No doubt about it…Your new #1 Team in the Rawlings Final NCBA DI Top 20 is the 2019 NCBA Division I National Champions, the University of Illinois Fighting Illini! Illinois had a remarkable run from the start! After posting an incredible regular season record, the Illini dropped the first game of Regional’s, only to storm back and win the Great Lakes Regional Championship. Making it back to the World Series for the first time since 2016 was an achievement, but they made sure they weren’t satisfied. They reached the semi-finals after going 2-0 in their first two games against Oregon State and Boston College but found themselves against a very formidable opponent in Florida State. After dropping the first game to FSU 1-0, the Illini were in a do or die situation and with their backs against the wall took down the Seminoles 4-3 to advance to their first national championship game since 2005. There they met Grand Canyon University and defeated the ‘lopes 9-5 to capture their first ever club baseball national championship!
All posts by Christian Smith
OFFICIAL 2019 DI WS BRACKET
Let the BRACKETOLOGY begin! The Official 2019 NCBA DI World Series Bracket is here! Check out seeding, matchups, game dates and times. Who is going to take it home in 2019???
RAWLINGS WEEK 25 NCBA DI TOP 20
After steadily climbing the polls from the beginning, the University of Iowa is king of the hill in the Rawlings Week 25 NCBA DI Top 20! Iowa showed throughout the course of the season, they are a team to be reckoned with! After going 3-0 at their Regional Tournament, the Hawkeyes are now atop the polls! Stay tuned…The Official NCBA DI World Series Bracket will be relased shortly!
The Final Rawlings NCBA DI Top 20 Poll will be released after the conclusion of the NCBA DI World Series!
WS FIELD IS SET; SEE HOW THEY GOT THERE!
It was an action packed three days of baseball for the NCBA DI Regional Tournaments. Lot’s of upsets, lots of new faces, and some familiar ones too. All the regional’s are now complete and the World Series participant field is set. This year’s field features 2 teams who have never been to a NCBA World Series before (BC and Oregon State), while three teams will be making back-to-back appearances in Holly Springs (Texas A&M, Grand Canyon, and Florida State). As for the other 3, Maryland has had the biggest hiatus between WS appearances. The last time they were there, we were all 10-years younger. Iowa and Illinois have had more recent trips the big dance in 2013 and 2016 respectively, but 2019 is a new year for everyone! Check out the 2019 Regional Brackets to see how the 2019 World Series Participants got here.
OREGON STATE WINS NOPAC, TEXAS A&M WINS GULF COAST!
The final two punch their tickets to the 2019 NCBA DI World Series in Holly Springs, NC. Oregon State University makes their first ever appearance in the NCBA DI World Series after outlasting Eastern Washington in the if necessary game of the Northern Pacific Regional Tournament. OSU surrendered 9 runs in the bottom of the 9th to allow EWU to tie the game. In the top of the 10th, the bats came back alive and took back the lead for good beating EWU 15-11.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M takes both games in the championship round of the Gulf Coast Regional. Coming out of the losers bracket, Texas A&M showed resiliency and took both games from Tulane with the final game being a 18-8 victory for the Aggies. Texas A&M joins Grand Canyon University and Florida State as the only teams to make it back to Holly Springs for the 2nd year in a row!
ILLINOIS PUNCHES TICKET, WINS GREAT LAKES!
Illinois wins the Great Lakes Regional Tournament by defeating Michigan State twice in the Championship round. In the if necessary final game of the tournament, Illinois put up a 7-spot in the 8th inning to win the Great Lakes Regional and punch their ticket to the NCBA DI World Series for the first time since 2016. Illinois showed incredible mental fortitude by taking home the Great Lakes Championship after dropping their first game of the tournament and clawing their way all the way back.
FLORIDA STATE WINS SOUTH ATLANTIC! EARNS 5TH SPOT
Florida State earns back-to-back trips to the NCBA DI World Series after defeating the University of Georgia twice in the Championship round of the South Atlantic Regional. In game one of the day they took down the Bulldogs, 7-1 and then closed it out against UGA defeating them 5-3 in the if necessary game. Florida State returns to Holly Springs to avenge a disappointing performance in the 2018 event after going 0-2.
HALFWAY THERE; GCU WINS SOPAC, PUNCHES TICKET
Grand Canyon becomes the 4th team to earn a trip to the 2019 NCBA DI World Series and so far the first team to make it in back-to-back seasons. Last year, GCU made it all the way to the National Semifinals but came up short. This year, just like last year they took on UC-Santa Barbara in the Southern Pacific Regional Tournament Championship. Only difference this year is that GCU came from the winners bracket and defeated the Gauchos 7-6 to move onto the NCBA DI World Series.
IOWA PUNCHES TICKET; 3RD TEAM IN!
The University of Iowa earns the 3rd spot in the 2019 NCBA DI World Series by defeating Colorado State 2-1 in the Championship Game at the Mid-America Regional in Kearney, NE! Iowa defeated CSU in the winners bracket game 7-4 only to defeat the Rams once again in the Championship game to earn their first trip back to the World Series since 2013!
BOSTON COLLEGE AND MARYLAND FIRST TWO IN!
Boston College goes a perfect 3-0 at the North Atlantic Regional Tournament to earn the 1st of 8 spots. BC clinched their spot after defeating the defending National Champions, Penn State 8-3 in the Championship Game. This will be Boston College’s first ever trip to the World Series.
The University of Maryland slays a giant by defeating East Carolina University 4-2 in the championship game of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament. Coming in as the #4 seed as the at-large pick, the Terrapins defeated the #1 seed Ohio State in the first round, followed by an upset over conference rival JMU in the second round, then taking down the powerhouse of ECU in the championship game. Maryland makes it’s way back to the World Series for the first time since 2009!
