NAIA Baseball: A Level to be Considered
August 14th, 2008 - byMany of the student-athletes I work with are unaware of the NAIA level and I want to make sure you know a few things about it:
-NAIA stands for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 
-NAIA is a separate association of colleges who compete in intercollegiate athletics; similar to the NCAA
-These are generally smaller schools, but NAIA schools can give athletic scholarships, unlike DIII schools. If an NAIA program is fully funded it can offer 12 scholarships (more than DI and DII fully funded programs)
-Many of these coaches also rely on their own camps and showcases to recruit players. Like NCAA DII, NAIA coaches are allowed to invite players to workout for them at their schools to get a better look
- In the event the student-athlete feels that the school or team is not the right fit, he can transfer to another NAIA institution and compete the next season without sitting out a year. The same is true if an NCAA player wants to transfer to an NAIA program
-Some NAIA schools are playing at a DI level, while others are competing at a lower DIII level. The majority of the time, it is compared to DII baseball. Many of the top notch NAIA players are being drafted
A great example of a top program in NAIA is Lewis and Clark State College (LCSC). They have won 16 national championships, the latest in 2008. In comparison to the 2008 College World Series Champions, Fresno State University, Lewis and Clark State had four players drafted in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft as Fresno State had six.
It’s important to research colleges and learn about all of your options at the next level instead of just playing the “Name Game” by limiting where you think may be able play. I encourage you to check out the NAIA level and expand your options.
May 29th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
LCSC is the most over rated team in baseball history. I’ve played against them three years in the world series now… Beau Mills in 2008 and surprise Daryl Ward last year. LCSC host the world series every year guaranteeing them a world series birth… not hard to recruit players with that guarenteed every year. It’s too hard to get to and is in a hole in the wall town but I will admit, despite the pis-poor attitudes carried by their players the community is amazing and the citizens outside of the school is what makes the World Series experience. This year it was proven the LCSC is not a power house and finally good teams are allowed to go to the NAIA world series instead of Bush team like Ohio Dominican
June 7th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Most over-rated ever? How can that be? This year … I will most definitely agree they were over-rated in the rankings. They played so far below their typical play, yet remained in the top 10 all season. But ever – not possible. I agree with a lot of people that it is not fair that LCSC is guaranteed a slot every year, but even when LCSC was not guaranteed a slot in the past they still made it to the world series. After the world series was held in Lewiston from 1984-1991, everyone cried because LCSC won 7 of the 8 titles. What they don’t realize is that LCSC almost won the title the two years previous to moving to Lewiston in 1984. Then, everyone was so happy that they moved it out of Lewiston to Iowa. Guess what? LCSC won the very next year there also. Over the 8 years the world series was away from Lewiston, LCSC won 3 or the 8. Now, that doesn’t compare to the 7 of 8 the first go round and 6 of 10 this go round in Lewiston. But, if you look at the history of the NAIA college world series, only Grand Canyon (Az.) (4) and Lewis (Ill.) (3) had won at least 3 titles ever. So, you can see, 3 titles in 8 years away from LCSC proves they are not over rated. If you want more, they have won16 total national championships and placed 2nd 5 other times. I don’t care if LCSC has been given an auto berth in quite a few of those years, they still have to perform under pressure to win. Great teams do.
In addition, in the 32 years since Ed Cheff took over, LCSC has won 1657 games. That is over a 50 win average per year. They have won just under 80 of all games – 83% of all games are won when playing NAIA teams and right around 66% of all NCAA teams they play.
This year proved that LCSC can have a bad year, but in no way did it prove they are not a powerhouse. When they start losing year after year after year, let’s revisit the powerhouse comment. But until then, they will be considered the team to beat year after year.
Last note, I have narrowed you down to being on one of two teams. If you are from one team, you got spanked 19-0 the only time you and LCSC ever met in the world series. If you are from the other team, you have lost 3 of 4 to LCSC. Either way, do I sense a little bit of jealously towards LCSC’s accomplishments and your inability to perform when you actually are challenged? My two cents for what its worth