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CBD Exclusive: Northern Kentucky talks Division 1 Move

by Brian Foley
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Northern Kentucky announced on Dec. 8 that they will be transitioning to Division 1 for all sports in the 2012-2013 season. They will be joining the Atlantic Sun Conference which features a couple of solid baseball programs with Stetson, Jacksonville and Belmont making the NCAA Tournament in 2011.

The Northern Kentucky baseball program has been a Division 2 power over the last nine seasons. They have won the Great Lakes Valley Conference five times under head coach Todd Asalon who is entering his 12th year in charge of the baseball program.
“We are currently at nine scholarships which is the max at Division 2,” stated Asalon, “We will have 10 scholarships in 2013 and a full load of 11.7 in 2013.”

The scholarship difference isn’t the only thing that will be changing with the squad. The school has decided to start a major renovations to the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

“We will be basically rebuilding our current facility and putting in new stands for the 2013 season starting the renovations in the fall of 2012,” said Asalon.

Asalon really is looking forward to the challenge of moving up to Division 1 even though the Norse have been an excellent Division 2 program over the past few year. Under Asalon, they have had nine different players selected in the MLB Draft most recently with D-2 All-American Dave Middenorf who went in the 22nd round in the 2011 MLB Draft to the Kansas City Royals.

“This will be a great challenge for us as a coaching staff for us to start a program from scratch. I am a graduate of Northern Kentucky and take pride in this opportunity to bring this program into Division 1.”

We should see how the Northern Kentucky program develops over the next five seasons as Coach Asalon tries to make Highland Heights, Kentucky into a destination for top college baseball players.

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