2023 college baseball/softball thread

Looking through the NCAA record book reminds you that once upon a time, there was such a thing as Cal State Fullerton. Also (if briefly) Rice. And not long ago, Coastal Carolina. Power 5 football tv money is death to the have-nots.

 

Power 5 is a meaningless term in college baseball. In a given year, the Big 10 champ might finish fifth in the Sun Belt.

 

Coastal Carolina hasn't been back to Omaha, but they have hosted a few regionals since then (including this year). There are some other mid-majors that are quite respectable on a regular basis as well, like Southern Miss, Dallas Baptist and East Carolina.
I think the transfer portal and NIL have hurt them as much as Power 5 football TV money. The guy who started Game 2 of the finals for Florida was at Southern Miss last year. If he's on that roster this year, they're probably playing in the CWS and winning at least a game or two.

 

Still curious how LSU got a transfer from Air Force.

 

he’d rather play pro baseball than serve

https://www.theadvertiser.com/story...kenes-air-force-academy-transfer/69540755007/

 

Could have sworn we just had Oral Roberts in Omaha as a No. 4 regional seed. And Wake Forest may be in the ACC, but it was back for the first time since the 50s and barely has more students than Jell-O shots. There were fresh stories for the taking if you bothered to look.

 

He left after two years. If you leave after you start your third year, you have to pay them back, but you can leave scott-free in the first two. He also visited Microville Tech last summer, but hearing he got $200K at LSU which obviously sealed the deal.

Not sure how many bail out at the AFA (I see what I did). West Point and Annapolis consider it a country club.

 

I wish to revise and extend my remarks. You are correct. “Death” is not yet the case for all have-nots. Oral Roberts was a stupid omission on my part.
My revision is that I don’t think you’ll see another Fullerton — a baseball-first athletics program that makes it to Omaha multiple times in a five- or six-year span. Maybe they were the giant unicorn in this thing anyway.

 

Also joining Fullerton and Spinal Tap in the Where Are They Now? File: Wichita State.

 

If you leave after 2 years, do you owe the Pentagon the amount of money your education would have cost?

 

I'm interested to know this as well - UVA had a weekend starter this year who spent two years at West Point, and I know for a fact his family would not be on board with paying that money back. Maybe he got some NIL that covered that cost.