It's nearly March, so this week, I dissect the DII men's and women's basketball scene and the first DII baseball Power 10 rankings of the regular season.
It’s a Sparty party for the first DII baseball Power 10 rankings of the regular season
Welcome back to the 2024 DII baseball Power 10 rankings. This is the first top 10 of the regular season. Why do I wait so long? Considering the odd rolling start for the Northeast and Midwest teams, several teams didn’t even start play until the last week of February. Giving every team a couple of weekends to figure things out is usually a good place to start.
Tampa has certainly figured it out. Yes, the Spartans dropped a Monday game to fellow Power 10-er Seton Hill, but no team has run the table in college baseball. To have one loss by one run to a top-10 team this far into the season... well, Tampa is still every bit the No. 1 team in the land.
Remember, for the Power 10 there is no voting body; just me, some spreadsheets and a whole mess of notes and what I’m seeing at games. It is also important to note that the only games that matter to me are those played against DII competition. This is a look at the current landscape, trying to combine the eye test with selection metrics.
The first 2024 DII baseball Power 10 of the 2024 season
(Games and stats through Sunday, March 3)
No. 1 Tampa | Preseason: 2. The Spartans look like a DII baseball cheat code right now. They were 17-0 after this past weekend and have wins over nationally ranked Millersville, Central Missouri and Newberry and are not only winning ball games, but annihilating teams to a +168-run differential. That’s nearly 10 runs a game advantage.
No. 2 Central Missouri | Preseason: 8. The Mules ascend to No. 2 for several reasons. For one, they have played one of the toughest schedules thus far in 2024, with a SOS in the top 10 of DII. They have a series win against a then-undefeated Central Oklahoma team and bumped off Maryville — my Midwest Region sleeper — in a midweek battle. Chase Heath has hit in 10 of his last 11 games, Jack Schark has four multi-hit games in a row, and Josh Patrick just rakes… this lineup is loaded.
No. 3 North Greenville | Preseason: 3. The Crusaders are hitting everything, but this week ace Reece Fields showed why their pitching is dangerous as well, throwing a 15-strikeout no hitter. Infielder David Lewis — aka “The Volcano” — is erupting with 10 home runs and 38 RBI already on the young season. This team is stacked once again, but the Southeast is once again loaded, so there is a long way to go.
No. 4 Millersville | Preseason: 6. The Marauders are coming off a sweep of Goldey-Beacom which I think is a strong sleeper team this year. They are now 8-3 and have played an incredibly difficult SOS — a top-15 SOS in DII baseball to be precise. The PSAC looks loaded this season, so the hot start certainly helps. Alex Mykut is a true ace and Sam Morris, Matthew Williams and Jeff Sabater have proven to be tough outs early on.
No. 5 Augustana (SD) | Preseason: 4. The Vikings have only played eight games, so they don’t have some of the metrics that may warrant keeping them this high. But remember my preseason assessment: This lineup was loaded with experience, and after a 6-2 start, that’s showing as their top five hitters are all hitting north of .370 with an OPS over 1.000. Ashton Michek and Caleb Saari look tough in the rotation, too. This team will be tough.
No. 6 Missouri Southern | Preseason: Also considered. The Lions are piling up wins against a relatively tough SOS and have a 17-4 record to show for it. They have signature wins against Southern Arkansas, Minnesota State, and Illinois Springfield, and have compiled one of the best RPIs in DII baseball. The weekend rotation has looked good so far and Henry Kusiak and Will Doherty are a dangerous duo atop a solid lineup.
No. 7 Southern Arkansas | Preseason: First five out. The Muleriders just missed the preseason Power 10 and after an opening day loss to Missouri Southern, they have been rolling, now 15-2 on the season. The Muleriders have played a considerably tough schedule and have a 7-3 mark against plus-.500 teams with key wins against Maryville, Delta State, and a sweep this past weekend of nationally ranked Harding.
