# 1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

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

| | Week 1 Dec. 10 | Week 2 Dec. 17 | Week 3 Dec. 26 | Week 4 Jan. 2 | Week 5 Jan. 7 | Week 6 Jan. 14 | Week 7 Jan. 21 | Week 8 Jan. 28 | Week 9 Feb. 4 | Week 10 Feb. 11 | Week 11 Feb. 18 | Week 12 Feb. 25 | Week 13 Mar. 4 | Final Mar. 11 | |
| 1. | Kansas (2–0) | Kansas (4–0) | Kansas (6–0) | Kansas (9–0) | Kansas (10–0) | Kansas (12–0) | North Carolina (15–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (18–0) | North Carolina (20–0) | North Carolina (22–0) | North Carolina (24–0) | North Carolina (27–0) | 1. |
| 2. | San Francisco (4–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | North Carolina (8–0) | North Carolina (11–0) | North Carolina (11–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | Kansas (12–1) | Kansas (12–1) | Kansas (13–1) | Kansas (14–1) | Kansas (16–1) | Kansas (18–2) | Kansas (19–2) | Kansas (21–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Kentucky (3–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | Kentucky (6–2) | Kentucky (8–2) | Kentucky (9–2) | SMU (13–1) | Iowa State (11–2) | Louisville (12–2) | Kentucky (16–3) | Kentucky (17–3) | Kentucky (18–4) | Kentucky (20–4) | Kentucky (22–4) | Kentucky (22–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Louisville (3–1) | SMU (5–0) | West Virginia (8–0) | SMU (10–1) | SMU (11–1) | Kentucky (11–2) | Louisville (11–2) | Kentucky (13–3) | SMU (15–2) | Seattle (18–2) | Seattle (19–2) | SMU (19–3) | SMU (21–3) | SMU (21–3) | 4. |
| 5. | SMU (2–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Saint Louis (6–1) | Illinois (6–1) | Louisville (8–2) | Louisville (9–2) | Kentucky (12–3) | UCLA (13–1) | UCLA (15–1) | Bradley (15–2) | Bradley (17–3) | Seattle (20–2) | Seattle (22–2) | Seattle (22–2) | 5. |
| 6. | North Carolina (2–0) | Louisville (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Louisville (7–2) | Vanderbilt (8–1) | UCLA (13–1) | SMU (14–2) | SMU (14–2) | Louisville (14–3) | SMU (16–3) | SMU (17–3) | UCLA (20–2) | Louisville (20–5) | Louisville (21–5) | 6. |
| 7. | Illinois (2–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | SMU (7–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | Seattle (13–2) | UCLA (13–1) | Illinois (10–2) | Seattle (17–2) | UCLA (16–2) | Louisville (17–4) | Bradley (18–4) | UCLA (21–4) | West Virginia (25–4) | 7. |
| 8. | NC State (3–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | Louisville (5–2) | UCLA (8–1) | UCLA (11–1) | Illinois (8–2) | Seattle (14–2) | Iowa State (11–3) | Bradley (13–2) | Louisville (15–4) | UCLA (18–2) | Louisville (18–5) | Michigan State (14–7) | Vanderbilt (17–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Alabama (3–0) | Saint Louis (4–1) | Duke (5–1) | Vanderbilt (6–1) | Seattle (11–2) | Iowa State (9–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Seattle (17–2) | Iowa State (12–4) | Iowa State (14–4) | Iowa State (15–5) | Vanderbilt (16–5) | Vanderbilt (17–5) | Oklahoma City (17–8) | 9. |
| 10. | Canisius (4–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Seattle (10–2) | Illinois (6–2) | Vanderbilt (9–2) | Bradley (12–2) | Bradley (13–2) | Wake Forest (15–3) | West Virginia (18–3) | Vanderbilt (15–4) | Indiana (13–6) | Oklahoma City (17–8) | Saint Louis (19–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Oklahoma City (5–1) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Oklahoma City (8–2) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Ohio State (11–3) | West Virginia (15–3) | Wake Forest (16–4) | Indiana (11–6) | West Virginia (20–4) | West Virginia (22–4) | Michigan State (14–8) | 11. |
