North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Wolfpack Tries to Bring it Home
5/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BY TONY HAYNES
Raleigh, N.C. The last time NC State hosted an NCAA baseball regional, the games were played an hour away from the Raleigh Campus. With Doak Field in the midst of a massive renovation in 2003, the Wolfpack and three other teams took the NCAA Tournament to the cozy confines of Fleming Stadium in
Of course, one of the main reasons NC State athletic director Lee Fowler, baseball coach Elliott Avent and several boosters wanted so dearly to modernize Doak was to put the Pack program in a better position to be one of the 16 teams to host a first round NCAA Regional.
Is that dream about to become a reality? Could be.
Not only does NC State now have an NCAA-worthy facility and a loyal fan base, it also has the most important ingredient: a team that quite possibly could be good enough to be considered one of the top 16 seeds in the country.
Heading into this weekend’s non-conference games against
“It definitely could happen,” Fowler said. “We’ve got to keep winning and moving up. It’s important to end up in the top 12 or so to make sure that your bid is serious. I’ve talked to the chairman of the committee, Larry Templeton, and he gave me the parameters of what we needed to do to have the opportunity to host. He says it really comes down to how your team finishes. If you’re in the top 10, it’s pretty easy to get a regional."
Fowler and NC State associate director of athletics Dick Christy have been working to put the finishing touches on a bid that must be submitted to the NCAA no later than May 16. The 16 host sites will mostly be determined by merit. But there are also financial considerations. While No.1 regional seeds almost always host, there have been instances where No. 1 seeds have traveled to the home of schools that have either made more competitive financial bids or simply had more suitable facilities.
If NC State’s bid is rejected, it won’t be because the financial commitment falls short of what is needed.
“There’s no question about that,” Fowler said. “If we don’t get it, it won’t be because of the money we bid. That’s the way it should be because you have a great advantage of moving on in the tournament if you play at home. You want to give your student athletes the best chance to win and hopefully get to the College World Series.
Now 30-13 overall and 15-8 in the ACC, NC State has won 16 of its last 20 games. The Wolfpack is in a good position to finish second in the ACC’s Atlantic Division and fourth in the league overall. Still to come are ACC road series at
When that’s over, the Pack hopes to be back at Doak Field at
“It really limited us,” Fowler admitted. “We definitely wanted to host and as we built the facility, we really wanted to make sure that there were no limitations to that process.”
The fact that the ACC’s top three teams Miami, Florida State and North Carolina are also the top three teams in the RPI is both a blessing and a curse for NC State. On the positive side, the strength at the top of the league can only help the Wolfpack’s overall computer ranking. The one concern is that the selection committee has rarely awarded the ACC four host sites on the first weekend of regional play.
“That’s why we need to be up higher than just 16th,” Fowler said. “We need to be up in the top 12 or top 10 so there’s no way they can’t give you one. Anytime you give the committee a chance to make the right decision you have a lot better shot. Like anything else, winning is good and losing is bad. We need to keep winning. Elliott has done a good job of building this team from the early stages to where they are now.”
Another local team that will also warrant consideration for hosting a regional is
This weekend,
The opportunity to host a regional is within NC State’s grasp. Now it’s up to the Pack to bring it home with a strong finish.
Note: Lee Fowler will talk more about NC State's bid to host an NCAA regional on Inside Wolfpack Sports, Sunday at 10:30 on WRAZ Fox 50 in the Triangle.