No. 8 West Florida | Preseason: 7. The Argos had a hot start before dropping two to Columbus State to close February. They rebounded with a huge sweep of Alabama-Huntsville this past weekend and now sit at 12-5 on the season. My preseason assessment hasn’t changed: Dalton Neuschwander and Kade Manderscheid atop the rotation give West Florida a chance to win every weekend series they play.
No. 9 Seton Hil | Preseason: 10 (tied). The Griffins have a small sample size but are now 7-1 after a tough two days to open the season. Though these rankings are based on games through this past Sunday, the Monday win against Tampa speaks volumes to the fight and experience this team has. The road doesn't get any easier this week with matchups against Ashland and Florida Southern.
No. 10 (tie) Point Loma, West Texas A&M | Preseason: Also considered, NR, respectively. The Buffs are off to a nice 13-5 start, but it is the metrics that lead to their Power 10 debut. They have played a tough schedule and have a 12-4 record in the South Central and are an impressive 7-1 against plus-.500 teams.
The Sea Lions had a tough weekend against Westmont. Still, it’s hard to overlook how they started the season with an abbreviated series split against Northwest Nazarene and a series win over Cal State Monterey Bay. Scott Anderson leads a very deep lineup, and the starters keep Point Loma in every game.
First five out (in alphabetical order):
- Ashland: The Eagles are 5-1 and could be the team to beat in the Midwest Region this season with all that experience returning. They were almost the No. 10 team, so keep an eye on what they do in Florida this week.
- Georgia Southwestern: The Hurricanes play in a very tough Southeast Region, but having Nick McCollum, Rijnaldo Euson and Andrew Geiger as your weekend rotation can go a very long way.
- Mount Olive: That was a big series win against Young Harris. This team always seems to play the tough competition very well.
- Young Harris: The Mountain Lions were rolling until they ran into a tough Mount Olive team this past weekend. First baseman Jeremy Begora is enough reason to watch this team each week.
- Wayne State (MI): The Warriors haven’t played a team with a winning record, but the 7-1 start is impressive. I like what I’ve seen from their rotation so far, which makes them dangerous in the GLIAC.
Six teams I’m watching closely: CSU Pueblo, Grand Valley State, Saint Leo, North Georgia, Northwest Nazarene, West Chester
Tourney time: What to watch as DII college basketball conference championships unfold
It is March and that means we are days away from the 2024 DII men’s and women’s basketball selection shows (which can be seen on krikya18.com). While many teams spent all season building their DII championship resume, the conference championships provide an avenue to completely shake things up.
Here are a few things to watch from each.
Tournaments already underway:
CIAA Champion
Men’s: Lincoln (PA)
Women’s: Fayetteville State
NE10 Semifinals, March 6-7; Finals, March 9-10
Men’s semis: Southern New Hampshire
Women’s semis: Bentley
NSIC Championships March 5:
Men’s: Minnesota State
Women’s: Minnesota State
PSAC March 4-10
Men’s: Gannon is one of the best stories of the year, going from 3-23 to 26-2 and the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region. Can they complete the run to No. 1? Winner: Gannon.
Women’s: West Chester is one of the hottest teams in the division, winners of 15 in a row. However, the PSAC is loaded at the top and the Golden Rams still need to make an impressive showing to feel safe on selection Sunday. Winner: Gannon.
SIAC March 3-10
Men’s: How about Clark Atlanta? This team was 8-20 a year ago and is currently 22-5 and in the regional rankings. However, four teams are battling for two spots in the DII bracket here. Winner: Clark Atlanta.
Women’s: Miles and Kentucky State both made the regional rankings, but it looks like there is only room for one. This tournament will decide who the lone SIAC representative is in the bracket. Winner: Miles.
CACC March 5, 9-10
Men’s: Both Jefferson and Bloomfield made the previous regional rankings, but are on the outside looking in. Which one makes the run to sneak into the DII men’s basketball championship? Winner: Jefferson.
Women’s: Only Jefferson, which seems to be a lock for the DII tournament, was in the previous regional rankings. Can Holy Family or Chestnut Hill make a miracle run and sneak into the DII tournament? Winner: Jefferson.
CCAA March 7-9
Men’s: This tournament has huge implications with five of the eight top teams in the West Region hailing from the CCAA. Last year, Cal State San Bernardino — who is grossly under ranked nationally — made a surprise run to the national semifinals. Does a repeat run start here? Winner: Cal State LA.
Women’s: There are four CCAA women’s basketball teams in the top eight, which means this tournament is pivotal to seeding. Last year, after three straight trips to the CCAA championship game, Cal State San Marcos finally won it. Can the Cougars repeat and grab the potential No. 1 seed in the West? Winner: Cal State San Marcos.
Conference Carolinas March 3-4, 8-10
Men’s: UNC Pembroke and Emmanuel (GA) are ranked very closely in the Southeast Region. Can the Lions get KJ Jones II — one of the greatest scorers in DII men’s basketball history — a CC championship and a chance to run deep in the bracket? Winner: UNC Pembroke.
Women’s: Right now, it looks like the winner of this tournament may be the lone representative in the DII bracket as only Francis Marion was in the second regional rankings. Can the Patriots get record-setting rebound machine Lauryn Taylor into the bracket so she can shine on the biggest stage? Winner: UNC Pembroke.
ECC March 6-10
Men’s: St. Thomas Aquinas may be the team to beat in the entire East Region. Daemen has split with the Spartans this year — can they take the potential rubber match and turn the East Region on its head? Winner: St. Thomas Aquinas.
Women’s: Expect to see Mercy in the final regional rankings after a big win over No. 9 St. Thomas Aquinas. The Mavericks are one of the hottest teams in the division and could play spoiler in a wide-open East. Winner: Daemen.
GAC March 7-10
Men’s: The Central Region has long been MIAA/NSIC country, meaning the winner of the GAC is usually the lone team into the bracket. This should come down to Southeastern Oklahoma State or Arkansas Tech. Winner: Arkansas Tech.
Women’s: Southern Nazarene and Harding aren’t simply the best two teams in the GAC, but two of the best in the country, making them pretty much locks for the DII tournament. So, all eyes are on Northwestern Oklahoma State, currently No. 9 in the Central, and have a big win against Harding just two weeks ago. Winner: Henderson State.
GLIAC March 6, 9-10
Men’s: Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State should be safe, but Ferris State has to make a little run to keep themselves in the DII bracket hunt. The Bulldogs have lost to both Northern Michigan and Lake Superior State — both of which are ahead of them — in February. Winner: Ferris State.
Women’s: Grand Valley State is arguably the best defense in DII women’s basketball and utterly dominated its way in avenging its lone DII loss to Ferris State. Can anyone stop the Lakers right now? Winner: Grand Valley State.
GLVC March 7-10
Men’s: UIndy is rolling, winners of nine of its last 10, but what can Upper Iowa do in its first year in the GLVC? Winner: William Jewell.
Women’s: Drury has been a top-3 seed in the Midwest every year since 2017 and hasn’t lost a first-round game in what feels like an eternity. If the Panthers don’t win the GLVC, that streak may be broken. Winner: Lewis.
G-MAC March 5-9
Men’s: Kentucky Wesleyan has been mostly a .500 team for quite some time, so people may forget this is the winningest program in DII men’s basketball championship history with eight national titles. The Panthers are looking to restore the roar. Winner: Walsh.
Women’s: Ashland last lost a G-MAC game way back on Feb. 17, 2022 — and that came in overtime to a nationally ranked Walsh team. Don’t expect that streak to end here. Winner: Ashland.
GNAC March 7-9
Men’s: It will take a surprise run to knock MSU Billings from its perch. One thing to watch — a Yellowjackets’ men’s and women’s GNAC tourney championship could earn them the No. 1 host seed in both the men’s and women’s DII bracket. Winner: Central Washington.
