FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
The Great West has added New York Institute of Technology and the University of Northern Colorado as associate members in the sport of baseball for the 2009-10 academic year, commissioner Ed Grom announced today. The additions bring the total number of baseball schools in the Great West to eight members, joining Chicago State, Houston Baptist, NJIT, North Dakota, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley.
The 2009-10 conference season will begin the weekend of April 9-11, 2010 and competing each weekend through May 20-22, culminating with the first Great West championship, May 26-29 at Texas-Pan American. Teams will play four-game series over three days against each conference member, providing a 28-game Great West schedule.
“By adding current Division I baseball independents NYIT and Northern Colorado, it provides our one institution out east in NJIT and our one institution out west in Utah Valley a more regional opponent while also providing our current Great West makeup a more comprehensive schedule,” said Commissioner Ed Grom.
The two schools are no strangers to the Great West membership as both have competed in the last few NCAA Division I Independent Baseball Championship, and will again meet later this spring for the 2009 version may 20-24 at Tex-Pan American.
“We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Great West baseball league,” said NJIT athletic director Lenny Kaplan, chair of the Joint Council. “Baseball was a sport our member schools targeted from the beginning to be a league sponsored championship. With our newest associate members Northern Colorado, and New York Institute of Technology we are looking forward to having a competitive eight-team league.”
6 comments
Its great to see this New Conference get some good reviews.The NCAA should look at the winner of this conference for an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, or at least a by in game. What do you think? With more exposure like sites like this and a place in the NCAA tournament it will attract even better players.
My opinion is that the conference will get an NCAA bid when they reach the minimum standards set by the NCAA.
I’m not familiar with NCAA rules and minimums. What rules do other conference abid by now that this conference does not. Is it a matter of filing or what?
I am not exactly sure of the rule.
I know in other sports that a new conference needs to be together for 2 or 3 years before they can have an auto bid.
I will see if I can find the exact rule.
That would be great because my son is looking at one of those schools in that conference for next year and we are going to choose a school based on several academic and baseball criteria and being able to playing for a team that will be able to participate in the NCAA tournament is one of those criteria. keep me posted. I really like this web site. Good luck the rest of the year. I hope to comment along the way aswell. Thanks, Cody M.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A WILD TRAVEL CONFERENCE. FROM THE EAST COAST TO WEST COAST DOWN TO TEXAS AND UP TO CHICAGO. CAN THE PLAYERS AND STAFF GET FREQUENT FLYER MILES. GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE TEAMS. WE WILL ALL BE WATCHING AND PULLING FOR YOU.
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