Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament

The Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament decides the conference baseball championship of the NCAA Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference. The top four finishers in each conference division participate in a two-bracket, double-elimination tournament, most recently played in Birmingham, Alabama, between May 25 and May 29, 2022.[6] The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament and, since 2019, to the HBCU World Series.[7]

Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament
Conference baseball championship
SportBaseball
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Number of teams8[1]
FormatTwo-bracket double-elimination with single elimination final
Current stadiumRuss Chandler Stadium
Current locationAtlanta, GA
Played1949–1951, 1977[2]–2019, 2021
Last contest2024
Current championGrambling State
Most championshipsSouthern, 19
TV partner(s)ESPN3[3] (ESPNews[4] and ESPNU,[1][5] in prior years)
Official websitehttps://swac.org/feature/swacbaseball2021
Host stadiums
Russ Chandler Stadium (2023-2024)
Jerry D. Young Memorial Field (2022)
Regions Field (2022)
Toyota Field (2021)
Wesley Barrow Stadium (2014–2019)
LaGrave Field (2013)
Lee–Hines Field (2003, 2008–2009, 2012)
Fair Grounds Field (2001, 2010–2011)
Pete Goldsby Field (1977, 1979, 2008)
Smith–Wills Stadium (2000, 2007)
Trustmark Park (2006)
Rickwood Field (2005)
Baseball USA (2004)
W. Peyton Shehee, Jr. Stadium (2002)
Pilot Field (2002)
"Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium (1996–1999)
Chester Willis Field (1988–1995)
Bringhurst Field (1986–1987)
Neagle Field (1985)
University Park (1978, 1980, 1982, 1984)
Old Tiger Field (1981, 1983)
Steer Stadium (1951)
Fair Park Stadium (1949–1950)
Host locations
Atlanta, GA (2023-2024)
Birmingham, AL (2005, 2022)
Madison, AL (2021)
New Orleans, LA (1996–1999, 2014–2019)
Fort Worth, TX (2013)
Baton Rouge, LA (1977, 1979, 2003, 2008–2009, 2012)
Shreveport, LA (2001–2002, 2010–2011)
Jackson, MS (1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 2000, 2007)
Pearl, MS (2006)
Houston, TX (1985, 2004)
Natchez, MS (1988–1995)
Alexandria, LA (1986–1987)
Grambling, LA (1981, 1983)
Tyler, TX (1951)
Marshall, TX (1949–1951)

History

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Background

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The SWAC was established in 1920,[8] and the conference is known to have sponsored baseball as a league sport until around the uncertain times of the Great Depression and World World II before sanctioning it again in 1949.[9] Between 1959 and 2003, only Southern, Jackson State, and Grambling State won SWAC championships. The league office itself has even been known to refer to these schools as the "Big Three."[10] However, since 2004, seven programs have won championships, suggesting greater competitiveness in the league.[10] Also, with the SWAC tournament now including eight schools,[1] simply more lower-seeded teams have an opportunity to compete for the conference crown. However, allowing lower-seeded teams to stake claim to the title and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament may have also come with a price; from 2000—when the SWAC tournament field expanded to six teams[11]—to 2016, SWAC entrants went just 4–36 in NCAA regional play.[12]

Origins of the modern tournament

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Though the league championship was normally determined by the regular season conference standings, for a brief time after the SWAC renewed sponsorship of baseball in 1949, a championship series was held.[13][14][15] The roots of the modern tournament began in 1977 when the league split into eastern and western divisions, with the division winners facing off in a best-of-three championship series;[2] Jackson State and Southern met in that first series.[16] A true tournament format was initially planned for the conclusion of the 1980 regular season, but SWAC officials were unable to assemble it in time—so another two-team championship series ended up being held in its place instead.[17] After the 1980 series featured a fourth consecutive JSU–SU match-up,[18][19][20] the series was successfully converted into a more inclusive four-team, double-elimination tournament for the 1981 season, guaranteeing that at least one school that had never won the SWAC title before could compete in it (the four-team field was expanded to six teams in 2000[11] and eight teams in 2008[1]). That first tournament, held in Grambling, Louisiana, actually had the reverse effect though as it included division champions Grambling and Alcorn State—but then still gave division runners-up Southern and Jackson State yet another opportunity to win the title;[21] indeed, Southern did win the rain-delayed tournament.[22] Only Alcorn State's 1997 title game appearance prevented the Big Three from having a complete monopoly over the finals until 2003. However, between 2003 and 2019, every single title game had at least one non-Big Three team in it.

