List of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball champions explained

List of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball champions
Optional Subheader:Conference baseball championship
Sport:Baseball
Conference:Southwestern Athletic Conference
Years:1921–1932, 1949–2019, 2021–Present
Most Recent:2022
Current Champion:Alabama State
Most Championships:Southern, 34
Trophy:Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Championship
Website:https://swac.org/feature/swacbaseball2021

This list of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball champions concerns the overall conference baseball championship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference. The top four finishers in each conference division participate in a two-bracket, double-elimination tournament to determine the overall conference champion; it was most recently played in Birmingham, Alabama, between May 25 and May 29.[1] The winner of the tournament also receives an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament and, since 2019, to the HBCU World Series.[2]

History

Background

The SWAC was established in 1920,[3] and the conference is known to have sponsored baseball as a league sport until around the uncertain times of the Great Depression and World World II before sanctioning it again in 1949[4] (even early SWAC power Wiley College shut down its baseball program after the 1932 season, despite featuring a rising young star infielder from the Chicago area in Pat Patterson[5]). Between 1959 and 2003, only Southern, Jackson State, and Grambling State won SWAC championships. The league office itself has even been known to refer to these schools as the "Big Three."[6] However, since 2004, seven programs have won championships, suggesting greater competitiveness in the league.[6] Also, with the SWAC tournament now including eight schools,[7] simply more lower-seeded teams have an opportunity to compete for the conference crown.

Determining conference champions

Though the league championship was normally determined by the regular season conference standings, for the first three seasons after the SWAC had renewed sponsorship of baseball in 1949, a championship series was held;[8] [9] [10] the conference was divided into northern and southern divisions during that time period.[11] In 1977 the league returned to division play—this time with eastern and western divisions (reflecting the changes in conference membership)—with the division winners again facing off in a best-of-three championship series.[12] After the 1980 series featured a fourth consecutive JSU–SU match-up,[13] [14] [15] the series was successfully converted into a more inclusive four-team, double-elimination tournament for the 1981 season, guaranteeing that at least one school that had never won the SWAC title before could compete in it (the four-team field was expanded to six teams in 2000[16] and eight teams in 2008[7]).

Current status

A three-year deal was signed in 2020 to return the tournament to Smith–Wills Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.[17] However, just two weeks after that agreement was announced, the NCAA canceled all spring championship events for the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] Then, less than a month before the 2021 tournament, it was announced that it would be relocated from Jackson to Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama "due to enhanced COVID-19 protocols."[19] The 2022 tournament was split between Regions Field and Jerry D. Young Memorial Field in Birmingham.[20]

Champions

Conference championships by year

The following is a list of conference champions, organized by year.[21] The league office apparently does not acknowledge titles earned prior to 1959 in its public releases.[6] [22] [23] It is not immediately clear if this is due to space constraints or poor record-keeping—or if the conference simply does not consider pre-1959 titles as "official." At that time the SWAC began to change significantly with a shift in membership from smaller, private Christian colleges in and around Texas—many of whom are now members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics's Red River Athletic Conference—to larger, secular public universities spread throughout the Deep South (Grambling and Jackson State were particularly notable additions, especially as far as baseball competition was concerned). Southern also won the NAIA World Series in 1959. The conference began changing demographically at that time as well, with southern universities beginning to integrate.