Women’s: The big three atop the GNAC have all beaten up on each other so don’t be surprised if Alaska Anchorage, which has won seven of its last eight including wins against Western Washington and MSU Billings, captures the GNAC title. Winner: Western Washington.
GSC March 5-10
Men’s: Alabama Huntsville is the team with the most on the line this week as it would take a lot for West Georgia and Lee to fall out of the rankings. A Chargers’ deep run can potentially fend off Morehouse and Miles for the final spot in the South. Winner: West Georgia.
Women’s: Auburn Montgomery went from 7-21 to 19-9 in one year and will need to get pretty deep into the GSC tourney to feel safe on a DII tournament debut. Winner: Valdosta State.
LSC March 7-10
Men’s: With Fort Lewis and West Texas A&M both losing to close out the regular season, the Buffs may still be the top team in a ridiculously loaded South Central. That said, the Buffs — who looked unbeatable a mere two weeks ago — have lost two of three so they have to impress in the LSC tourney to lock down the No. 1 seed. Winner: Eastern New Mexico.
Women’s: The South Central is very RMAC-heavy at the moment, so there is room for a little Lone Star surprise. As always, I’m very curious as to what Lubbock Christian can do, which has not been its normal dominant self against the top-ranked teams this year. If any team can get hot in March, it’s the Chaps. Winner: Texas Woman's.
MEC March 6-10
Men’s: Lincoln (PA) won the CIAA for the first time since 1948, which means Concord, Fairmont State and West Virginia State are battling for the DII tournament lives. Depending on what happens in the PSAC, it looks like there will only be room for one of the three. Winner: Charleston (WV).
Women’s: Virginia State losing in the CIAA semifinals may open the door for Charleston (WV) to sneak into the No. 8 seed. The Golden Eagles will have to make the MEC finals to feel safe. Winner: Fairmont State.
MIAA March 6-10
Men’s: Northwest Missouri State has won 13 in a row and the MIAA looks like Bearcats Country once again. Let’s see what that Fort Hays State defense — one which held the Bearcats to its lowest scoring total of the season — can do in the tourney. Winner: Northwest Missouri State.
Women’s: Missouri Western has won 14 in a row and enter the MIAA tournament with tons of momentum. However, a trio of teams in Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri State and Central Missouri are battling for the final two spots in the Central making for some tricky matchups. Winner: Pittsburg State.
PacWest March 7-9
Men’s: It looks like the winner of the PacWest is in, and then it would take a lot of help from other conferences to see a second team make the DII bracket. Point Loma and Academy of Art appear to be destined for a rubber match to decide their postseason fate. Winner: Azusa Pacific.
Women’s: Azusa Pacific is the likely No. 1 seed in the West, so we turn our attention to Fresno Pacific and Dominican (CA). Neither were in the second regional rankings, but have 20 and 19 wins respectively, so a run to the PacWest finals could send a message to the selection committee. Winner: Azusa Pacific.
PBC March 6-10
Men’s: The top three teams in the Southeast Region hail from the Peach Belt (Lander, North Georgia and USC Aiken). You think this will be a fun tournament to watch? Winner: North Georgia.
Women’s: Augusta, Columbus State, and Lander all have a ton on the line. With the winner of Conference Carolinas taking a spot away from the current top eight, all three are battling for what appears to be one spot. You got to love March. Winner: Georgia Southwestern.
RMAC March 5-9
Men’s: Colorado Mesa, Fort Lewis and Colorado School of Mines are three of the best teams in the country. We’re talking top 15. This tournament will have no rhyme or reason because Black Hills State and MSU Denver are really strong but fly under the radar because of how good the top three are. Winner: Fort Lewis.
Women’s: Adams State is red-hot, winners of nine in a row and looking for its first DII tournament bid since 2011. The Grizzlies are currently in the No. 8 spot with a pair of RMAC teams right behind them, so every win matters to make that come true. Winner: Regis.
