BB: LEC: Little East Conference

[ECSUalum]

Rumor is Eastern will host the New England Regionals this year.

Thats a big step up from the Cape.  I know the Cape has a lot of history but the facilitys are not the best.  Eastern is a super place to play and watch.  Easy access, not to far from a couple of the best casinos in the country maybe 30-40 minutes and of course a WalMart right down the road.

Offr of ncaa.com web site:

Nov. 24, 2008



INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has approved the host sites for seven of the eight predetermined, regional sites of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.  Regional competition will be May 13-17.  The regional sites are as follows:

Central Augustana College (Ill.)
Mid-Atlantic TBD
Mideast        Adrian College
Midwest      University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
New England        Eastern Connecticut State University
New York     State University College at Old Westbury
and the Skyline Conference (co-hosts)
South          Salisbury University
West           Linfield College



This is great news for Eastern Baseball.  Campus is looking fantastic this year, especially with new Science Bldg.  As stated above plenty of greats sites to take in east of the river

[ECSUalum]

I might add that the NCAA D-III Regional web casts out of  www.ecacsports.com through Bullpen Media. has always been fantastic out of Harwich.  I hope it is continued at ECSU this year.

[KSCfan]

Wow that is some serious news about eastern hosting the regionals.  I have played both at Harwich and at Eastern, and as far as fields go i dont find them that different.  The thing i did enjoy about Eastern more was that the lighting for the night games is much better.  However this will def give Eastern an advantage over other teams at the regionals.  I personally think that the regionals and NCAA games should be at a nuetral site where no one plays thier home games.  Also it will be interesting to see if the NCAA sends Eastern out of the region more often to try and compensate for the advantage they would get.  It is baseball season yet

[kscer]

Wow that is some serious news about eastern hosting the regionals.  I have played both at Harwich and at Eastern, and as far as fields go i dont find them that different.  The thing i did enjoy about Eastern more was that the lighting for the night games is much better.  However this will def give Eastern an advantage over other teams at the regionals.  I personally think that the regionals and NCAA games should be at a nuetral site where no one plays thier home games.  Also it will be interesting to see if the NCAA sends Eastern out of the region more often to try and compensate for the advantage they would get.  It is baseball season yet

Hey, I think it's great that the regionals will be at ESCU because their facility is great. Now it's up to KSC and USM to make sure they are the host groundskeepers and not the host team.

[ECSUalum]

Wow that is some serious news about eastern hosting the regionals.  I have played both at Harwich and at Eastern, and as far as fields go i dont find them that different.  The thing i did enjoy about Eastern more was that the lighting for the night games is much better.  However this will def give Eastern an advantage over other teams at the regionals.  I personally think that the regionals and NCAA games should be at a nuetral site where no one plays thier home games.  Also it will be interesting to see if the NCAA sends Eastern out of the region more often to try and compensate for the advantage they would get.  It is baseball season yet

Hey, I think it's great that the regionals will be at ESCU because their facility is great. Now it's up to KSC and USM to make sure they are the host groundskeepers and not the host team.

Kcer,

Your absolutely correct.  The Warriors would not like to be the host and not be part of the action!!

I tell ya, I cannot wait for March to roll around, and will be another exciting LEC conference race this year!!

Anyone know what NCAA criteria go into selecting the D-III regional sites?

[ecfaninri]

I may be going out on a limb, but, I assume a school must put in for a bid to being a host site for a conference championship, regional championship, or even a World Series. I am sure they take into consideration:
- access to site from highways, airports
- hotel accommodations in area
- availability of dorm rooms on campus/area
- strength of school's ability to provide game site preparations and management
- field conditions, lights, stands, parking, additional fields, cages
- local businesses willing to help sponsor
- willingness for a community to welcome such an event

I have noticed that Eastern traditionally has many of those intangibles, not to mention a baseball program run by a coach and atheltic department that thrives on showcasing its talent and facilities. I appear to be biased because my ties to ECSU, however, when you travel about and see other facilties in the Northeast, it is has to find many programs, and in particular, in D-3, that can even apply to be in consideration for such an opportunity.