Year Champion(s) Coach(es)
1949Forrest Kelley
Shannon Little
1950 [26] [27] [28] [29] Bob Lee
1951 Ernest Sterling[30]
1952 [31] [32] Bob Lee
1953 [33] Bob Lee
1954 [34] [35] Bob Lee
Forrest Kelley[36]
1955 [37] Bob Lee
1956 [38] Forrest Kelley
1957 [39] Bob Lee
1958 [40] [41] Forrest Kelley[42]
1959 Bob Lee
1960 Bob Lee
1961 Prez Jones
1962 Prez Jones
1963 Prez Jones
1964 Prez Jones
1965 Emory Hines
1966 Emory Hines
1967 Prez Jones
1968 Bob Hill
1969 Emory Hines
1970 Emory Hines
1971 W. C. Gorden
1972 Emory Hines
1973 Bob Braddy
1974 Emory Hines
1975 Emory Hines
1976 Emory Hines
1977 Bob Braddy
1978 Bob Braddy
1979 Leroy Boyd
1980 Bob Braddy
1981 Leroy Boyd
1982 Bob Braddy
1983 Wilbert Ellis
1984 Wilbert Ellis
1985 Wilbert Ellis
1986 Bob Braddy
1987 Roger Cador
1988 Roger Cador
1989 Bob Braddy
1990 Bob Braddy
1991 Roger Cador
1992 Roger Cador
1993Bob Braddy
Roger Cador
1994 Bob Braddy
1995 Bob Braddy
1996 Roger Cador
1997 Roger Cador
1998 Roger Cador
1999 Roger Cador
2000 Bob Braddy
2001 Roger Cador
2002 Roger Cador
2003 Roger Cador
2004 Candy Robinson
2005 Roger Cador
2006 Michael Robertson
2007 Michael Robertson
2008 Candy Robinson
2009 Roger Cador
2010 James Cooper
2011 Barrett Rey
Waskyla Cullivan
Omar Johnson
Omar Johnson
Michael Robertson
Mervyl Melendez
Michael Robertson
Michael Robertson
Kerrick Jackson
2020 (tournament canceled, due to COVID-19 pandemic)
Chris Crenshaw
José Vázquez
Note: in 1993 Jackson State and Southern were declared co-champions, due to weather forcing the cancellation of the SWAC baseball tournament final.

Conference championships by school

School No. of
titles 		Year(s)
34 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2019, 2021
16 1968, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2013, 2014
9 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2010
5 2004, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2018
4 1925, 2006, 2007, 2012
4 1925, 1954, 1956, 1958
2 2016, 2022
1 2011
1 1949
1 1951

Western Division championships by school

School No. of
titles 		Year(s)
30 1977,[43] 1978, 1979, 1980,[44] 1982,[45] 1984,[46] 1986,[47] 1987,[48] 1990,[49] 1991,[50] 1992,[51] 1994,[52] 1995,[53] 1996,[54] 1997,[55] 1998,[56] 1999,[57] 2000,[58] 2001,[59] 2002,[60] 2003,[61] 2004,[62] 2005,[63] 2008,[64] 2009,[65] 2011,[66] 2012, 2013, 2019, 2022
7 1981, 1983,[67] 1985,[68] 1988,[69] 1989,[70] 1993,[71] 2017
3 2014, 2015, 2016
3 2006,[72] 2007,[73] 2021
3 2005, 2010,[74] 2018

Eastern Division championships by school

School No. of
titles 		Year(s)
26 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008,[75] 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2021
7 1981, 1985, 1988,[76] 1997, 2001, 2002, 2011[77]
6 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022
6 1983,[78] 2003,[79] 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009[80]
Note: in 2006 Jackson State initially clinched at least a share of the Eastern Division championship[81] but, after forfeiting conference games for the use of ineligible players, fell behind Mississippi Valley State by the final division standings.[79]

