I am separating this conversation from the "expansion thread" as I really want to hone in on WAC baseball.
From the message boards to other forms of social media, one of the great concerns of Sam Houston State fans circles around baseball. SHSU has had a pretty good baseball program as of late with five NCAA appearances since 2012 (eight if you go back to 2007) including an NCAA Super Regional a few years back.
While the WAC has great basketball compared to the Southland, baseball is not the same story. Would love to learn what folks on here think about WAC baseball, what are some of the perceived strengths (schools, facilities), the perceived weaknesses (how are OOC schedules?) and where we can grow together?
Also, who is excited about '21? What are your schedules looking like...?
(01-11-2021 12:14 PM)TexasTerror Wrote: [ -> ]I am separating this conversation from the "expansion thread" as I really want to hone in on WAC baseball.
From the message boards to other forms of social media, one of the great concerns of Sam Houston State fans circles around baseball. SHSU has had a pretty good baseball program as of late with five NCAA appearances since 2012 (eight if you go back to 2007) including an NCAA Super Regional a few years back.
While the WAC has great basketball compared to the Southland, baseball is not the same story. Would love to learn what folks on here think about WAC baseball, what are some of the perceived strengths (schools, facilities), the perceived weaknesses (how are OOC schedules?) and where we can grow together?
Also, who is excited about '21? What are your schedules looking like...?
WAC loses ChicagoSt Northern Colorado and CSUB baseball so it was going to be a net gain and then adding DSU and TSU their baseball is light years better than what WAC lost. Now adding T4 to the mix only makes it stronger.
WAC baseball top programs
NMSU 2 reg champs 1 WACT champ
GCU 4 reg champs 0 WACT champ
SacSt 2 reg champs 3 WACT champ
WAC trending up programs
CBU N/A
UTRGV 1 reg champ 0 WACT champ
WAC trending down programs
Seattle 1 reg champ 0 WACT champ
UVU 0 reg champ 1 WACT champ
Tarleton's Baseball team did not get to compete last year like everyone else. The 2019 Campaign was successful with a conference championship and trip to the post season. There is A BUNCH of baseball talent within an hour to hour and a half drive of Stephenville. Until we commit to upgrading facilities I don't think you will see a lot of success.
That being said... Football has received their upgrades. Basketball is to follow with $70 million arena planed for the near future. Naturally Baseball and Softball should be next. Both facilities are well kept, just extremely small and not at the D1 level.
Cecil is at an awesome location with the a grove of trees lining Right field and a campus skyline shot in center field. Upgrades a needed badly.
(01-11-2021 04:03 PM)wisdomgymrat Wrote: [ -> ]Tarleton's Baseball team did not get to compete last year like everyone else. The 2019 Campaign was successful with a conference championship and trip to the post season. There is A BUNCH of baseball talent within an hour to hour and a half drive of Stephenville. Until we commit to upgrading facilities I don't think you will see a lot of success.
That being said... Football has received their upgrades. Basketball is to follow with $70 million arena planed for the near future. Naturally Baseball and Softball should be next. Both facilities are well kept, just extremely small and not at the D1 level.
Cecil is at an awesome location with the a grove of trees lining Right field and a campus skyline shot in center field. Upgrades a needed badly.
Very true, D/FW is a talent-rich environment for baseball prospects. I've always felt facilities are what's holding us back. Weatherford and McClennan are JC to Farm factories, and right in our backyard. I think a big part of that has to do their D1-level facilities. Despite it all, Cumpian has built a solid Softball program though. Interested to see how they do this year against D1 competition.
NMSU had the national player of the year (Nick Gonzales) last year and he was the 7th pick in the MLB draft. NMSU has a new coach who's first season was cut short by covid, but NMSU was on a torrid pace last season (12-4). The baseball team has also had the most significant facilities upgrades in the athletic department in recent years, most coming from private donors. NMSU has a solid baseball program and excellent facilities.
In a somewhat related note, what are you guys hearing about your school schedules this year?
It seems with changes made late on the conference level, it's become a significant challenge for many schools across the country and certainly the WAC as constituted now is a bit more far flung and without Chicago State, who dropped the sport.