Host cities and venues

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Initially, the earliest tournaments alternated between the home stadiums of the western and eastern division champions. Although the event had been played off-campus before (at Pete Goldsby Field, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana), it was played in a non-qualifier's hometown (Houston, home of Texas Southern) for the first time in 1985[23] and then moved to its first true neutral location for the 1986 edition—a rainy affair held at the old Bringhurst Field in Alexandria, Louisiana.[24] But the tournament has not evolved without growing pains. It has changed locations numerous times over the years (including nine different stadiums for the eight tournaments played between 1999 and 2006). The tournament has not necessarily been easy for potential host cities to bid on, as the SWAC office has sometimes preferred bids that cover multiple sports facilities for an entire "SWAC Spring Sports Festival" encompassing all league-sponsored sports that have championship tournaments near the end of the spring semester.[25] Also, promises made during these bidding processes have not necessarily always come to pass. For example, the 2004 championship game was supposed to be played at Minute Maid Park, a Major League Baseball stadium,[26] but this was ultimately not pursued after Houston's bid was accepted.

Evolving tournament formats

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The competition's changing format has also been questioned. In 2002 a weary columnist for the Baton Rouge Advocate lamented, "The SWAC Tournament has had a different venue and a different format each of the last four years. In that span, there have been times where both the site and the format were decided just weeks before the event."[27] Indeed, multiple people associated with the Southern program over the years have expressed disappointment with format adjustments, hinting that it could be done to reduce odds of the Jaguars winning yet another tournament.[28][29][30] One of the tournament's most vocal critics has been Roger Cador,[27][31] who served as an assistant or head coach at Southern during most of the SWAC tournaments that have been held. In 2019 the league office responded by hiring Cador in an advisory role as staff liaison to "assist with marketing, promotions, and game management/event operations" for the tournament.[32]

Notable games and superlatives

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Southern ultimately ended up advancing to the first twelve playoff and tournament championship games and then reached another nine in a row between 1991 and 1999. Besides the partial cancellation of the 1980 tournament, in 1993 the then-Natchez, Mississippi-based tournament was canceled by SWAC commissioner James Frank before the championship game could be played, due to the field's condition after enduring lightning and rain delays with only "makeshift tarps" available; the title game participants, Jackson State and Southern, were subsequently declared co-champions.[29] This was not the first rain-plagued tournament held in Natchez,[33] nor was it the last. In 1994 rain pushed Southern into playing three full nine-inning games on the day of the championship; the exhausted team ended up losing the finale by a mere one run.[34] In 1995 the stadium was double-booked with Mississippi High School Activities Association playoff games during one of the days.[35] In 2004 Texas Southern not only broke the Big Three's hold on the trophy but also set a title game scoring record in the process by winning 18–1.[36] The 2005 tournament, which was held at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham—then the new home of the SWAC offices[37]—was suspended during the record 15th inning of the championship game due to stray gunfire generated from a gang fight that occurred on the street behind the center field wall; the teams and fans alike were forced to scramble for cover.[38] Since then, the tournaments have been held relatively drama-free; however, even then rain delays at the 2008 event[39] required the use of an additional facility in an attempt to stay on schedule[40] with its new eight-team format. In 2021 JSU (which had finished 24–0 in league play and was also undefeated in the conference tournament) lost the title game to Southern 7–6 following a dramatic 3-run, ninth inning home run; the responding outfielder was unable to make a play on the ball after colliding with, and falling through, an unlocked bullpen gate.[41]

Current status

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A multi-year contract to hold the tournament at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, Texas starting with the 2013 tourney was canceled after only one year due to the venue being in a state of disrepair.[42] The event found a stable home after that at Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans, which is associated with initiatives by the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy to promote increased participation by minorities in the sport[43]—something that the SWAC has a vested interest in as a conference for historically black universities. In 2019 New Orleans served as a host city for the SWAC tournament for the tenth time—the most of any city (Natchez's Chester Willis Field is the venue that has hosted both the most tournaments overall and the most consecutive tournaments—eight between 1988 and 1995). A three-year deal was then signed in 2020 to return the tournament to Smith–Wills Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.[44] However, just two weeks after that agreement was announced, the NCAA canceled all spring championship events for the 2020 season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[45] Then, less than a month before the 2021 tournament, it was announced that it would be relocated from Jackson to Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama "due to enhanced COVID–19 protocols."[46] The 2022 tournament was relocated as well, to Birmingham.[47]

