CIAA Baseball Sees First NCAA Postseason in 17 Years
April 17, 2007
Hampton, VA... The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association has been granted its' first-ever NCAA Baseball Automatic Qualification, beginning this post-season (2007).
The NCAA requires that a conference must have six institutions to sponsor baseball to be considered for automatic qualification. With the addition of North Carolina Central University to the list of baseball sponsoring institutions, the CIAA qualifies this season.
The CIAA has not participated in NCAA postseason competition since 1990, when the Norfolk State University Spartans earned a bid to the North Atlantic Regional. The Spartans earned bids in 1988, 1989 and 1990, and have been the only CIAA institution to ever have participated in the NCAA Baseball post-season.
This ground-breaking advancement comes well on the heels of the recent successes celebrated by the CIAA. For the past four years, the CIAA has led Division II annually in team categories including, Stolen Bases Per Game, Total Stolen Bases and Runs Per Game.
Not only does CIAA Baseball produce student-athletes that can hold their own against NCAA competition, the CIAA can also boast of its ability to send players to the professional ranks. Last season, ECSU Senior, Carlos Gutierrez became the second baseball player from ECSU to be signed to a major league franchise. Gutierrez signed with the Vancouver Canadians, an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
Now that the CIAA has made its way to the post-season, student-athletes will have the opportunity to put their talents to the ultimate test... a run for the NCAA Division II National Championship.
How Does the CIAA Fare Against the Competition?
NCAA Division II Baseball Records
Runs Per Game (National Leader)
Games Wins Losses Runs Avg.
1994 Shaw
31
24
7
319 10.20
1995 Shaw
41
28
13
423 10.32
2003 Shaw
35
19
16
361 10.31
2004 ECSU
34
21
13
377 11.08
2005 Shaw
32
13
19
321 10.03
Stolen Bases Per Game (National Leader)
Games Wins Losses
Ties
SB SBA
Avg.
1992 Bowie
St.
31
14
16
1
112 137
3.61
2003
Shaw
35
19
16
159 173
4.54
2004
ECSU
34
21
13
170 186
5.00
Stolen Bases
2004
ECSU
34
21
13
170 186
5.00
Last CIAA Appearance in NCAA Division II Baseball Post-Season
1988- South Atlantic Regional
Columbus State 6, Norfolk State 4
Kentucky Wesleyan 12, Norfolk State 6
1989- North Atlantic Regional
Shippensburg 4, Norfolk State 3 (11 innings)
Slippery Rock 16, Norfolk State 4
1990- North Atlantic Regional
Norfolk State 16, Indiana (PA) 15
Philadelphia U. 7, Norfolk State 1
Philadelphia U. 8, Norfolk State 7