The BC Eagles played perennial powerhouse Texas in the NCAA baseball tourney over the weekend in the longest (25 innings) college baseball game ever. While they eventually lost 3-2, it was impressive for a program that has not been to the baseball tourney since a guy named Yaztrezemski played for the Sox.
The bigger story, I think is that it another example of just how wrong all the naysayers were who claimed academically-elite northern universities couldn’t compete in the ACC. Since joining in 2005, the Eagles have been in two ACC football championships, took Duke to the wire in an ACC basketball championship, and now have a resurgent baseball program even though they practice for the first couple months of the season in a heated bubble over the Alumni Stadium gridiron’s Field Turf. All of this was accomplished without compromising academics or other sports (e.g. top-rankings in academics, graduation rates and APR, #9 in the Stack ranking of football programs, the men’s ice hockey program took the national championship last year.)
So to all those who doubted that private northern schools could run a successful all-sports program, here is a big fat raspberry. I still wish Syracuse had come along with us.
Here is the story as reported on New England Cable News
June 2nd, 2009
I for one am glad Syracuse didn’t come to the ACC. Your inclusion of my alma mater causes me to assume you are referring to me as one of the “naysayers”? Is that an accurate assumption?
June 2nd, 2009
BTW, kudos to the Eagles’ baseball team – as someone who had a friend who pitched for a New England D1 program, I know how impossible it is for cold-weather colleges to put together a great baseball team.
June 2nd, 2009
Nope. Never thought of you as a naysayer. And my feelings about Syracuse’s once-possible inclusion in the ACC were intended to be complimentary.
June 3rd, 2009
Oh I know they were intended as such and I took them that way. I just still am glad to be in the Big East, despite the conference’s woes in football.
June 4th, 2009
methinks you’d be having more fun if you were in the ACC, Scooter! of course, Duke might’ve beaten your L’Orange in football, but, that’s it’s own, pitiful matter entirely!