Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament explained

Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament
Optional Subheader:Conference baseball championship
Sport:Baseball
Conference:Sun Belt Conference
Number Of Teams:10
Format:Double-elimination tournament
Current Stadium:Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium
Current Location:Montgomery, Alabama
Years: to
present
Most Recent:2024
Current Champion:Southern Miss
Most Championships:South Alabama (13)
Website:SunBeltSports.org Baseball
Sponsors:Golden Flake

The Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament is the conference championship tournament in baseball for the Sun Belt Conference. The winner of the tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I baseball tournament. After Coastal Carolina University hosts the competition in Conway, South Carolina, in 2019, the tournament will move to a neutral site, Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, AL, from 2020 to 2024.[1]

Tournament

The Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament is a ten team double-elimination tournament held annually at various sites in the Sun Belt Conference region. The bottom four seeds play a one round single elimination play in game. The six teams with the best conference record at the end of the regular season earn automatic berths in the tournament. After the play-in round, the remaining eight teams will play 2 four team double-elimination brackets with a single elimination championship game between the bracket winners. The division winner with the best conference record will be seeded #1 and will play the lowest remaining seed from the play-in round. The winner of the other division will receive the #2 seed (regardless of overall conference ranking) and will play the higher seeded play-in game winner. The champion of the competition receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I baseball tournament.[2]

History

The tournament started in 1978 as a four team double-elimination tournament.

In 1979 the tournament expanded to include six teams but still remained double-elimination.

The tournament expanded again in 1980 and included seven teams.

In 1981 the conference was divided into divisions and the top two teams in each division made the tournament, returning it to a four team double-elimination format. It remained that way through 1985.

In 1986 the conference retained the division format but expanded the tournament to include the top four teams in each division, making the tournament an eight team double-elimination tournament.

In 1987, the conference returned to the a four team double-elimination format.

The tournament format was changed again in 1988 when it expanded to include the top three teams in each division, now making it a six team double-elimination tournament. In 1995, the conference dropped the division format but kept the tournament format as a six team double-elimination tournament through 1998.

In 1999, the tournament expanded to an eight team double-elimination format. The format was a double bracket round robin in 2011-2012.

In 2017, the Conference expanded the field to 10 teams, with the bottom four seeds playing a single-elimination play-in round before the standard eight team double-elimination bracket.[3]

Champions

By Year

YearSchoolSiteMVP
1978Mobile, ALRoy Weimer, New Orleans
1979Tampa, FLMike Quade, New Orleans
1980Mobile, ALPete Otero, South Alabama
1981Birmingham, ALRandy Wilson, South Florida
1982Tampa, FLRandy Wilson, South Florida
1983Norfolk, VADennis Johnston, South Alabama
1984Mobile, ALPete Coachman, South Alabama
1985Norfolk, VARob Tomberlin, Western Kentucky
1986Tampa, FLTodd Azar, Old Dominion
1987Norfolk, VAMike Maksudian, South Alabama
1988VCUBowling Green, KYTim Barker, VCU
1989Jacksonville, FLRene Francisco, Jacksonville
1990Mobile, ALRicky Ware, South Florida
1991Jacksonville, FLStephen Johnson, UAB
1992Mobile, ALPapo Ramos, Southwestern Louisiana
1993Vincent–Beck StadiumBeaumont, TXPhil Brassington, Lamar
1994Mobile, ALKeith Horn, Arkansas State
1995Jacksonville, FLWill Cook, Lamar
1996Mobile, ALSeth Taylor, South Alabama
1997M. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LAJoey Choron, South Alabama
1998Mobile, ALB.J. Ryan, Southwestern Louisiana
1999Metairie, LABarry Paulk, FIU
2000Mobile, ALTim Merritt, South Alabama
2001M. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LARyan Mulhern, South Alabama
2002Mobile, ALHal Bisnett, New Mexico State
2003M. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LAChuck Akers, Middle Tennessee
2004Mobile, ALGrady Hinchman, Western Kentucky
2005Miami, FLJosh Morgan, South Alabama
2006Bowling Green, KYBlake Green, Troy
2007Mobile, ALJohnny Giavotella, New Orleans
2008M. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LAJake Wells, Western Kentucky
2009Troy, ALKenneth Roberts, Middle Tennessee
2010Murfreesboro, TNJeremy Patton, FIU
2011Monroe, LAGarret Graziano, Arkansas–Little Rock
2012Bowling Green BallparkBowling Green, KYWil Browning, Louisiana–Monroe
2013Florida AtlanticM. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LABrendon Sanger, Florida Atlantic
2014Louisiana–LafayetteEddie Stanky FieldMobile, AL[4] Blake Trahan, Louisiana–Lafayette
2015Louisiana–LafayetteRiddle–Pace FieldTroy, Alabama[5] Stefan Trosclair, Louisiana–Lafayette
2016Louisiana–LafayetteBobcat BallparkSan Marcos, TXNick Thurman, Louisiana-Lafayette
2017South AlabamaJ. I. Clements StadiumStatesboro, GABrendan Donovan, South Alabama
2018Coastal CarolinaM. L. Tigue Moore FieldLafayette, LAZach Biermann, Coastal Carolina
2019Coastal CarolinaSprings Brooks StadiumConway, SCKieton Rivers, Coastal Carolina
2020Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2021South AlabamaRiverwalk StadiumMontgomery, ALMiles Smith, South Alabama
2022LouisianaRiverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, ALJacob Schultz, Louisiana
2023Southern MissRiverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, ALTanner Hall, Southern Miss
2024Southern MissRiverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, ALColby Allen, Southern Miss

By school

As of July 1, 2022, there are 14 schools in the conference that competes in baseball.

Current members

SchoolTourney TitlesTitle Years
South Alabama131980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2017, 2021
Louisiana51998, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022
Coastal Carolina22018, 2019
Southern Miss22023, 2024
Arkansas State11994
Louisiana–Monroe12012
Old Dominion11985
Troy12006

Former members

SchoolTourney TitlesTitle Years
New Orleans31978, 1979, 2007
South Florida31982, 1986, 1990
FIU21999, 2010
Lamar21993, 1995
Middle Tennessee22003, 2009
Western Kentucky22004, 2008
Florida Atlantic12013
Jacksonville11989
Little Rock12011
New Mexico State12002
UAB11991
VCU11988

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship Headed to Montgomery in 2020. sunbeltsports.org. 16 May 2018.
  2. Web site: Championship Schedule. sunbeltsports.org. 16 May 2018.
  3. Web site: Sun Belt Announces Changes to Baseball Regular Season, Championship Format; Future Championship Sites Named. Sun Belt Conference. November 11, 2016. January 15, 2016.
  4. Web site: Sun Belt Announces 2013–14 Championship Sites. August 14, 2012. Sun Belt Conference. May 2, 2013.
  5. Web site: Troy to Host Sun Belt Baseball Championship in 2014-15. WTVY (TV). Dothan, Alabama. January 15, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140116104931/http://www.wtvy.com/sports/trojans/headlines/Troy-to-Host-Sun-Belt-Baseball-Championship-in-2014-15-208512031.html. January 16, 2014.