Northern Division championships by school

School No. of
titles 		Year(s)
3 1949,[82] 1950, 1951
1 1949

Southern Division championships by school

School No. of
titles 		Year(s)
2 1949, 1950
1 1951

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022 SWAC Baseball Tournament Set to be Held at Regions Field. swac.org. January 13, 2022. 2022-05-30.
  2. Web site: NCAT, Southern Canceled. meacsports.com. May 22, 2019. 2021-05-24.
  3. Web site: Athletics: SWAC History. www.swac.org. 2017-08-28.
  4. Web site: Southern Wins Conference Title. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 2). May 5, 1957.
  5. Web site: Bill Johnson. Andrew Patterson. Sabr.org. 2021-12-16.
  6. Web site: SWAC Notebook - May 13: Will Recent Baseball Tournament Trend Continue?. www.swac.org. May 13, 2009. 2017-08-17.
  7. Web site: 2008 SWAC Baseball Tournament brackets are set. swac.org. May 12, 2008. 2017-08-17.
  8. Web site: Bishop Captures Baseball Playoff. Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. A, p. 2). May 12, 1949.
  9. Web site: Bishop Loses Title Series. Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 1). May 7, 1950.
  10. Web site: Texas College Plays Bishop Nine Today. Tyler (Tex.) Morning Telegraph (p. 10). March 14, 1952.
  11. Web site: Bishop, Southern In Title Playoff. Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 3). May 8, 1949.
  12. Web site: Jags Eye 4th Straight Baseball Title: Open Season Feb. 27. Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. C, p. 9). January 30, 1977.
  13. Web site: LA. College Baseball Roundup: Jackson State Nips Jags To Win Title. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p.5). May 1, 1978.
  14. Web site: Joe Planas. April 30, 1979. Smith's 2-Run Homer Gives Southern SWAC Crown, 5–3. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  15. Web site: Barber pitches Jags into SWAC playoffs. Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. F, p. 4). May 4, 1980.
  16. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 4, 2000. Jaguars look for fourth straight SWAC title. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 1).
  17. Web site: SWAC baseball tournament coming to Mississippi. Associated Press News. February 28, 2020. 2020-03-16.
  18. Web site: Stacey Osburn. March 12, 2020. NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships. www.ncaa.org. 2020-03-16.
  19. Web site: 2021 SWAC Baseball Tournament Relocated to Toyota Field. bamastatesports.com. April 23, 2021. 2022-05-30.
  20. Web site: Composite Schedule. swac.org. May 2022. 2022-05-30.
  21. Web site: All-Time SWAC Champions List. SWAC. 2012-09-02.
  22. Web site: Past Baseball Champions. swac.org. 2021-03-18.
  23. Web site: All-Time Champions. swac.org. 2019-06-11.
  24. Web site: Athletics. The Prairie yearbook (p. 192). 1926.
  25. Encyclopedia: Wiley College. encyclopedia.sabr.org. July 27, 2009. 2021-03-25.
  26. Web site: Southern Cats to Battle Xavier's Gold Rush Nine. New Orleans Times–Picayune (p. 24). April 9, 1951.
  27. Web site: Final Rites Set Today For Bob Lee. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 6). December 8, 1970.
  28. Web site: Southern University Jaguars Baseball: 2009 SWAC Baseball Champions. https://web.archive.org/web/20170829115044/http://www3.subr.edu/baseball/index.html. August 29, 2017. www3.subr.edu. November 23, 2021.
  29. Web site: Episode Three - Meet Coach Dan Canevari. The Coach Roger Cador Show. March 11, 2015. 2017-08-14.
  30. Web site: Play Here Friday: Bishop, Texas College Vie Tonight in Tyler. Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (B, p. 1). May 2, 1951.
  31. Web site: Xavier, Southern Collide in Benefit Contest Today. New Orleans Times–Picayune (p. 13). May 17, 1952.
  32. Encyclopedia: Southern University and A & M College. encyclopedia.sabr.org. July 27, 2009. 2021-03-25.
  33. Web site: Southern Stages Athletic Banquet. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. B, p. 4). May 19, 1953.
  34. Web site: Jaguar Cats Win Southwest Track Crown. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 2). May 9, 1954.
  35. Web site: Panthers Bow Twice To Wiley Ball Team. New York Age Defender (p. 19). May 15, 1954.
  36. Web site: U. G. Lee. July 13, 1957. Kelley Resigns Wiley Grid Post. Memphis Tri-State Defender (p. 14).
  37. Web site: Southern Nine Captures SWC Baseball Title. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. B, p. 4). May 7, 1955.
  38. Web site: N. Hodge. March 8, 1957. Wiley College Nine Opens '57 Baseball Drills. Montgomery Alabama Tribune (p. 6).
  39. Book: James Prosek. 1959. Blue Book of College Athletics for 1959–60. McNitts, Inc. (p. 68).
  40. Web site: Jaguars' '59 Baseball Slate Is Announced. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. B, p. 2). June 24, 1958.
  41. Web site: Southern Nine To Close Slate Against MVC. May 14, 1959. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 5).
  42. Web site: SWAC Officials Set Plans For 1958 Football Season. Huntsville (Ala.) Mirror (p. 7). August 9, 1958.
  43. Web site: Joe Planas. April 30, 1979. Smith's 2-Run Homer Gives Southern SWAC Crown, 5–3. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  44. Web site: Jackson puts Southern out. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1). May 5, 1980.
  45. Web site: Jags open SWAC playoffs Thursday. Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. C, p. 2). May 2, 1982.