Champions

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Conference tournament championships by year

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The following is a list of conference tournament champions and tournament sites, organized by year.[48] The tournament determined the conference's overall championship each year that it was played; in years that it was not held, conference standings generated through regular season play determined the overall champions. However, the league office apparently does not acknowledge titles earned prior to 1959 in its public releases.[10][49][50] It is not immediately clear if this is due to space constraints or poor record-keeping—or if the conference simply does not consider pre-1959 titles as "official." At that time the SWAC began to change significantly with a shift in membership from smaller, private Christian colleges in and around Texas—many of whom are now members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics's Red River Athletic Conference—to larger, secular public universities spread throughout the Deep South (Grambling and Jackson State were particularly notable additions, especially as far as baseball competition was concerned), and Southern also won the 1959 NAIA World Series. The conference also began to change demographically at that time as well, with southern universities beginning to integrate.

Championship series-era champions

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Year Champion Coach(es) Runner-up Score No. of
teams in
championship
series
Venue(s) Location(s)
1949 Bishop College Forrest Kelley[13] Southern 4–0[13] 3[51] Fair Park Stadium Marshall, TX[51][52]
Shannon Little[13]
1950 Southern Bob Lee[53] Bishop College 7–3[14] 2 Fair Park Stadium Marshall, TX[54]
1951 Texas College[55] Ernest Sterling[15] Bishop College (unavailable) 2 Steer Stadium Tyler, TX[15]
(unavailable) Marshall, TX[15]

Note: Bishop College won the Northern Division outright in 1950 and 1951 but tied with Arkansas–Pine Bluff in 1949, facing them in a best-of-three series for the right to advance and play the Southern Division winner[51] in a best-of-three series;[13] Southern won the Southern Division in 1949 and 1950, and Texas College won it in 1951.

Playoff-era champions

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Pete Goldsby Field of Baton Rouge, Louisiana: the most used existing venue for the SWAC Baseball Tournament during its playoff-era.
Year Champion Coach[50] Runner-up Score No. of
teams in
playoffs
Venue Location
1977 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 4–0[56] 2[2] Pete Goldsby Field Baton Rouge, LA[16]
1978 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 3–2 2 University Park Jackson, MS[18]
1979 Southern Leroy Boyd Jackson State 5–3 2 Pete Goldsby Field Baton Rouge, LA[19]
1980 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 14–4[57] 2 University Park Jackson, MS[20]

Tournament-era champions

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Wesley Barrow Stadium of New Orleans: the second-most used venue for the SWAC Baseball Tournament.
 
