1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

November 2025 August 2023 1956 image Kansas North Carolina The 1956–57 NCAA men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. Legend   Increase in ranking   Decrease in ranking   New to rankings from previous week Italics   Number of first place votes (#–#)   Win–loss record т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol AP Poll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final Dec. 10ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 652–653 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 Dec. 17 Dec. 26 Jan. 2 Jan. 7 Jan. 14 Jan. 21 Jan. 28 Feb. 4 Feb. 11 Feb. 18 Feb. 25 Mar. 4 Mar. 11Olan Ben Ben Olan Associated Press March 12, 1957 7B North Carolina Tops AP List — Kansas Finishes In Second Place https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-1956-1957-final-colleg/190709116/ The Wichita Eagle The North Carolina Tar Heels, unbeaten in 27 games, today broke the two-year hold of the San Francisco Dons by finishing in first place by an overwhelming margin in the final Associated Press college basketball poll of the 1956-1957 campaign. Kansas (2–0) San Francisco (4–0) Kentucky (3–0) 1956 men Louisville Cardinals Louisville (3–1) 1956 men SMU Mustangs SMU (2–0) North Carolina (2–0) Illinois (2–0) 1956 men NC State Wolfpack NC State (3–0) 1956 men Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama (3–0) 1956 men Canisius Golden Griffins Canisius (4–0) 1956 men Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State (3–0) 1956 men Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Western Kentucky (3–0) West Virginia (3–0) 1956 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State (2–0) 1956 men Dayton Flyers Dayton (2–1) 1956 men Niagara Purple Eagles Niagara (2–1) Iowa State (3–0) 1956 men Oklahoma City Chiefs Oklahoma City (1–1) 1956 men Oklahoma A&M Aggies Oklahoma A&M (3–1) 1956 men Seattle Redhawks Seattle (3–1) Kansas (4–0) San Francisco (5–0) North Carolina (4–0) u SMU (5–0) u Illinois (3–0) u Louisville (4–1) d Kentucky (4–1) d West Virginia (6–0) u 1956 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis (4–1) npr Kansas State (4–0) u Ohio State (3–0) Oklahoma A&M (6–1) u Duke (4–1) npr Iowa State (5–0) u Oklahoma City (2–1) т tu 1956 men St. John's Redmen St. John's (2–1) т npr Alabama (4–1) d Canisius (4–1) d NC State (4–2) d Western Kentucky (3–1) d Dayton Niagara Seattle Kansas (6–0) North Carolina (8–0) u Kentucky (6–2) u West Virginia (8–0) u Saint Louis (6–1) u Illinois (5–1) d SMU (7–1) d Louisville (5–2) d Duke (5–1) u Oklahoma A&M (7–1) u Oklahoma City (5–1) u 1956 men Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee (5–1) npr 1956 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt (6–0) npr Iowa State (6–0) Western Kentucky (6–1) u 1956 men Tulane Green Wave Tulane (6–1) npr Canisius (6–1) u Seattle (7–2) npr San Francisco (6–2) d 1956 men Idaho State Bengals Idaho State (8–0) npr Kansas State (4–2) Ohio State (3–1) St. John's Alabama NC State Kansas (9–0) North Carolina (11–0) Kentucky (8–2) SMU (10–1) u Illinois (6–1) u Louisville (7–2) u Iowa State (8–1) u UCLA (8–1) npr Vanderbilt (6–1) u Seattle (10–2) u Oklahoma A&M (7–1) d Tennessee (7–0) 1956 men Manhattan Jaspers Manhattan (7–2) npr Western Kentucky (6–2) u Canisius (8–1) u Saint Louis (6–4) d Oklahoma City (5–2) d 1956 men Wake Forest Demon Deacons Wake Forest (8–3) npr West Virginia (8–3) d 1956 men Memphis State Tigers Memphis State (9–1) npr Duke Tulane San Francisco (6–4) Idaho State Kansas (10–0) North Carolina (11–0) Kentucky (9–2) SMU (11–1) Louisville (8–2) u Vanderbilt (8–1) u Iowa State (8–1) UCLA (11–1) Seattle (11–2) u Illinois (6–2) d Oklahoma City (8–2) u Oklahoma A&M (7–1) d Wake Forest (10–3) u Canisius (10–1) u Duke (7–3) npr Tennessee (8–1) d Saint Louis (7–4) d West Virginia (9–3) u 1956 men Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota (5–3) npr Western Kentucky (6–2) d Manhattan (7–3) Memphis State Kansas (12–0) North Carolina (14–0) SMU (13–1) u Kentucky (11–2) d Louisville (9–2) UCLA (13–1) u Seattle (13–2) u Illinois (8–2) u Iowa State (9–2) d Vanderbilt (9–2) d Wake Forest (12–3) u 1956 men Bradley Braves Bradley (10–2) npr Oklahoma City (9–3) d Canisius (11–2) West Virginia (11–3) u Duke (8–4) d Ohio State (7–3) npr Western Kentucky (7–4) u 1956 men California Golden Bears California (10–2) npr Oklahoma A&M (7–3) d Tennessee Saint Louis Minnesota North Carolina (15–0) u Kansas (12–1) d Iowa State (11–2) u Louisville (11–2) u Kentucky (12–3) d SMU (14–2) d UCLA (13–1) d Seattle (14–2) d Illinois (9–2) d Bradley (12–2) u Wake Forest (12–3) Ohio State (9–3) u Vanderbilt (10–3) d Canisius (12–2) Duke (8–4) u Oklahoma City (9–3) d West Virginia (12–3) d Tulane (10–5) npr California (10–2) Western Kentucky (8–4) d Oklahoma A&M (8–3) North Carolina (16–0) Kansas (12–1) Louisville (12–2) u Kentucky (13–3) u UCLA (13–1) u SMU (14–2) Illinois (10–2) u Iowa State (11–3) d Seattle (17–2) d Bradley (13–2) Ohio State (11–3) u Canisius (14–2) u Wake Forest (12–3) d Tulane (10–5) u California (11–2) u Oklahoma City (10–5) Idaho State (13–3) npr West Virginia (13–3) d Duke (8–4) d Oklahoma A&M (9–4) npr Vanderbilt Western Kentucky North Carolina (16–0) Kansas (13–1) Kentucky (16–3) u SMU (15–2) u UCLA (15–1) Louisville (14–3) d Seattle (17–2) u Bradley (13–2) u Iowa State (12–4) d Wake Forest (15–3) u West Virginia (15–3) u Ohio State (11–4) d Oklahoma City (12–6) u Canisius (15–2) d Illinois (10–3) d Memphis State (17–3) npr 1956 men Purdue Boilermakers Purdue (12–2) npr Vanderbilt (11–4) npr California (11–2) d Idaho State (17–2) d Tulane Duke Oklahoma A&M (11–4) North Carolina (18–0) Kansas (14–1) Kentucky (17–3) Seattle (18–2) u Bradley (15–2) u SMU (16–3) d UCLA (16–2) d Louisville (15–4) d Iowa State (14–4) West Virginia (18–3) u Wake Forest (16–4) d California (13–2) u Oklahoma City (12–6) Canisius (16–3) West Virginia Tech (15–1) npr Illinois (11–4) d Duke (10–7) npr Indiana (9–6) npr Vanderbilt (13–4) Saint Louis (14–6) npr Ohio State (11–6) Memphis State Purdue Idaho State North Carolina (20–0) Kansas (16–1) Kentucky (18–4) Seattle (19–2) Bradley (17–3) SMU (17–3) Louisville (17–4) u UCLA (18–2) d Iowa State (15–5) Vanderbilt (15–4) u Indiana (11–6) u Wake Forest (16–6) d Oklahoma City (15–7) West Virginia (19–4) d California (15–2) d Duke (11–8) u Kansas State (12–6) npr West Virginia Tech (21–1) d 1956 men Mississippi State Bulldogs Mississippi State (13–7) npr Memphis State (19–4) npr Canisius Illinois Saint Louis North Carolina (22–0) Kansas (18–2) Kentucky (20–4) SMU (19–3) u Seattle (20–2) d UCLA (20–2) u Bradley (18–4) d Louisville (18–5) d Vanderbilt (16–5) u Indiana (13–6) u West Virginia (20–4) u Kansas State (14–6) u Wake Forest (18–6) d Saint Louis (16–7) npr Idaho State (23–2) npr Iowa State (15–6) d Oklahoma A&M (13–8) npr Oklahoma City (16–8) d Memphis State (20–5) u Mississippi State (13–8) d California Duke West Virginia Tech North Carolina (24–0) Kansas (19–2) Kentucky (22–4) SMU (21–3) Seattle (22–2) Louisville (20–5) u UCLA (21–4) d Michigan State (14–7) npr Vanderbilt (17–5) Oklahoma City (17–8) u West Virginia (22–4) Saint Louis (18–7) u Bradley (19–5) d California (18–4) npr Idaho State (23–3) Oklahoma A&M (16–8) u Iowa State (16–6) d Mississippi State (17–8) u Memphis State (21–5) Wake Forest (18–8) d Indiana (13–8) Kansas State (15–7) North Carolina (27–0) Kansas (21–2) Kentucky (22–4) SMU (21–3) Seattle (22–2) Louisville (21–5) West Virginia (25–4) u Vanderbilt (17–5) u Oklahoma City (17–8) u Saint Louis (19–7) u Michigan State (14–8) d Memphis State (21–5) u California (20–4) u UCLA (22–4) d Mississippi State (17–8) u Idaho State (24–2) d 1956 men Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame (18–7) npr Wake Forest (19–9) u Bradley (19–7) d Canisius (20–5) тOklahoma A&M (17–9) т npr Iowa State (16–7) UP Poll 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final   Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 26 Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Feb. 5 Feb. 12 Feb. 19 Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Mar. 12 Kansas 1956 men Louisville Cardinals Louisville North Carolina Illinois 1956 men SMU Mustangs SMU 1956 men Dayton Flyers Dayton 1956 men Temple Owls Temple San Francisco 1956 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis 1956 men Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Western Kentucky West Virginia 1956 men Oklahoma City Chiefs Oklahoma City 1956 men Oregon State Beavers Oregon State Kentucky Washington 1956 men St. John's Redmen St. John's т t 1956 men NC State Wolfpack NC State т 1956 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State 1956 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt 1956 men Wyoming Cowboys Wyoming Kansas (2–0) North Carolina (2–0) u Illinois (2–0) u SMU (2–0) u San Francisco (4–0) u Louisville (3–1) d Kentucky (3–0) u 1956 men Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State (3–0) npr Kansas State (2–0) u Dayton (2–1) d 1956 men Canisius Golden Griffins Canisius (4–0) npr NC State (3–0) т tu Western Kentucky (1–0) т td Iowa State (3–0) т npr UCLA (3–0) npr