SAC March 5-8
Men’s: There is no easy path for any SAC men’s team to the tournament. Lincoln Memorial is putting it together at the right time and has one of the best players in the division in Martez Brown, so the Railsplitters may once again be the team to beat. Winner: Catawba.
Women’s: Five of the top six teams in the Southeast regional rankings hail from the Southeast, so don’t expect any surprise teams to make a run. What you can expect is one of the toughest conference tourneys to unfold. Winner: Wingate.
SSC March 5-10
Men’s: Nova Southeastern is the defending champs, No. 1 in DII, and riding a 12-game winning streak. I think you can expect the Sharks fourth trip to the DII Men’s Elite Eight in the past five years in 2024. Winner: Nova Southeastern.
Women’s: Embry-Riddle is a really good story here, going from a sub-.500 team last year to in the DII tourney hunt this year. The Eagles will have to make at least the SSC semifinals to feel somewhat safe but keep an eye on Eckerd. The Tritons had a tumultuous season but could shake things up in a must-win-every-game situation. Winner: Eckerd.
What Wayne’s Watching
DII indoor track championships, March 8-9: Find participants, schedule, and results here.
Men’s and women's basketball selection show, Sunday, March 10: Watch men’s and women’s on krikya18.com.
Baseball
• Mount Olive at North Greenville, March 8-9
• Barton at Yong Harris, March 9-10
• Lenoir-Rhyne at Tampa, March 8-10
• Seton Hill at Florida Southern, March 8-9
• Colorado Mesa at MSU Denver, March 8-10
• West Georgia at Montevallo, March 8-9
• Delta State at Alabama-Huntsville, March 8-9 (check after this weekend)
Softball
• West Texas A&M at Oklahoma Christian, March 8-9
• Wilmington (DE) at Tampa, March 7
• The Spring Games, Week 2 from Winter Haven, Florida (Grand Valley State, Minnesota State and Winona State, just to name a few).
DII lacrosse
• MEN'S: No. 1 Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 3 Limestone; No. 2 Rollins at No. 5 Adelphi, Sat. March 9
• WOMEN'S: No. 5 Florida Southern at No. 1 Pace, Thurs. March 7; No. 4 Adelphi at No. 9 East Stroudsburg, Sat. March 9
Stars of the Week (ish)
KJ Jones II of Emmanuel (GA) scored his 3,000th career point last week. That makes him just the 13th player in DII men’s basketball history to reach that lofty plateau.
Speaking of Jones II, he joined Drew Blair (Minnesota Duluth), Isaac Fink (Augustana (SD)), Jake Hilmer (Upper Iowa), Zach Laput (Bentley), Ethan Porterfield (Indiana (PA)) on the 15-player Trevor Hudgins Award watchlist which recognizes the small college basketball senior with the finest overall career.
Wayne State (MI)’s Karter Fitzpatrick — the reigning GLIAC pitcher of the year — set the program record for career wins with No. 25. He has plenty of season left to add to his total.
The Most Dominant Wrestler Award standings didn’t see much change heading into DII wrestling regionals this week. The most dominant wrestler and falls leader in Division II remains Scott Joll from UNC Pembroke. At 5.43 points per match, Joll has led all four weeks of the ranking thus far. Max Shore of Tiffin leads DII in tech falls.
DII women’s lacrosse stars Ari Hilton (Davis & Elkins) and Sydney Tiemann (Maryville) share quite the honor for 2024 so far. On Feb. 23, each scored nine goals in their games, tying for the season-high single-game mark.
On the Radar
DII swimming and diving championships, March 12-16: Participants, schedule, and results.
DII wrestling championships, March 15-16: Participants, schedule, and results.
The 2024 DII Championships Festival (Spring), May 19-25: Visit the DII Festival hub.
Did I miss someone or something? It sure is possible. Don’t forget to drop me a line at Wayne.Cavadi@WBD.com and get your stars of the week in by every Monday.
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