Hampton, VA… The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association has been granted its’ first-ever NCAA Baseball Automatic Qualification, beginning this post-season (2007). 

The NCAA requires that a conference must have six institutions to sponsor baseball to be considered for automatic qualification. With the addition of North Carolina Central University to the list of baseball sponsoring institutions, the CIAA qualifies this season.

The CIAA has not participated in NCAA postseason competition since 1990, when the Norfolk State University Spartans earned a bid to the North Atlantic Regional.  The Spartans earned bids in 1988, 1989 and 1990, and have been the only CIAA institution to ever have participated in the NCAA Baseball post-season.

This ground-breaking advancement comes well on the heels of the recent successes celebrated by the CIAA. For the past four years, the CIAA has led Division II annually in team categories including, Stolen Bases Per Game, Total Stolen Bases and Runs Per Game. 

Not only does CIAA Baseball produce student-athletes that can hold their own against NCAA competition, the CIAA can also boast of its ability to send players to the professional ranks. Last season, ECSU Senior, Carlos Gutierrez became the second baseball player from ECSU to be signed to a major league franchise. Gutierrez signed with the Vancouver Canadians, an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

Now that the CIAA has made its way to the post-season, student-athletes will have the opportunity to put their talents to the ultimate test… a run for the NCAA Division II National Championship.

How Does the CIAA Fare Against the Competition?

NCAA Division II Baseball Records

Runs Per Game (National Leader)

                        Games  Wins    Losses  Runs     Avg.

1994    Shaw    31        24       7         319     10.20

1995    Shaw    41        28       13       423     10.32

2003    Shaw    35        19       16       361     10.31

2004    ECSU  34        21       13       377     11.08

2005    Shaw    32        13       19       321     10.03

Stolen Bases Per Game (National Leader)

                                    Games  Wins    Losses  Ties      SB       SBA     Avg.

1992    Bowie St.         31        14       16       1         112     137      3.61

2003    Shaw                35        19       16                   159     173      4.54

2004    ECSU              34        21       13                   170     186      5.00

Stolen Bases

2004    ECSU              34        21        13                    170      186      5.00

Last CIAA Appearance in NCAA Division II Baseball Post-Season

1988- South Atlantic Regional

Columbus State 6                     Norfolk State 4

Kentucky Wesleyan 12             Norfolk State 6

1989- North Atlantic Regional

Shippensburg 4                         Norfolk State 3 (11 innings)

Slippery Rock 16                     Norfolk State 4

1990- North Atlantic Regional

Norfolk State   16                    Indiana (PA) 15

Philadelphia U. 7                      Norfolk State 1

Philadelphia U. 8                      Norfolk State 7

-30-