| 12. | Western Kentucky (3–0) | Oklahoma A&M (6–1) | Tennessee (5–1) | Tennessee (7–0) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Bradley (10–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Canisius (14–2) | Ohio State (11–4) | California (13–2) | Wake Forest (16–6) | Kansas State (14–6) | Saint Louis (18–7) | Memphis State (21–5) | 12. |
| 13. | West Virginia (3–0) | Duke (4–1) | Vanderbilt (6–0) | Manhattan (7–2) | Wake Forest (10–3) | Oklahoma City (9–3) | Vanderbilt (10–3) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Oklahoma City (12–6) | Oklahoma City (12–6) | Oklahoma City (15–7) | Wake Forest (18–6) | Bradley (19–5) | California (20–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Kansas State (2–0) | Iowa State (5–0) | Iowa State (6–0) | Western Kentucky (6–2) | Canisius (10–1) | Canisius (11–2) | Canisius (12–2) | Tulane (10–5) | Canisius (15–2) | Canisius (16–3) | West Virginia (19–4) | Saint Louis (16–7) | California (18–4) | UCLA (22–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Dayton (2–1) | Oklahoma City (2–1) т | Western Kentucky (6–1) | Canisius (8–1) | Duke (7–3) | West Virginia (11–3) | Duke (8–4) | California (11–2) | Illinois (10–3) | West Virginia Tech (15–1) | California (15–2) | Idaho State (23–2) | Idaho State (23–3) | Mississippi State (17–8) | 15. |
| 16. | Niagara (2–1) | St. John's (2–1) т | Tulane (6–1) | Saint Louis (6–4) | Tennessee (8–1) | Duke (8–4) | Oklahoma City (9–3) | Oklahoma City (10–5) | Memphis State (17–3) | Illinois (11–4) | Duke (11–8) | Iowa State (15–6) | Oklahoma A&M (16–8) | Idaho State (24–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Iowa State (3–0) | Alabama (4–1) | Canisius (6–1) | Oklahoma City (5–2) | Saint Louis (7–4) | Ohio State (7–3) | West Virginia (12–3) | Idaho State (13–3) | Purdue (12–2) | Duke (10–7) | Kansas State (12–6) | Oklahoma A&M (13–8) | Iowa State (16–6) | Notre Dame (18–7) | 17. |
| 18. | Oklahoma City (1–1) | Canisius (4–1) | Seattle (7–2) | Wake Forest (8–3) | West Virginia (9–3) | Western Kentucky (7–4) | Tulane (10–5) | West Virginia (13–3) | Vanderbilt (11–4) | Indiana (9–6) | West Virginia Tech (21–1) | Oklahoma City (16–8) | Mississippi State (17–8) | Wake Forest (19–9) | 18. |
| 19. | Oklahoma A&M (3–1) | NC State (4–2) | San Francisco (6–2) | West Virginia (8–3) | Minnesota (5–3) | California (10–2) | California (10–2) | Duke (8–4) | California (11–2) | Vanderbilt (13–4) | Mississippi State (13–7) | Memphis State (20–5) | Memphis State (21–5) | Bradley (19–7) | 19. |
| 20. | Seattle (3–1) | Western Kentucky (3–1) | Idaho State (8–0) | Memphis State (9–1) | Western Kentucky (6–2) | Oklahoma A&M (7–3) | Western Kentucky (8–4) | Oklahoma A&M (9–4) | Idaho State (17–2) | Saint Louis (14–6) | Memphis State (19–4) | Mississippi State (13–8) | Wake Forest (18–8) | Canisius (20–5) т Oklahoma A&M (17–9) т | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 10 | Week 2 Dec. 17 | Week 3 Dec. 26 | Week 4 Jan. 2 | Week 5 Jan. 7 | Week 6 Jan. 14 | Week 7 Jan. 21 | Week 8 Jan. 28 | Week 9 Feb. 4 | Week 10 Feb. 11 | Week 11 Feb. 18 | Week 12 Feb. 25 | Week 13 Mar. 4 | Final Mar. 11 | |
| | | Dropped: DaytonNiagaraSeattle | Dropped: Kansas State (4–2)Ohio State (3–1)St. John'sAlabamaNC State | Dropped: DukeTulaneSan Francisco (6–4)Idaho State | Dropped: Manhattan (7–3)Memphis State | Dropped: TennesseeSaint LouisMinnesota | Dropped: Oklahoma A&M (8–3) | Dropped: VanderbiltWestern Kentucky | Dropped: TulaneDukeOklahoma A&M (11–4) | Dropped: Ohio State (11–6)Memphis StatePurdueIdaho State | Dropped: CanisiusIllinoisSaint Louis | Dropped: CaliforniaDukeWest Virginia Tech | Dropped: Indiana (13–8)Kansas State (15–7) | Dropped: Iowa State (16–7) | |

