For the third season in a row, there was a first-time DII baseball national champion. Long-time Cary stalwart Angelo State finally hoisted its first trophy, defeating Rollins 6-5 for the 2023 DII baseball title. Angleo State will look to join a very exclusive club in 2024: Since Chapman defeated Delta State in the first championship series in 1968, there have been 12 programs to reach the pinnacle of the DII baseball world multiple times.
Tampa’s most recent title in 2019 gave them eight all-time. Let’s take a look at the programs with the most national championships in DII baseball lore.
9 — Florida Southern (1971-72, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2005)
The Mocs have set the bar for DII baseball. Along with Tampa, they have made the South Region the premier region in the division. Florida Southern was the first team to go back-to-back, winning its first two championships consecutively. The Mocs kept things steady, winning at least one title in every decade since the 1970s. They came close in 2018 and have some pressure on them in 2019 to keep that streak alive.
8 — Tampa (1992-93, 1998, 2006-07, 2013, 2015, 2019)
Tampa added to its total in 2019, sweeping its way to its eighth national championship. Back-to-back championships have only been achieved six times in the 51 years of the DII baseball championship. The Spartans are owners of two of those occasions. Tampa first won consecutive titles in 1992 and 1993 before doing it again in 2006 and 2007. Head coach Joe Urso was at the helm the second time. He was also a driving force as a star second baseman for the 1992 national champs.
3 — Cal Poly Pomona (1976, 1980, 1983)
John Scalinas had the Broncos as a power in the Wild West throughout the late 70s and 80s. From 1976 to 1988, Cal Poly Pomona won the CCAA six times and took home three national championships, including the 1976 title in its first NCAA tournament appearance in program history. There was quite a postseason lull in Pomona until recently when the Broncos have made the NCAA tournament five times in the past eight seasons. They are back in form to try to add more to the trophy case.
2 — Nine teams tied
While impressive, it’s hard to believe that Central Missouri and Chico State only have two titles. The Mules have made it to the final eight 16 times in the past 30 years, while the Wildcats have made it nine. They are two of the more successful programs in that aspect.
CSUN, Jacksonville State, Troy, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside have all moved on to Division I but were able to reel in two titles apiece as DII programs.
Southern Indiana and West Chester are the two most recent schools to join the multi-title club of DII. Southern Indiana won its first two titles in a five-year span, winning one in 2010 and the next in 2014. Jad Prachniak has made West Chester an Atlantic Region power, winning titles in 2012 and 2017.
West Chester crowned the 2017 DII Baseball Champions
Here’s the complete list of DII baseball champions:
| YEAR | CHAMPION (RECORD) | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | *Angelo State | Kevin Brooks | 6-5 | Rollins | Cary, N.C. |
| 2022 | *North Greenville | Landon Powell | 5-3 | Point Loma | Cary, N.C. |
| 2021 | Wingate | Jeff Gregory | 5-3 | Central Missouri | Cary, N.C. |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | ||||
| 2019 | *Tampa | Joe Urso | 3-1 | Colorado Mesa | Cary, N.C. |
| 2018 | *Augustana (SD) (52-9) | Tim Huber | 3-2 | Columbus State | Cary, N.C. |
| 2017 | *West Chester (44-11) | Jad Prachniak | 5-2 | UC San Diego | Grand Prairie, Texas |
| 2016 | *Nova Southeastern (44-16) | Greg Brown | 8-6 | Millersville | Cary, N.C. |
| 2015 | Tampa (43-13) | Joe Urso | 3-1 | Catawba | Cary, N.C. |
| 2014 | Southern Indiana (49-13) | Tracy Archuleta | 3-2 (12) | Colorado Mesa | Cary, N.C. |
| 2013 | Tampa (47-12) | Joe Urso | 8-2 | Minn. St.-Mankato | Cary, N.C. |
| 2012 | West Chester (46-10) | Jad Prachniak | 9-0 | Delta State | Cary, N.C. |
| 2011 | West Florida (52-9) | Mike Jeffcoat | 12-2 | Winona State | Cary, N.C. |
| 2010 | Southern Indiana (52-14) | Tracy Archuleta | 6-4 | UC San Diego | Cary, N.C. |
| 2009 | Lynn (46-16) | Rudy Garbalosa | 2-1 | Emporia State | Cary, N.C. |
| 2008 | *Mount Olive (58-6) | Carl Lancaster | 6-2 | Ouachita Baptist | Sauget, Ill. |
