The Drovers are Headed to Lincoln, Neb. as the No. 3 Seed in the NAIA Opening Round
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Wednesday, the NAIA announced that the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (34-18, 18-9 SAC) would be a No. 3 seed for the 2025 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round, their ninth appearance in a row in the national tournament. In total, it is USAO's 10thappearance in the tournament all-time.
For the second year in a row, the Drovers will be in the Lincoln, Neb. bracket, which will feature Webber International University (Fla.) as the No. 1 seed, No. 2 Concordia University (Neb.), No. 3 USAO, No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan University, and No. 5 Mount Mercy University (Iowa).
Opening Round sites are played May 12-15, and site selections were made in part by the NAIA Baseball National Championship Selection Committee, comprised of head coaches and administrators from NAIA membership. Selections take into account geography, facilities and host qualification, and bids were due April 15.
Of the opening round sites, four will feature four teams, and six will play within five-team brackets, and all sites are double-elimination. In all, 46 teams will converge on the 10 host sites, playing for 10 positions in the Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series, played at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho, May 23-31.
#1 WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY (Fla.) – record: 41-13, 18-10 SUN
The Warriors qualify for the tournament with an automatic bid as the Sun Conference Tournament champions. Webber is making its seventh appearance in the national tournament.
#2 CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (Neb.) – record: 40-11, 25-3 GPAC
The qualify for the national tournament with an automatic bid as the regular season champions of the Great Planes Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs are making their seventh appearance in the Opening Round.
#3 UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA – record: 34-18, 18-9 SAC
The Drovers qualify for the tournament with an automatic bid after winning the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament for the fifth time in program history. USAO finished the regular season in third place in the SAC but have been heating up at the right time of the year, having won 12 of their last 16 games, including three wins against opponents that are ranked in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll.
On Monday, May 5, the Drovers captured their fifth SAC Tournament championship and clinched an automatic bid to their ninth consecutive NAIA Opening Round appearance. USAO currently owns a 34-18 overall record and held a 18-9 record against conference opponents in the regular season. They went 5-1 in the SAC Tournament, sweeping College of the Ozarks in the best of three series, followed by one win against No. 19 ranked Mid-America Christian and two wins against No. 22 Wayland Baptist University.
USAO also put together a very competitive schedule, with 17 of their 52 games coming against opponents that are ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. In those elite matchups, the Drovers put together a solid 9-8 record.
Out of 14 total series' this year, the Drovers were unbeaten, having won 11 of those sets, and split three. USAO did drop the regular season series' 2-1 against MACU and College of the Ozarks, but the Drovers turned things around in the postseason, sweeping the Bobcats 2-0 in the best of three series, followed by a 11-5 against the Evangels to pull the season-series even.
Through 52 games this season, the Drovers have scored nearly eight runs per game (7.79), while holding opponents to 4.57 runs per contest. The offense has produced a .324 batting average with 526 hits, 89 doubles, 54 home runs, and 405 runs scored. The pitching staff also made a resurgence this season, compiling a team earned run average of 4.56, which is the best in the Sooner Athletic Conference. They have struck out 383 batters, while only issuing 126 walks in 392.2 innings of work.
#4 INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY - record: 29-20, 21-15 Crossroads League
The Wildcats qualify for the tournament with an automatic bid as the runners-up of the Crossroads League Tournament. They are making their fifth appearance in the national tournament.
#5 MOUNT MERCY (Iowa) - record: 33-21, 21-11 HAAC
The Mustangs qualify for the tournament with an automatic bid as the runners-up of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament. They are making their second consecutive appearance in the national tournament. The Drovers faced the Mustangs at the Opening Round in Lincoln last spring and claimed a 4-2 win.
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The Drovers are headed to Lincoln, Neb. as they make their 9th consecutive national tournament appearance!