West Virginia (3–0) d Indiana (2–0) npr 1956 men Niagara Purple Eagles Niagara (2–1) т tnpr St. John's (2–1) т td Temple (2–1) т d Saint Louis Oklahoma City Oregon State Washington Vanderbilt Wyoming Kansas (4–0) North Carolina (4–0) Illinois (3–0) San Francisco (5–0) u SMU (5–0) d Louisville (4–1) Kentucky (4–1) Kansas State (4–0) u 1956 men Saint Louis Billikens Saint Louis (4–1) npr 1956 men Oklahoma A&M Aggies Oklahoma A&M (6–1) npr Ohio State (3–0) d Iowa State (5–0) West Virginia (6–0) u St. John's (2–1) u Canisius (4–1) d Duke (4–1) npr Western Kentucky (3–1) d UCLA (4–1) d 1956 men Rice Owls Rice (4–2) т tnpr Washington (1–4) т npr Dayton NC State Indiana Niagara Temple Kansas (6–0) North Carolina (8–0) Kentucky (6–2) u SMU (7–1) u Saint Louis (6–1) u Illinois (5–1) d Louisville (5–2) d West Virginia (8–0) u Oklahoma A&M (7–1) tu Iowa State (6–0) u Kansas State (4–2) d Duke (5–1) u Vanderbilt (5–1) tnpr UCLA (6–1) u Canisius (6–1) 1956 men Utah Utes Utah (7–1) npr San Francisco (6–2) d 1956 men Tulane Green Wave Tulane (6–1) npr Ohio State (3–1) d 1956 men California Golden Bears California (3–1) т1956 men Colorado Buffaloes Colorado (3–1) т1956 men Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa (3–1) т npr St. John's Western Kentucky Rice Washington Kansas (9–0) North Carolina (11–0) Kentucky (8–2) SMU (10–1) Louisville (7–2) u Illinois (6–1) Iowa State (8–1) tu UCLA (8–1) u Oklahoma A&M (7–1) 1956 men Manhattan Jaspers Manhattan (7–2) npr Vanderbilt (6–1) u West Virginia (8–3) d Canisius (8–1) u Saint Louis (6–4) 1956 men Wake Forest Demon Deacons Wake Forest (8–3) npr California (6–2) u 1956 men Seattle Chieftains Seattle (10–2) npr Utah (9–2) d Kansas State (5–4) d NC State (7–5) npr Duke San Francisco Tulane Ohio State Colorado Iowa Kansas (10–0) North Carolina (11–0) Kentucky (9–2) SMU (11–1) Louisville (8–2) UCLA (11–1) u Iowa State (8–1) Oklahoma A&M (7–1) u Vanderbilt (8–1) u Illinois (6–2) d Canisius (10–1) u Seattle (11–2) u 1956 men Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota (5–3) npr Wake Forest (10–3) u Saint Louis (7–4) т td Manhattan (7–3) т d 1956 men BYU Cougars BYU (7–5) npr Duke (7–3) npr California (8–2) т td San Francisco (7–4) т npr West Virginia Utah Kansas State NC State Kansas (12–0) North Carolina (14–0) Kentucky (11–2) SMU (13–1) UCLA (13–1) u Louisville (9–2) d Illinois (8–2) u Iowa State (9–2) d Seattle (13–2) u Vanderbilt (9–2) d Wake Forest (12–3) u Canisius (11–2) d California (10–2) u 1956 men Bradley Braves Bradley (10–2) npr Ohio State (7–3) npr BYU (9–5) u Saint Louis (8–5) d West Virginia (11–3) npr Oklahoma City (9–3) т tnpr Oklahoma A&M (7–3) т d Minnesota Manhattan Duke San Francisco North Carolina (15–0) u Kansas (12–1) d Kentucky (12–3) Iowa State (11–2) u SMU (14–2) d Louisville (11–2) UCLA (13–1) d Illinois (9–2) d Seattle (14–2) Ohio State (9–3) u Bradley (12–2) u California (10–2) u Canisius (12–2) d Wake Forest (12–3) d Vanderbilt (10–3) d BYU (9–6) Duke (8–4) npr Tulane (10–5) т tnpr Oklahoma A&M (8–3) т tu Saint Louis (10–5) т d West Virginia