Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament
| Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Conference Baseball Championship | |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Format | Double-elimination tournament |
| Current stadium | J. I. Clements Stadium |
| Current location | Statesboro, GA |
| Played | 1978-present |
| Last contest | 2017 |
| Current champion | South Alabama (12) |
| Most championships | South Alabama (12) |
| TV partner(s) | Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) |
| Official 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. The location for the event rotates among conference members, with the 2016 event held at Texas State's Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas.
Tournament
The Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament is an eight team double-elimination tournament held annually at various sites in the Sun Belt Conference region. The eight teams with the best conference record at the end of the regular season earn berths in the tournament. The winner automatically receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament.
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. 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.[1]
Champions
By Year
By school
As of July 1, 2016, there are 12 schools in the conference that competes in baseball.
Current members
| School | Tourney Titles | Title Years |
|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | 12 | 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2017 |
| Louisiana–Lafayette | 4 | 1998, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| Arkansas State | 1 | 1994 |
| Little Rock | 1 | 2011 |
| Louisiana–Monroe | 1 | 2012 |
| Troy | 1 | 2006 |
Former members
| School | Tourney Titles | Title Years |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | 3 | 1978, 1979, 2007 |
| South Florida | 3 | 1982, 1986, 1990 |
| FIU | 2 | 1999, 2010 |
| Lamar | 2 | 1993, 1995 |
| Middle Tennessee | 2 | 2003, 2009 |
| Western Kentucky | 2 | 2004, 2008 |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 2013 |
| Jacksonville | 1 | 1989 |
| New Mexico State | 1 | 2002 |
| Old Dominion | 1 | 1985 |
| UAB | 1 | 1991 |
| VCU | 1 | 1988 |
External links
References
- ↑ "Sun Belt Announces Changes to Baseball Regular Season, Championship Format; Future Championship Sites Named". Sun Belt Conference. November 11, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Sun Belt Announces 2013-14 Championship Sites". Sun Belt Conference. August 14, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Troy to Host Sun Belt Baseball Championship in 2014-15". Dothan, Alabama: WTVY (TV). Retrieved January 15, 2014.