While Northern Colorado toasts the completion of its first year in the Big Sky Conference, the Bears’ baseball program isn’t in on the celebration.
The football and men’s and women’s basketball teams have a new home, but baseball did not receive a set of keys. The Big Sky does not administer baseball, forcing that Bears team to wallow in the no-man’s land of Division I independents.
“This university has a great tradition in baseball,” UNC coach Kevin Smallcomb said, referring to 10 appearances in the College World Series from 1952 to 1974. “We’re trying to bring baseball back to prominence, but it’s a challenge. Not being in a conference makes the challenge a lot tougher.”
Like in basketball, every college baseball player wants to experience the NCAA Tournament. But as in basketball, most spots in the baseball tourney go to teams in strong conferences.
Smallcomb said he believes an independent had better reach at least 40 victories to even be considered for an at-large berth by the selection committee.
Under present circumstances, the chances of that ever happening at UNC are slim, Smallcomb conceded. The leagueless Bears (14-33) must face powerhouses such as Arizona, Nebraska, Wichita State and Arkansas – all on the road – in order to bank a guarantee of as much as $5,000 from each. Besides, other than Air Force, who else are the Bears going to play?
The Bears ended the regular season Friday with a 4-1 loss to South Dakota State and now head to the Division I independent tournament that begins Wednesday in Orem, Utah.
“We need to solve Problem One before we address any other problems. We need to get baseball in a conference,” UNC athletic director Jay Hinrichs said.
Hinrichs and Smallcomb are working on it. Last year, UNC approached the Englewood-based Western Athletic Conference about joining as an affiliate member for baseball only. A proposal for UNC, Dallas Baptist and Texas-Pan American to join as a package was rejected by WAC coaches last August. WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the door isn’t closed, however. The WAC has affiliate schools in four sports, including baseball with Sacramento State – which lost two of three games against UNC during a trip to Greeley last weekend.
Only six of the WAC’s nine regular members play baseball. Having three more schools join Sacramento State as affiliate members would allow the WAC to form two five-team divisions, a format that reduces travel expenses.
“There are very few Division I baseball programs in the West,” Benson said. “My guess is that we’ll continue to look at options for baseball, and Northern Colorado would be in the picture.”
The WAC is UNC’s first choice, Hinrichs said. A second option would be the Chicago-based Mid-Continent Conference, which has Southern Utah as one of its six baseball teams.
The Mid-Continent, which is changing its name to The Summit League starting June 1, will review adding UNC as an affiliate member in baseball and softball at meetings in mid-June. Commissioner Tom Douple said the main concern about adding UNC is travel. As well, the conference may be “hesitant” because it has added three schools to get to 10 members as of July 1.
“If you added Northern Colorado baseball and softball, schools basically in the Midwest would have to travel twice to the West because of Southern Utah,” said Douple, who added there wasn’t an easy way to package trips to Greeley and Cedar City, Utah. “The positive is it gets you another Division I opponent.”
Without a conference to promote for baseball, the Bears can’t attract blue-chip recruits or solicit enough interest from private donors or corporate sponsors.
“We go to places where their entire outfield wall is covered by advertisements,” said UNC’s John Ray, a senior catcher. “We’ve only got a couple.”
UNC’s scholarship allotment pales in comparison to those of their opponents. The NCAA allows the equivalent of 11.78 out-of-state scholarships for Division I baseball. While Smallcomb distributes about $44,000 among his 30 players each year, marquee programs might have $240,000 or more to divvy up.
The cancellation of six home games in February because of weather and an absence of a conference schedule caused UNC to play its first 24 games on the road. Smallcomb said 80 percent of Division I games are won by the home team.
“Our schedule is going to take a toll on our record but I don’t know how else to build a program,” said Smallcomb, a Californian and former highly regarded junior college coach who stands 120-141 in five seasons at UNC.
“By playing against those schools, our guys get to play at some of the finest facilities in the country. And they’re getting exposed to (pro) scouts in different regions. It’s great for recruiting. And it’s national exposure for our program.”
Despite the troubles, Hinrichs said baseball at UNC is on solid footing, albeit with a shoestring budget. The program is not in jeopardy, he said.
“Remember, I spent 18 years working for the Kansas City Royals,” Hinrichs said. “My heart is in baseball.”
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
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UNC sports/At a glance
All 17 Northern Colorado sports will officially complete a four-year transition to Division I status sometime this spring or summer when the school receives approval by the NCAA. Here is how the Bears fared this school year during the transition:
MEN
Sport Records Conf.
Baseball 14-33 Independent
Division I independent tournament begins Wednesday.
Basketball 4-24, 2-14 Big Sky
Finished in last place; ineligibile for postseason tourney because of NCAA reclassification requirements.
Cross country – Big Sky
Eighth at nine-team conference championships.
Football 1-10, 0-8 Big Sky
Last in league; outscored 280-80 in Big Sky games.
Golf – Independent
Third in seven-team D-I ind. championships.
Tennis 4-14, 1-6 Big Sky
Seventh of eight teams participating.
Track and field – Independent
Fifth at 12-team D-I independent championships.
Wrestling 5-11, 2-4 WWC
Fifth in seven-team Western Wrestling Conference.
WOMEN
Sport Records Conf.
Basketball 5-24, 2-14 Big Sky
Eighth in nine-team conference.
Cross country – Big Sky
Ninth at nine-team conference championships.
Golf – Independent
No conference or postseason events.
Soccer 6-12, 2-5 Big Sky
Seventh of eight teams participating.
Softball 10-39 Independent
Lost in semis of six-team D-I independent tourney.
Swimming – Independent
Third in 14-team Pacific Collegiate Swimming Conference championships.
Tennis 6-13, 2-5 Big Sky
Sixth of eight schools participating.
Track and field – Independent
Sixth in 10-team D-I independent championships.
Volleyball 13-16, 7-9 Big Sky
Fifth in nine-team league; lost in semis of BSC tourney.