Nicholls State is the only SLC school to release their schedule and they have four non-Div I games. I do not think outside of a school or two in the league, we are accustomed to having one or two non-Division I schools on the schedule. They have weekend series vs Eastern Illinois, ULM and Tennessee Martin but I am presuming they lost a few mid-week games due to the COVID restrictions.
February 19, 2021 (Friday) 2 P.M. Home Abilene Christian Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
February 20, 2021 (Saturday) 2 P.M. Home Abilene Christian Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
February 21, 2021 (Sunday) 1 P.M. Home Abilene Christian Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
February 24, 2021 (Wednesday) TBA Away Texas A&M College Station, TX Blue Bell Park
February 26, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Northwestern State Natchitoches, LA Brown-Stroud Field
February 27, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Northwestern State Natchitoches, LA Brown-Stroud Field
February 28, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Northwestern State Natchitoches, LA Brown-Stroud Field
March 2, 2021 (Tuesday) 2 P.M. Home Arkansas - Pine Bluff Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
March 3, 2021 (Wednesday) 2 P.M. Home Arkansas - Pine Bluff Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
March 5, 2021 (Friday) 6:30 P.M. Away Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX Daniel Sullivan Field
March 6, 2021 (Saturday) 6:30 P.M. Away Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX Daniel Sullivan Field
March 7, 2021 (Sunday) 1 P.M. Away Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX Daniel Sullivan Field
March 9, 2021 (Tuesday) TBA Away Stephen F. Austin Nacogdoches, TX Jaycees Field
March 12, 2021 (Friday) 2 P.M. Home Sacramento State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
March 3, 2021 (Saturday) 2 P.M. Home Sacramento State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
March 14, 2021 (Sunday) 12 P.M. Home Sacramento State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
March 17, 2021 (Wednesday) 6:30 P.M. Away Texas Christian Forth Worth, TX Lupton Stadium
March 19, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Dallas Baptist Dallas, TX Horner Ballpark
March 20, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Dallas Baptist Dallas, TX Horner Ballpark
March 21, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Dallas Baptist Dallas, TX Horner Ballpark
March 23, 2021 (Tuesday) TBA Away Abilene Christian Abilene, TX Crutcher Scott Field
March 26, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away California Baptist Riverside, CA James W. Totman Stadium
March 27, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away California Baptist Riverside, CA James W. Totman Stadium
March 28, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away California Baptist Riverside, CA James W. Totman Stadium
April 1, 2021 (Thursday) 3 P.M. Home Dixie State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 2, 2021 (Friday) 2 P.M. Home Dixie State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 3, 2021 (Saturday) 12 P.M. Home Dixie State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 6, 2021 (Tuesday) 6 P.M. Away Lamar Beaumont, TX Vincent-Beck Stadium
April 7, 2021 (Wednesday) 3 P.M. Home Stephen F. Austin Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 9, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Seattle Seattle, WA Bannerwood Park
April 10, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Seattle Seattle, WA Bannerwood Park
April 11, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Seattle Seattle, WA Bannerwood Park
April 13, 2021 (Tuesday) 3 P.M. Home Prairie View A&M Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 16, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Utah Valley Orem, UT UCCU Ballpark
April 17, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Utah Valley Orem, UT UCCU Ballpark
April 18, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Utah Valley Orem, UT UCCU Ballpark
April 21, 2021 (Wednesday) 3 P.M. Home Abilene Christian Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 23, 2021 (Friday) 3 P.M. Home New Mexico State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 24, 2021 (Saturday) 2 P.M. Home New Mexico State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 25, 2021 (Sunday) 12 P.M. Home New Mexico State Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 27, 2021 (Tuesday) 3 P.M. Home UTSA Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
April 30, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Northern Colorado Greeley, CO Jackson Field
May 1, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Northern Colorado Greeley, CO Jackson Field
May 2, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Northern Colorado Greeley, CO Jackson Field
May 7, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away UT Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX UTRGV Baseball Stadium
May 8, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away UT Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX UTRGV Baseball Stadium
May 9, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away UT Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX UTRGV Baseball Stadium
May 12, 2021 (Wednesday) 3 P.M. Away Prairie View A&M Prairie View, TX Tankersley Field
May 14, 2021 (Friday) 3 P.M. Home Grand Canyon Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
May 15, 2021 (Saturday) 2 P.M. Home Grand Canyon Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
May 16, 2021 (Sunday) 12 P.M. Home Grand Canyon Stephenville, TX Cecil Ballow Complex
May 21, 2021 (Friday) TBA Away Saint Mary's Moraga, CA Louis Guisto Field
May 22, 2021 (Saturday) TBA Away Saint Mary's Moraga, CA Louis Guisto Field
May 23, 2021 (Sunday) TBA Away Saint Mary's Moraga, CA Louis Guisto Field
(01-12-2021 11:17 AM)wisdomgymrat Wrote: [ -> ]2021 Texan Baseball Schedule
Wow! Kudos Tarleton State baseball. That's certainly a really impressive schedule for your coaches to put together this year. Plenty of games against current SLC (and soon to be future WAC) opposition. Lots of regional games otherwise including UIW, UTSA, TCU and Dallas Baptist
TSU fans you guys will be shocked at Bannerwood in a bad way. Nice ball park for HS playoff games or Juco but for D1 it's sub-optimal.
(01-12-2021 11:54 AM)Lopes87 Wrote: [ -> ]TSU fans you guys will be shocked at Bannerwood in a bad way. Nice ball park for HS playoff games or Juco but for D1 it's sub-optimal.
You haven't seen Cecil Ballow apparently.
Cecil Ballow is a better facility.
(01-12-2021 12:13 PM)Lopes87 Wrote: [ -> ]Cecil Ballow is a better facility.
Well this is a sad commentary.
(01-12-2021 02:42 PM)TexanFan Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2021 12:13 PM)Lopes87 Wrote: [ -> ]Cecil Ballow is a better facility.
Well this is a sad commentary.
Bannerwood baseline seats are obstructed views,
1st baseline you can't see 1st to RF
3rd baseline you can't see 3rd or LF
You have to sit behind home if you want to see the entire field w/o issue
(01-12-2021 09:14 AM)PojoaquePosse Wrote: [ -> ]NMSU had the national player of the year (Nick Gonzales) last year and he was the 7th pick in the MLB draft. NMSU has a new coach who's first season was cut short by covid, but NMSU was on a torrid pace last season (12-4). The baseball team has also had the most significant facilities upgrades in the athletic department in recent years, most coming from private donors. NMSU has a solid baseball program and excellent facilities.
ACU has a three game series against NMSU in Las Cruces Feb. 26-28. We’ve been underwhelming in baseball the past few years despite nice facilities though.
(01-14-2021 09:08 AM)OscarWildeCat Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2021 09:14 AM)PojoaquePosse Wrote: [ -> ]NMSU had the national player of the year (Nick Gonzales) last year and he was the 7th pick in the MLB draft. NMSU has a new coach who's first season was cut short by covid, but NMSU was on a torrid pace last season (12-4). The baseball team has also had the most significant facilities upgrades in the athletic department in recent years, most coming from private donors. NMSU has a solid baseball program and excellent facilities.
ACU has a three game series against NMSU in Las Cruces Feb. 26-28. We’ve been underwhelming in baseball the past few years despite nice facilities though.
Game will not be in New Mexico.
I noticed in this morning's presser the GCU president mentioned that since the new WAC footprint is in warm-weather states the conference has aspirations to further improve in baseball.
(01-14-2021 12:08 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote: [ -> ] (01-14-2021 09:08 AM)OscarWildeCat Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2021 09:14 AM)PojoaquePosse Wrote: [ -> ]NMSU had the national player of the year (Nick Gonzales) last year and he was the 7th pick in the MLB draft. NMSU has a new coach who's first season was cut short by covid, but NMSU was on a torrid pace last season (12-4). The baseball team has also had the most significant facilities upgrades in the athletic department in recent years, most coming from private donors. NMSU has a solid baseball program and excellent facilities.
ACU has a three game series against NMSU in Las Cruces Feb. 26-28. We’ve been underwhelming in baseball the past few years despite nice facilities though.
Game will not be in New Mexico.
Good point. The ACU schedule still says Las Cruces. I wonder if that means the series will be cancelled, played in the Aggies home away from home, or moved to Abilene?