Harwich and Auburn were gracious hosts. But it's hard to get everything right when weather is often a contributing factor in May baseball in the Northeast or upstate New York. Beggers can't be choosers. I think that Willimantic too, will be a gracious host. And on a personal note, I hope that the Warriors will be there too. Southern Maine, Keene, and RIC will be there to upset them. Its too early to make any predictions. We will have to wait and see.

[ECSUalum]

Here is what I was able to find from ECSU/other sites re NCAA D-III/NAIA New England/Northeast Regional BB Tourney. site locations for the past 30 odd years. I am missing 2 or 3 years which were most likely at one of the 3 sites below

Harwich  MA - 07, 06, 05, 02, 01

Mansfield/Willimantic  CT- 04, 03, 98, 95, 93, 88, 87, 85, 84,
82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77

Portland Gorham ME - 00, 97, 96, 91, 90, 89

[KSCfan]

USM is a very nice field however the lack of lights seems to be a problem.  WHen USM hosted the LEC's in 06 the first game was starting at something like 8am to try and get three games in.  Throw in an extra inning game, and or a rain delay and things start really getting screwy.  Does Eastern get money for hosting the site?  Because im sure that if they hosted the regionals at say a independant league team like Nashua Nh (Nashua Pride) or a minor league stadium such as CT defenders, Portland Seadogs, the NCAA would have to pay the teams, and or work it around thier schedule.  Is Harwich the best site on the cape, or is there maybe a better field on the Cape for the teams to play at? Just throwing some questions out there.  Jim Dixon seems to be wise in the ways of the NCAA's, Jim does the regional host site get money from the NCAA?

[ECSUalum]

USM is a very nice field however the lack of lights seems to be a problem.  WHen USM hosted the LEC's in 06 the first game was starting at something like 8am to try and get three games in.  Throw in an extra inning game, and or a rain delay and things start really getting screwy.  Does Eastern get money for hosting the site?  Because im sure that if they hosted the regionals at say a independant league team like Nashua Nh (Nashua Pride) or a minor league stadium such as CT defenders, Portland Seadogs, the NCAA would have to pay the teams, and or work it around thier schedule.  Is Harwich the best site on the cape, or is there maybe a better field on the Cape for the teams to play at? Just throwing some questions out there.  Jim Dixon seems to be wise in the ways of the NCAA's, Jim does the regional host site get money from the NCAA?

KSCfan,

Re, if the University gets, lets say, a lump sum from NCAA, I do not know.  Perhaps the way it goes is that ticket sales get split somehow.  If there is on campus housing used, maybe the University gets compensated for this and/or for set-up and implementation of the NCAA D-III playoffs.

It is a good question!!

As you say, maybe one of the other posters on this thread can enlighten us.

Certainly the non financial benefits are the exposure to the University, ( obviously when university site is utilized), and I have to believe, there is some small economic benefit to the city of Willimantic, (in the case of ECSU) with players, parents , press, others coming in for a week or so, utilizing local restaurants, hotels etc

[ecfaninri]

I do believe that a host institution receives some compensation for the administrative end of the tournament. I remember being involved in 1978 at Springfield College when SC was pressed into running the DIV. II NCAA Swimming Championships. The athletic department was responsible for supplying the NCAA with staff to run the 4 day meet. Any person hired by the school (work study etc.) was paid out of a fund set up by the NCAA to the school. I am sure it is the same way today.
In baseball I am sure the host school would have a grounds crew available, ticket takers, security, pa announcer, scoreboard operator, and a media relations (S.I.D. rep from the school) staff. The boosters would probably get the concession stand and the NCAA would probably set up a hospitality tent on site. I am sure the school's athletic trainers would also be available.
Bottom line, the NCAA is looking for host institutions to put on a class act performance. Harwich was a good site, however, the Cape during the pre-season (May) is not really in full swing and the field locations for the Cape Cod league probably don't have a full time grounds crew on board yet. I believe two years ago, when ECSU was there I remember talking to the grounds crew and they were from an area college. I don't remember which one, but they did a terrific job with the inclement weather.
Neutral sites would be the best way to go because then it doesn't look favoritism is part of the process. But remember, if you have never run a championship tournament, you have no idea what goes on prior to the event, during the event, and also the post tourney wrapup.