Lee–Hines Field of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana: the most used existing on-campus venue for the SWAC Baseball Tournament.
Year Champion(s) Coach(es)[50] Runner-up Score No. of
teams in
tourney
Venue(s) Location
1981 Southern Leroy Boyd Grambling State 6–0[58] 4[21] Old Tiger Field Grambling, LA[17]
1982 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 9–8[59] 4 University Park Jackson, MS[60]
1983 Grambling State Wilbert Ellis Southern 10–8 (12 inn.)[61] 4 Old Tiger Field Grambling, LA[62]
1984 Grambling State Wilbert Ellis Southern 7–2[63] 4 University Park Jackson, MS[64]
1985 Grambling State Wilbert Ellis Southern 17–7[65] 4 Neagle Field Houston, TX[23]
1986 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 10–5[66] 4 Bringhurst Field Alexandria, LA[24]
1987 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 17–13[67] 4 Bringhurst Field Alexandria, LA[68]
1988 Southern Roger Cador Grambling State 14–0[69] 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[70]
1989 Jackson State Bob Braddy Grambling State 18–4 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[71]
1990 Jackson State Bob Braddy Grambling State 6–4[72] 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[33]
1991 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 5–2[73] 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[74]
1992 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 10–6[75] 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[76]
1993 Jackson State Bob Braddy (championship game canceled,
due to inclement weather)
4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[29]
Southern Roger Cador
1994 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 6–5 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[34]
1995 Jackson State Bob Braddy Southern 10–4[77] 4 Chester Willis Field Natchez, MS[35]
1996 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 7–3[78] 4 "Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium New Orleans, LA[79]
1997 Southern Roger Cador Alcorn State 12–8[78] 4 "Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium New Orleans, LA[80]
1998 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 11–7[78] 4 "Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium New Orleans, LA[81]
1999 Southern Roger Cador Grambling State 13–8[78] 4 "Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium New Orleans, LA[82]
2000 Jackson State Bob Braddy Grambling State 12–11[78] 6[11] Smith–Wills Stadium Jackson, MS[83]
2001 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 10–6[78] 6 Fair Grounds Field Shreveport, LA[84]
2002 Southern Roger Cador Jackson State 14–2[78] 6 W. Peyton Shehee, Jr. Stadium Shreveport, LA[85]
Pilot Field
2003 Southern Roger Cador Mississippi Valley State 10–7[78] 4[86] Lee–Hines Field Baton Rouge, LA[42]
2004 Texas Southern Candy Robinson Mississippi Valley State 18–1[36] 4[87] Baseball USA Houston, TX[36]
2005 Southern Roger Cador Prairie View A&M 6–5 (15 inn.)[78] 6[88] Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL[89]
2006 Prairie View A&M Michael Robertson Alcorn State 3–2[78] 6 Trustmark Park Pearl, MS[90]
2007 Prairie View A&M Michael Robertson Southern 8–7[78] 6 Smith–Wills Stadium Jackson, MS[91]
2008 Texas Southern Candy Robinson Prairie View A&M 12–11[78] 8[1] Lee–Hines Field Baton Rouge, LA[40]
Pete Goldsby Field
2009 Southern Roger Cador Alcorn State 12–10 8 Lee–Hines Field Baton Rouge, LA[78]
2010 Grambling State James Cooper Alcorn State 15–2 8 Fair Grounds Field Shreveport, LA[78]
2011 Alcorn State Barrett Rey Southern 12–6[78] 8 Fair Grounds Field Shreveport, LA[92]
2012 Prairie View A&M Waskyla Cullivan Mississippi Valley State 7–4 8 Lee–Hines Field Baton Rouge, LA
2013 Jackson State Omar Johnson Prairie View A&M 6–2 8 LaGrave Field Fort Worth, TX[42]
2014 Jackson State Omar Johnson Alabama State 9–8 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[5]
2015 Texas Southern Michael Robertson Southern 10–0 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[5]
2016 Alabama State Mervyl Melendez Texas Southern 7–5 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[5]
2017 Texas Southern Michael Robertson Alabama State 4–2 (13 inn.)[93] 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[94]
2018 Texas Southern Michael Robertson Grambling State 18–3 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[4]
2019 Southern Kerrick Jackson Alabama State 15–0 8 Wesley Barrow Stadium New Orleans, LA[95]
2020 (tournament canceled, due to COVID-19 pandemic)[45] 8 Smith–Wills Stadium Jackson, MS[44]
2021 Southern Chris Crenshaw Jackson State 7–6 8 Toyota Field Madison, AL[46]
2022 Alabama State José Vázquez Southern 6–5 (14 inn.) 8 Regions Field Birmingham, AL[96]
Jerry D. Young Memorial Field
2023 Florida A&M Jamey Shouppe Bethune-Cookman 9-6 8 Russ Chandler Stadium Atlanta, GA
2024 Grambling State Daven Pierre Jackson State 6-5 8 Russ Chandler Stadium Atlanta, GA

Note: in 1993 Jackson State and Southern were declared co-champions, due to weather forcing the cancellation of the SWAC Tournament final.[29]

Conference tournament championships by school

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The following is a list of conference tournament champions, organized by school.

School No. of
titles
Year(s)
Southern 19 1950, 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2019, 2021
Jackson State 13 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2013, 2014[97]
Texas Southern 5 2004, 2008, 2015, 2017, 2018
Grambling State 5 1983, 1984, 1985, 2010, 2024[98]
Prairie View A&M 3 2006, 2007,[99] 2012
Alabama State 2 2016, 2022
Alcorn State 1 2011
Bishop College 1 1949
Florida A&M 1 2023
Texas College 1 1951