  46. Web site: Ron Higgins. May 3, 1984. Jags open bid for SWAC baseball title today. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 2).
  47. Web site: In Brief: Jag baseball team in SWAC tourney. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. E, p. 1). April 30, 1986.
  48. Web site: JSU wins SWAC East after free-for-all. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 5).
  49. Web site: 5 Jaguars make All-SWAC team. Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. C, p. 11).
  50. Web site: SWAC regular-season baseball declared over. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 3). April 30, 1991.
  51. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 29, 1992. SU counts on Calvin, Bennett. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  52. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 29, 1994. SU team to beat in SWAC: Jaguars go for four in a row. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  53. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 28, 1995. SWAC tourney opens: Southern to face Alcorn in nightcap. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 1).
  54. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 17, 1996. Time Out: Jaguars paying attention to detail. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  55. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 19, 1997. SWAC Spring Sports Championships: J-State deals SU 5–4 tourney loss. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. F, p. 1).
  56. Web site: Scott Gremillion. April 15, 1998. High Expectations: Southern places focus on SWAC tournament. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, pp. 1–2).
  57. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 7, 1999. Team play could carry SU to crown. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 1).
  58. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 5, 2000. Southern to face Texas Southern today. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 5).
  59. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 5, 2001. Southern goes deep on TSU: Jaguars use 'team effort' to advance in SWAC. Baton Rouge Saturday (sec. E, p. 1).
  60. Web site: SWAC Glance. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 3). May 2, 2002.
  61. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. April 20, 2003. Pressure no problem for Southern: Jaguars clinch SWAC West. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 1).
  62. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 6, 2004. Jaguars look for X-factors: Southern faces Jackson State in SWAC Tournament today. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 1).
  63. Web site: Home runs pace Southern to sweep of TSU. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 11). May 8, 2005.
  64. Web site: Joseph Schiefelbein. May 18, 2008. Goldman, Aceto lift Prairie View. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 8).
  65. Web site: Perryn Keys. May 17, 2009. SWAC tourney questions: League set to converge on Lee–Hines Field. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 7).
  66. Web site: Perryn Keys. May 17, 2011. Family comes 1st for Jaguars' Hall. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, pp. 1–2).
  67. Web site: State college roundup: Southern. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 4). May 14, 1983.
  68. Web site: Joe Planas. May 1, 1985. SU coach thinks Jaguars can take golf, tennis titles. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 8).
  69. Web site: Grambling players recognized. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 5). May 17, 1988.
  70. Web site: Grambling elimates Southern: G-Men, J-State meet for SWAC championship. Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 1). May 1, 1989.
  71. Web site: Scott Gremillion. May 10, 1993. Jaguars, Tigers named co-champs. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  72. Web site: Hornets Headed For SWAC Baseball Tournament. bamastatesports.com. May 12, 2006. 2019-06-17.
  73. Web site: 2006-07 Southwestern Athletic Conference Year in Review. grfx.cstv.com (p. 7). 2007. 2019-06-17.
  74. Web site: Scott Hotard. May 18, 2010. SU, Alcorn to meet before tournament. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 2).
  75. Web site: Jamea Adams-Ginyard. 2009. 2009 Jackson State Baseball Media Guide. Jackson State University Athletic Media Relation Department (p. 2).
  76. Web site: Lee Feinswog. May 2, 1988. Jaguars advance to final: Southern to face Grambling again. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 1).
  77. Web site: SWAC Baseball: West Settled; East Scenarios. swac.org. May 9, 2011. 2019-06-17.
  78. Web site: Jaguars rally for 11–6 win, face G-Men next. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 2). May 7, 1983.
  79. Web site: Jackson State out of SWAC tournament. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 5). May 11, 2006.
  80. Web site: West teams dominate Day 1 of Baseball Tournament. swac.org. May 20, 2009. 2019-06-17.
  81. Web site: SWAC East affected by decision. Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 2). May 5, 2006.
  82. Web site: Arkansas State, Bishop Tangle In Playoff Series. Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (p. 7). May 3, 1949.

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