[dgilblair]

Also it will be interesting to see if the NCAA sends Eastern out of the region more often to try and compensate for the advantage they would get.  It is baseball season yet

I don't think there is any chance of Eastern being sent out if they make the regional.  Has anyone ever heard of that happening in the past?  The host team being sent out of town to play.

[Jcon8958]

Just saw the rankings USM is #5 Dont get me wrong here they do have alot of ;ast years team comingback but a top 5 team NO WAY. I wouldnt put them above 15. But hey thats why they play the games I guess

[KSCfan]

Jcon- where did you get that usm is number 5?  I just wanted to see who else was ranked and where.  And hell has frozen over because i agree with you, USM is not a number 5 team.  I dont even think that they are a top 15 team.  They did lose in the regional finals last year, but they are not a top 5 teams.  They dont have the pitching for that, and they lost some bats as well.  The preseason polls are notorious for "known" programs being ranked high.

[Jcon8958]

http://www.collegiatebaseball.com/polls/divIII/currentpolldiviii.htm

That is were USM is ranked #5 and yah this will be the last time we agree on anything i am sure hahaha

[ECSUalum]

From ECSU Athletics-  Baseball - Web Site
Monday, Dec. 29, 2008

EASTERN BASEBALL No. 10 IN DIII PRE-SEASON POLL

29-time NCAA qualifiers return 16 letterwinners in quest for fifth national title

Complete Poll


WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team has been ranked tenth nationally in the 2009 ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Division III National Pre-Season Poll.

Eastern was one of three New England teams ranked among the pre-season top 10 and one of four regional squads appearing in the listing of 30 institutions. Last year, the Warriors qualified for their 29th NCAA Division III tournament in the 33-year history of the championship. Seeded fifth in the eight-team New York Regional, Eastern advanced to the regional semifinals after losing its tournament opener.

Cortland State College, which won the New York Regional last year, was ranked first in the pre-season poll. The Red Dragons lost their first two games in last year's eight-team national tournament, which was won by Trinity College (CT). The Bantams are ranked sixth in the pre-season poll.

After being ranked No. 6 in last year's ABCA pre-season poll, the Warriors were never ranked higher than 26th in any of the six regular-season polls. Standing 10-9-1 in early April, Eastern won 17 of its final 19 regular-season games. The Warriors were eliminated in four games of the double elimination Little East Conference Tournament, but received an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament, where it won three straight games after an opening loss in the New York Regional before being eliminated by RPI, 14-13, in ten innings.



Under 41st-year head coach Bill Holowaty (1,249-466-6), Eastern returns 16 letterwinners from last year's 32-15-1 team. The Warriors return eight regular position players and seven regular pitchers. Among the top returnees are 2007 National Player-of-the-Year Shawn Gilblair (Windham), and 2007 All-America infielder Melvin Castillo (Danbury). Gilblair is a senior left-handed pitcher and DH and Castillo a junior middle infield. Both were named second-team All-ECAC last year, while Gilblair was also a second-team All-New England Region selection. Additional returnees are junior third-team all-region picks John Parke (Middlefield) and Chris Wojick (Uncasville). Parke plays both infield and outfield and Wojick is a relief pitcher. In addition to Gilblair, top returning pitchers are junior righty Matt Fontaine (Cranston, RI), senior righty James Kukucka (Vernon) and junior lefty Mike Tingley (Rockville). Tingley missed all of last year with an injury. A top newcomer figures to be University of Connecticut transfer Will Musson (Wethersfield), a junior third baseman/right-handed pitcher.



Eastern has won five regional championships in the last seven years. In 2002, the Warriors won their fourth and most recent national championship with an 8-0 victory over Marietta College in the title game at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis.

Eastern opens its 61st intercollegiate season with single games Feb. 28 and March 1 at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va.  The Warriors are scheduled to play seven games before playing seven games at the RussMatt Greater Phoenix Invitational. Eastern faces 2008 national runner-up Johns Hopkins University (ranked No.7 in the pre-season) in its tournament opener March 20. The Warriors host the University of Southern Maine in a doubleheader in their home and Little East Conference season-openers March 28. At No. 5, the Huskies are the highest-ranked New England team in the pre-season poll.