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "2008 SWAC Baseball Tournament brackets are set". swac.org. May 12, 2008. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  2. ^ a b c "Jags Eye 4th Straight Baseball Title: Open Season Feb. 27". Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. C, p. 9). January 30, 1977.
  3. ^ Erik Hall (May 15, 2021). "2021 Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament bracket, schedule, game times". clarionledger.com. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  4. ^ a b "SWAC Baseball Tournament Bracket Announced". swac.org. May 9, 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  5. ^ a b c d "Tournament". swac.org. 2016. Retrieved 2017-08-13.
  6. ^ "2022 SWAC Baseball Tournament Set to be Held at Regions Field". swac.org. January 13, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  7. ^ "NCAT, Southern Canceled". meacsports.com. May 22, 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  8. ^ "Athletics: SWAC History". swac.org. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  9. ^ "Southern Wins Conference Title". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 2). May 5, 1957.
  10. ^ a b c "SWAC Notebook - May 13: Will Recent Baseball Tournament Trend Continue?". swac.org. May 13, 2009. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  11. ^ a b c Joseph Schiefelbein (May 4, 2000). "Jaguars look for fourth straight SWAC title". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 1).
  12. ^ Mike Gegenheimer (May 30, 2017). "A shot at history? Texas Southern knows where it stands in Baton Rouge regional". theadvocate.com. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Captures Baseball Playoff". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. A, p. 2). May 12, 1949.
  14. ^ a b "Bishop Loses Title Series". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 1). May 7, 1950.
  15. ^ a b c d "Play Here Friday: Bishop, Texas College Vie Tonight in Tyler". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 1). May 2, 1951.
  16. ^ a b "Jags, Jackson Meet for Title". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 6). April 29, 1977.
  17. ^ a b "SWAC baseball tourney slated at Grambling". Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. C, p. 8). April 12, 1981.
  18. ^ a b "LA. College Baseball Roundup: Jackson State Nips Jags To Win Title". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p.5). May 1, 1978.
  19. ^ a b Joe Planas (April 30, 1979). "Smith's 2-Run Homer Gives Southern SWAC Crown, 5–3". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  20. ^ a b "Barber pitches Jags into SWAC playoffs". Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. F, p. 4). May 4, 1980.
  21. ^ a b Joe Planas (May 6, 1981). "Boyd, Jaguars eye at-large NCAA bid". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. E, p. 2).
  22. ^ "Southern puts four players on All-SWAC baseball team". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 3). May 11, 1981.
  23. ^ a b Jim Mashek (April 30, 1985). "Tigers, SU vie at Alex Box". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 2).
  24. ^ a b Lee Feinswog (May 5, 1986). "Sanders, Jackson oust SU". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1–2).
  25. ^ Terrance Harris (December 21, 2013). "Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation celebrates 25 years of bringing the biggest sports events to the city". nola.com. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  26. ^ "Houston to host SWAC spring championships". Baton Rouge SATURDAY (sec. C, p. 4). November 15, 2003.
  27. ^ a b Joe Schiefelbein (May 2, 2002). "Time Out: SWAC decision makes no sense". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 1).
  28. ^ Joe Planas (May 12, 1982). "Boyd eyes bodies, not brackets". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 3).
  29. ^ a b c d Scott Gremillion (May 10, 1993). "Jaguars, Tigers named co-champs". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, pp. 1–2).
  30. ^ Joseph Schiefelbein (April 30, 2002). "Southern protesting decision to play UAPB". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  31. ^ Ryan Whirty (May 26, 2015). "SWAC baseball tourney held in N.O. draws small crowd, critics cite lack of publicity". louisianaweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  32. ^ "Legendary former SU Coach Cador set to join 2019 SWAC Baseball Tournament Staff". swac.org. February 13, 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  33. ^ a b "Rain delays SWAC tourney". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 1). April 28, 1990.
  34. ^ a b Scott Gremillion (May 3, 1994). "Cador regrets 3-game day: But Jaguars coach gives credit to J-State". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 1).
  35. ^ a b Scott Gremillion (April 28, 1995). "SWAC tourney opens: Southern to face Alcorn in nightcap". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 1).
