare said. “It takes work ethic, knowledge of evaluating players, and along with JD and the rest of the staff, it’s a testament of their hard work.”

The competition this year for spots throughout the Top 25 was fierce, owing to the five-round draft. With fewer players drafted, more prominent prospects are headed to college this fall, making for an exemplary freshman class. Louisiana State closely followed Miami and earned the No. 2 ranking, followed by Vanderbilt, Arizona and Florida.

Miami’s top-ranked class snaps a nine-year streak of SEC programs topping the recruiting rankings. The last No. 1 class that came from another conference was Stanford’s top-ranked group in 2010.

While the SEC doesn’t have the top-ranked class this year, its schools continued to recruit at a high level and account for 10 of the top 25 classes in the country. The ACC and Big 12 both have five classes ranked.

The recruiting rankings take into account all players from the high school and junior college ranks and were compiled following many conversations with coaches and scouts. Four-year transfers were not considered for the ranking.