DII Report: The latest Field of 56 before the hugemongousest weekend of DII baseball... ever?
This weekend's matchups are so big, I made up a word!
Before we get to this week’s DII Report, there are two orders of business to take care of. First, apologies for no report last week. This will happen from time to time, especially in the madness of March when there were two incredible tournaments in the men’s and women’s converging at once.
Which leads to No. 2. Each year since 2016, I attempt to predict the DII football, DII men’s and women’s basketball, and DII baseball and softball bracket. Every said year, I have my naysayers for my picks. I would like the record to show for this year’s DII women’s basketball bracket, I correctly picked four DII Women’s Elite Eight teams, three of the four semifinalists, and the exact championship game matchup (which is going to be an amazing game tomorrow, Saturday, April 1. Don’t believe me? Here’s everything to know).
Perhaps you are impressed by my crystal ball-esque skills. If so, perhaps you can PLEASE consider supporting the DII Report financially HERE!
Now, why we’re here.
The hugemongousest weekend of DII baseball... ever?
The Power 10 rankings haven’t changed much this week, but that won’t last for long. There are four tremendous matchups that WILL affect the regions, national rankings, and my own Power 10. Three of the top four teams are playing a nationally ranked power and that includes the red-hot North Greenville Crusaders. Something has to give.
I broke down those four series, as well as provided the updated Power 10 this past Wednesday on NCAA.com (READ IT HERE).
The DII Report Field of 56 for 2023 (Games through Monday, March 27)
(Note from the author: Sometimes I make mistakes, and I apologize for that. In shuffling my picks from the last Field of 56 to this week, I mistakenly omitted West Chester from the Atlantic Region and had two Mercyhursts listed. I have updated and bolded where the correction has been made, West Chester is No. 5 in the Atlantic.)
Atlantic (7)
Millersville
East Stroudsburg
Charleston (WV)
Seton Hill
West Chester
Shippensburg
Mercyhurst
First out: Shepherd, Slippery Rock
East (7)
SNHU
Franklin Pierce
New Haven
Pace
Molloy
Goldey-Beacom
Southern Connecticut State
First out: Wilmington (DE)
Central (8)
Missouri Southern
Southern Arkansas
Arkansas Tech
Central Missouri
Minnesota State
Harding
Pittsburg State
St. Cloud State
First out: Central Oklahoma, Ouachita Baptist
Midwest (7)
Quincy
Illinois-Springfield
Wayne State (MI)
Ashland
Maryville
Grand Valley State
Northwood
First out: Drury , William Jewell
South (8)
Tampa
Montevallo
Rollins
Valdosta State
Florida Southern
West Georgia
Albany State
Barry
First out: Florida Tech
South Central (6)
Angelo State
Colorado Mesa
St. Edward’s
UT Tyler
West Texas A&M
MSU Denver
First out: Lubbock Christian, TAMU-Kingsville
Southeast (7)
North Greenville
Columbus State
Wingate
Lemoir-Rhyne
Newberry
UNC Pembroke
Mount Olive
First out: USC Aiken
West (6)
Azusa Pacific
Point Loma
Cal State San Bernardino
Hawaii Hilo
Cal State Monterey Bay
Northwest Nazarene
First out: Chico State