Mankato, Minn. ---- Minnesota State (40-13), the 2010 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champions, will make the program's 29th appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament when it participates in the NCAA Central Regional in Farmington, N.M., this week.
The NCAA announced the 48-team field Sunday evening. The double-elimination regional tournament, which is being held at Ricketts Field in Farmington, N.M., and is hosted by New Mexico Highlands, is scheduled to run May 13-16. The regional champion advances to the eight-team championship finals May 22-29 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
The Mavericks, who are making their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA postseason tournament, will face a team from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in Nebraska-Kearney (36-18) in first round action of this year’s NCAA Division II Central Regional Thursday. MSU is seeded second, UNK fifth. The other first round games pit #1 New Mexico Highlands (39-11) vs. #6 St. Cloud State (37-15) and #3 Mesa State (Colo.) (36-18) vs. #4 Winona State (36-14). Times for the regional tournament are expected to be announced Monday.
MSU’s NCAA History: MSU’s 29 NCAA Tournament appearances rank only behind Florida Southern’s 39 trips to the national tournament. The Mavericks stand 41-49 overall in NCAA regional play. The Mavericks have won four regional titles - 1971, 1979, 1980 and 1986.
Looking Back: After claiming the 2010 NSIC regular-season title, Minnesota State responded by going 4-1 to capture the NSIC tournament title in St. Cloud, Minn., last weekend. The Mavericks, who downed Wayne State, 7-4, to open the tournament Thursday, dropped a 9-4 decision to St. Cloud State to drop down to the loser's bracket. MSU then proceeded to win three straight games (20-4 over Winona State, 7-6 over Minnesota Duluth and 6-5 over Southwest Minnesota State) to claim its second consecutive NSIC tournament title and, along with it, the league’s automatic NCAA bid.
Five Minnesota State players were named to the 2010 NSIC All-Tournament Team - sophomore second baseman Matt Kuchenbecker, junior shortstop Zach Rowles, junior outfielder Aaron Berner, sophomore designated hitter Pat Dockendorf and junior pitcher Bret Mitchell.
Rowles, who hit .500 in MSU's five tournament games with five runs batted in, eight runs scored, four doubles and a home run, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
The Mavericks enter NCAA postseason action having won 13 of their last 16 games.