  36. ^ a b c Megan Manfull (May 9, 2004). "Tigers' hammer MVSU for SWAC championship: TSU achieves first title". chron.com. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  37. ^ Joe Schiefelbein (June 16, 1999). "Time Out: Commissioner on fast forward". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  38. ^ Joseph Schiefelbein (May 23, 2005). "Shots delay title game: SU-PVU to resume in 15th inning today". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  39. ^ "Prairie View's Richard named SWAC baseball player of the year". chron.com. May 14, 2008. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  40. ^ a b "Texas Southern upsets top-seed Jackson State". swac.org. May 15, 2008. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  41. ^ Rashad Milligan (May 23, 2021). "Watch how Southern baseball beat Jackson State in SWAC Tournament championship game". clarionledger.com. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  42. ^ a b c Les East (July 30, 2014). "Southern open to hosting SWAC baseball tournament". theadvocate.com. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  43. ^ "SWAC Officially Moves Baseball Tournament To New Orleans". gsutigers.com. May 5, 2014. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  44. ^ a b "SWAC baseball tournament coming to Mississippi". Associated Press News. February 28, 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  45. ^ a b Stacey Osburn (March 12, 2020). "NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships". ncaa.org. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  46. ^ a b "2021 SWAC Baseball Tournament Relocated To Toyota Field: The tournament was originally slated to be played in Jackson, Mississippi". waaytv.com. April 23, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  47. ^ "2022 Baseball Tournament". swac.org. 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  48. ^ "All-Time SWAC Champions List" (PDF). SWAC. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  49. ^ "Past Baseball Champions". swac.org. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  50. ^ a b c "All-Time Champions". swac.org. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  51. ^ a b c "Arkansas State, Bishop Tangle In Playoff Series". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (p. 7). May 3, 1949.
  52. ^ "Bishop, Southern In Title Playoff". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 3). May 8, 1949.
  53. ^ "Final Rites Set Today For Bob Lee". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 6). December 8, 1970.
  54. ^ "Bishop to Defend Title Here Against Southern Jaguars". Marshall (Tex.) News Messenger (sec. B, p. 1). May 2, 1950.
  55. ^ "Texas College Plays Bishop Nine Today". Tyler (Tex.) Morning Telegraph (p. 10). March 14, 1952.
  56. ^ "Tigers Claim SWAC Crown". New Orleans Times–Picayune (sec. Four, p. 3). May 3, 1977.
  57. ^ "Jackson puts Southern out". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1). May 5, 1980.
  58. ^ "Jaguars blank Grambling for SWAC title". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 1). May 13, 1981.
  59. ^ "HR lifts Jackson State to SWAC title". New Orleans Times–Picayune (sec. 5, p. 2). May 10, 1982.
  60. ^ "Jags in playoffs Thursday". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. E, p. 4). May 3, 1982.
  61. ^ "Grambling St. Needs 2 Days". Miami Herald (sec. C, p. 5). May 11, 1983.
  62. ^ "State college roundup: SWAC baseball". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. F, p. 6). May 4, 1983.
  63. ^ "Grambling defends SWAC baseball title". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. E, p. 3). May 7, 1984.
  64. ^ Ron Higgins (May 3, 1984). "Jags open bid for SWAC baseball title today". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 2).
  65. ^ Joe Planas (May 5, 1985). "Grambling wins SWAC title". Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  66. ^ "Jackson State wins SWAC title, NCAA bid". New Orleans Times–Picayune (sec. B, p. 5). May 5, 1986.
  67. ^ "Southern 17, JSU 13". New Orleans Times–Picayune (sec. C, p. 2). May 11, 1987.
  68. ^ "Jaguars ready to begin quest for NCAA bid". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. E, p. 2). April 30, 1987.
  69. ^ Lee Feinswog (May 3, 1988). "Southern rips G-Men, 14–0, to take title: Jaguars clinch 2nd straight SWAC crown, NCAA berth". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  70. ^ Lee Feinswog (April 30, 1988). "SWAC tourney opening today". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 2).
  71. ^ "J-State claims SWAC title". Baton Rouge State–Times (sec. C, p. 1). May 2, 1989.
  72. ^ "J-State takes title in SWAC: Tigers win twice against Grambling". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. C, p. 1). May 1, 1990.
  73. ^ Joe Planas (May 6, 1991). "Jaguars claim SWAC crown: Pitching paces SU over Jackson State". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  74. ^ Joe Planas (May 1, 1991). "Wet grounds have SU waiting for league tourney". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (sec. D, p. 2).
  75. ^ Scott Gremillion (May 4, 1992). "SU captures SWAC crown: Calvin proves to be Jaguars' ace in the hole". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  76. ^ Scott Gremillion (May 1, 1992). "Jaguars open SWAC tourney action today". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  77. ^ Scott Gremillion (May 1, 1995). "'They dominated us': JSU takes title with 10–4 win over Southern". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 1).
  78. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Scott Hotard (March 9, 2013). "SWAC tourney moves to Fort Worth". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 3).
  79. ^ Scott Gremillion (March 23, 1996). "Baseball/Softball: Jaguars' break over, Texas Southern on deck today". Baton Rouge Saturday (sec. E, p. 2).
  80. ^ Scott Gremillion (April 17, 1997). "Tennis/State Colleges—From final to first round: Jaguars to face Braves". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. E, p. 2).
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