## UP Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 11 | Week 3 Dec. 18 | Week 4 Dec. 26 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| 1. | Kansas | Kansas (2–0) | Kansas (4–0) | Kansas (6–0) | Kansas (9–0) | Kansas (10–0) | Kansas (12–0) | North Carolina (15–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (18–0) | North Carolina (20–0) | North Carolina (22–0) | North Carolina (24–0) | North Carolina (27–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Louisville | North Carolina (2–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | North Carolina (8–0) | North Carolina (11–0) | North Carolina (11–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | Kansas (12–1) | Kansas (12–1) | Kansas (13–1) | Kansas (14–1) | Kansas (16–1) | Kansas (18–1) | Kansas (19–1) | Kansas (21–2) | 2. |
| 3. | North Carolina | Illinois (2–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Kentucky (6–2) | Kentucky (8–2) | Kentucky (9–2) | Kentucky (11–2) | Kentucky (12–3) | Kentucky (13–3) | Kentucky (16–3) | Kentucky (17–3) | Kentucky (18–4) | Kentucky (20–4) | Kentucky (22–4) | Kentucky (22–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Illinois | SMU (2–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | SMU (7–1) | SMU (10–1) | SMU (11–1) | SMU (13–1) | Iowa State (11–2) | SMU (14–2) | SMU (15–2) | SMU (16–3) | SMU (17–3) | SMU (19–3) | SMU (21–3) | SMU (21–3) | 4. |
| 5. | SMU | San Francisco (4–0) | SMU (5–0) | Saint Louis (6–1) | Louisville (7–2) | Louisville (8–2) | UCLA (13–1) | SMU (14–2) | UCLA (13–1) | UCLA (15–1) | Bradley (15–2) | Bradley (17–3) т | UCLA (20–2) | UCLA (21–4) | Seattle (22–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Dayton | Louisville (3–1) | Louisville (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Illinois (6–1) | UCLA (11–1) | Louisville (9–2) | Louisville (11–2) | Louisville (12–2) | Louisville (14–3) | UCLA (16–2) | UCLA (18–2) т | Seattle (20–2) | Seattle (22–2) | California (20–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Temple | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | Louisville (5–2) | Iowa State (8–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | Illinois (8–2) | UCLA (13–1) | Illinois (10–2) | Seattle (17–2) | Seattle (18–2) | Seattle (19–2) | Indiana (13–6) | California (18–4) | Michigan State (14–8) | 7. |
| 8. | San Francisco | Ohio State (3–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | West Virginia (8–0) | UCLA (8–1) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Iowa State (9–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Ohio State (11–3) | Bradley (13–2) | Louisville (15–4) | Louisville (17–4) | Bradley (18–4) | Michigan State (14–7) | Louisville (21–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Saint Louis | Kansas State (2–0) | Saint Louis (4–1) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Oklahoma A&M (7–1) | Vanderbilt (8–1) | Seattle (13–2) | Seattle (14–2) | Iowa State (11–3) | Ohio State (11–4) | California (13–2) | California (15–2) | California (17–3) | Louisville (20–5) | UCLA (22–4) т | 9. |
| 10. | Western Kentucky | Dayton (2–1) | Oklahoma A&M (6–1) | Iowa State (6–0) | Manhattan (7–2) | Illinois (6–2) | Vanderbilt (9–2) | Ohio State (9–3) | Seattle (17–2) | Iowa State (12–4) | Iowa State (14–4) | Iowa State (15–5) | Louisville (18–5) | Bradley (19–5) | Saint Louis (19–7) т | 10. |
| 11. | West Virginia | Canisius (4–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Kansas State (4–2) | Vanderbilt (6–1) | Canisius (10–1) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Bradley (12–2) | Bradley (13–2) | Canisius (15–2) | Canisius (16–3) | Indiana (11–6) | Michigan State (12–7) | Saint Louis (18–7) | West Virginia (25–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Oklahoma City | NC State (3–0) т | Iowa State (5–0) | Duke (5–1) | West Virginia (8–3) | Seattle (11–2) | Canisius (11–2) | California (10–2) | Canisius (14–2) т | Illinois (10–3) т | Illinois (11–4) | BYU (16–6) | Kansas State (14–6) т | West Virginia (22–4) т | Dayton (17–6) | 12. |
| 13. | Oregon State | Western Kentucky (1–0) т | West Virginia (6–0) | Vanderbilt (5–1) | Canisius (8–1) | Minnesota (5–3) | California (10–2) | Canisius (12–2) | California (11–2) т | California (11–2) т | Indiana (9–6) | Vanderbilt (15–4) | Saint Louis (16–7) т | Dayton (17–6) т | Bradley (19–7) | 13. |
| 14. | Kentucky | Iowa State (3–0) т | St. John's (2–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Saint Louis (6–4) | Wake Forest (10–3) | Bradley (10–2) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Wake Forest (12–3) | Purdue (12–2) | Wake Forest (16–4) | Dayton (14–5) т | Iowa State (15–6) | Indiana (13–8) т | BYU (18–8) | 14. |
| 15. | Washington | UCLA (3–0) | Canisius (4–1) | Canisius (6–1) | Wake Forest (8–3) | Saint Louis (7–4) т | Ohio State (7–3) | Vanderbilt (10–3) | Vanderbilt (10–4) | Wake Forest (15–3) | BYU (14–6) т | Ohio State (12–6) т | Vanderbilt (16–5) т | Vanderbilt (16–5) т | Indiana (14–8) | 15. |
| 16. | St. John's т | West Virginia (3–0) | Duke (4–1) | Utah (7–1) | California (6–2) | Manhattan (7–3) т | BYU (9–5) | BYU (9–6) | BYU (11–6) т | BYU (12–6) | Ohio State (11–6) т | West Virginia (19–4) | West Virginia (20–4) т | BYU (18–8) т | Oklahoma City (17–8) т | 16. |
| 17. | NC State т | Indiana (2–0) | Western Kentucky (3–1) | San Francisco (6–2) | Seattle (10–2) | BYU (7–5) | Saint Louis (8–5) | Duke (8–4) | Saint Louis (11–5) т | Syracuse (11–3) т | Syracuse (13–3) | Canisius (16–5) | BYU (16–8) | Kansas State (15–7) т | Vanderbilt (17–5) т | 17. |
| 18. | Kansas State | Niagara (2–1) т | UCLA (4–1) | Tulane (6–1) | Utah (9–2) | Duke (7–3) | West Virginia (11–3) | Tulane (10–5) т | Washington (10–7) | Washington (11–7) т | Oklahoma City (12–6) | Michigan State (12–7) | Dayton (15–6) | Notre Dame (18–7) т | Xavier (19–6) т | 18. |
| 19. | Vanderbilt | St. John's (2–1) т | Rice (4–2) т | Ohio State (3–1) | Kansas State (5–4) | California (8–2) т | Oklahoma City (9–3) т | Oklahoma A&M (8–3) т | Duke (8–4) | Saint Louis (12–6) | Dayton (12–5) | Kansas State (12–6) | Oklahoma City (16–8) т | Iowa State (16–6) | Notre Dame (18–7) | 19. |
| 20. | Wyoming | Temple (2–1) т | Washington (1–4) т | California (3–1) т Colorado (3–1) т Iowa (3–1) т | NC State (7–5) | San Francisco (7–4) т | Oklahoma A&M (7–3) т | Saint Louis (10–5) т | Syracuse (10–3) | Western Kentucky (11–4) | Vanderbilt (13–4) т Temple (13–5) т | Saint Louis (15–7) | Notre Dame (15–7) т Ohio (13–8) т | Ohio State (14–7) | Kansas State (15–8) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 11 | Week 3 Dec. 18 | Week 4 Dec. 26 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Saint LouisOklahoma CityOregon StateWashingtonVanderbiltWyoming | Dropped: DaytonNC StateIndianaNiagaraTemple | Dropped: St. John'sWestern KentuckyRiceWashington | Dropped: DukeSan FranciscoTulaneOhio StateColoradoIowa | Dropped: West VirginiaUtahKansas StateNC State | Dropped: MinnesotaManhattanDukeSan Francisco | Dropped: West VirginiaOklahoma City | Dropped: TulaneOklahoma A&M | Dropped: VanderbiltDuke | Dropped: PurdueWashingtonSaint LouisWestern Kentucky | Dropped: IllinoisWake ForestSyracuseOklahoma CityTemple | Dropped: Ohio StateCanisius | Dropped: Oklahoma CityOhio | Dropped: Iowa State (16–7)Ohio State (14–8) | |