Oklahoma City North Carolina (16–0) Kansas (12–1) Kentucky (13–3) SMU (14–2) u UCLA (13–1) u Louisville (12–2) Illinois (10–2) u Ohio State (11–3) u Iowa State (11–3) d Seattle (17–2) d Bradley (13–2) Canisius (14–2) т tu California (11–2) т Wake Forest (12–3) Vanderbilt (10–4) BYU (11–6) т t Saint Louis (11–5) т u Washington (10–7) npr Duke (8–4) d 1956 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse (10–3) npr Tulane Oklahoma A&M North Carolina (16–0) Kansas (13–1) Kentucky (16–3) SMU (15–2) UCLA (15–1) Louisville (14–3) Seattle (17–2) u Bradley (13–2) u Ohio State (11–4) d Iowa State (12–4) d Canisius (15–2) u Illinois (10–3) т California (11–2) т 1956 men Purdue Boilermakers Purdue (12–2) npr Wake Forest (15–3) d BYU (12–6) Syracuse (11–3) т tu Washington (11–7) т u Saint Louis (12–6) d Western Kentucky (11–4) npr Vanderbilt Duke North Carolina (18–0) Kansas (14–1) Kentucky (17–3) SMU (16–3) Bradley (15–2) u UCLA (16–2) d Seattle (18–2) Louisville (15–4) d California (13–2) u Iowa State (14–4) Canisius (16–3) Illinois (11–4) Indiana (9–6) npr Wake Forest (16–4) u BYU (14–6) т tu Ohio State (11–6) т d Syracuse (13–3) Oklahoma City (12–6) npr Dayton (12–5) npr Vanderbilt (13–4) тTemple (13–5) т npr Purdue Washington Saint Louis Western Kentucky North Carolina (20–0) Kansas (16–1) Kentucky (18–4) SMU (17–3) Bradley (17–3) т t UCLA (18–2) т u Seattle (19–2) Louisville (17–4) California (15–2) Iowa State (15–5) Indiana (11–6) u BYU (16–6) u Vanderbilt (15–4) u Dayton (14–5) т tu Ohio State (12–6) т u West Virginia (19–4) npr Canisius (16–5) d Michigan State (12–7) npr Kansas State (12–6) npr Saint Louis (15–7) npr Illinois Wake Forest Syracuse Oklahoma City Temple North Carolina (22–0) Kansas (18–1) Kentucky (20–4) SMU (19–3) UCLA (20–2) Seattle (20–2) u Indiana (13–6) u Bradley (18–4) d California (17–3) Louisville (18–5) d Michigan State (12–7) u Kansas State (14–6) т tu Saint Louis (16–7) т Iowa State (15–6) d Vanderbilt (16–5) т td West Virginia (20–4) т u BYU (16–8) d Dayton (15–6) d Oklahoma City (16–8) т tnpr 1956 men Notre Dame Fighting Irish Notre Dame (15–7) тOhio (13–8) т npr Ohio State Canisius North Carolina (24–0) Kansas (19–1) Kentucky (22–4) SMU (21–3) UCLA (21–4) Seattle (22–2) California (18–4) u Michigan State (14–7) u Louisville (20–5) u Bradley (19–5) d Saint Louis (18–7) u West Virginia (22–4) т tu Dayton (17–6) т tu Indiana (13–8) т d Vanderbilt (16–5) т t BYU (18–8) т u Kansas State (15–7) т td Notre Dame (18–7) т u Iowa State (16–6) d Ohio State (14–7) npr Oklahoma City Ohio North Carolina (27–0) Kansas (21–2) Kentucky (22–4) SMU (21–3) Seattle (22–2) u California (20–4) u Michigan State (14–8) u Louisville (21–5) u UCLA (22–4) т td Saint Louis (19–7) т u West Virginia (25–4) u Dayton (17–6) Bradley (19–7) d BYU (18–8) u Indiana (14–8) d Oklahoma City (17–8) т tnpr Vanderbilt (17–5) т td 1956 men Xavier Musketeers Xavier (19–6) т npr Notre Dame (18–7) d Kansas State (15–8) d Iowa State (16–7) Ohio State (14–8) References Rankings Category:College men's basketball rankings in the United States