| 2007 | *Tampa (53-10) | Joe Urso | 7-2 | Columbus State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2006 | *Tampa (54-6) | Joe Urso | 3-2 (12) | Chico State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2005 | Florida Southern (51-11) | Pete Meyer | 12-9 | North Florida | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2004 | Delta State (54-11) | Mike Kinnison | 12-8 | Grand Valley State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2003 | Central Missouri (51-7 | Brad Hill | 11-4 | Tampa | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2002 | Columbus State (48-15) | Greg Appleton | 5-3 | Chico State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2001 | St. Mary’s (Texas) (50-13) | Charlie Migl | 11-3 | Central Missouri | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 2000 | *Southeastern Oklahoma (43-12) | Mike Metheny | 7-2 | Fort Hays State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1999 | Chico State (50-17) | Lindsay Meggs | 11-5 | Kennesaw State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1998 | *Tampa (46-14) | Terry Rupp | 6-1 | Kennesaw State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1997 | *Chico State (52-11) | Lindsay Meggs | 13-12 | Central Oklahoma | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1996 | *Kennesaw State (48-17) | Mike Sansing | 4-0 | St. Joseph’s (Ind.) | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1995 | *Florida Southern (51-10) | Chuck Anderson | 15-0 | Georiga College | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1994 | Central Missouri (51-11) | Dave Van Horn | 14-9 | Florida Southern | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1993 | *Tampa (43-21) | Lelo Prado | 7-5 | #Cal Poly | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1992 | Tampa (42-19) | Lelo Prado | 11-8 | Mansfield | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1991 | Jacksonville State (41-12) | Rudy Abbott | 20-4 | Missouri Southern State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1990 | Jacksonville State (43-9) | Rudy Abbott | 12-8 | Cal State Northridge | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1989 | #Cal Poly (38-25) | Steve McFarland | 9-5 | New Haven | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1988 | *Florida Southern (48-10) | Chuck Anderson | 5-4 (10) | Cal State Sacramento | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1987 | *Troy (38-10-1) | Chase Riddle | 7-5 | Tampa | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1986 | Troy (46-8) | Chase Riddle | 5-0 | Columbus State | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1985 | *Florida Southern (48-10) | Chuck Anderson | 15-5 | Cal Poly Pomona | Montgomery, Ala. |
| 1984 | Cal State Northridge (46-21-1) | Bib Hiegert | 10-5 | Florida Southern | Riverside, Calif. |
| 1983 | *Cal Poly Pomona (41-22) | John Scolinos | 9-7 | Jacksonville State | Riverside, Calif. |
| 1982 | *UC Riverside (36-23) | Jack Smitheran | 10-1 | Florida Southern | Riverside, Calif. |
| 1981 | *Florida Southern (55-8) | Joe Arnold | 9-0 | Eastern Illinois | Riverside, Calif. |
| 1980 | *Cal Poly Pomona (42-25-1) | John Scolinos | 13-6 | New Haven | Riverside, Calif. |
| 1979 | Valdosta State (47-14) | Tommy Thomas | 3-2 | Florida Southern | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1978 | Florida Southern (41-8) | Joe Arnold | 7-2 | Delta State | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1977 | UC Riverside (43-19) | Jack Smitheran | 4-1 | Eckerd | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1976 | Cal Poly Pomona (40-27-1) | John Scolinos | 17-3 | SIU-Edwardsville | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1975 | Florida Southern (35-10) | Hal Smeltzly | 10-7 | Marietta | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1974 | UC Irvine (48-8) | Gary Adams | 14-1 | New Orleans | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1973 | *UC Irvine (44-12) | Gary Adams | 9-6 | Ithaca | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1972 | Florida Southern (31-6) | Hal Smeltzly | 5-1 | Cal State Northridge | Springfield, Ill. |
| 1971 | Florida Southern (34-4) | Hal Smeltzly | 4-0 | Central Michigan | Springfield, Mo. |
| 1970 | Cal State Northridge (41-21) | Bob Hiegert | 2-1 | Nicholls State | Springfield, Mo. |
| 1969 | *Illinois State (33-5) | Duffy Bass | 12-0 | Missouri State | Springfield, Mo. |
| 1968 | *Chapman (35-18) | Paul Deese | 11-0 | Delta State | Springfield, Mo. |
*Indicates undefeated teams in final series
#Participation vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions
