Head Coach Jason Beverlin had done a good job of continuing the winning tradition of Bethune-Cookman University since assuming the reigns in 2012 of one of the winningest HBCU NCAA Division One programs over the last 15 years. The only exception was last year when the Wildcats finished 19-40.
Last season, Bethune-Cookman was a young team which left them undermanned when compared to prior seasons. But that hasn’t stopped the Wildcats from putting together a top-flight non-conference slate of games… playing the likes of Miami, Florida, Ohio State, Ball State, Central Florida, Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast, among other top RPIs in 2016.
The season opens with a three game series against Murray State. A few days after that, Bethune-Cookman goes on the road against a very good Central Florida team that was 23-9 at home last season. In the same week, the ‘Cats take on Ball State, one of the top mid-major programs in college baseball at a neutral site in Winter Haven, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman then has a seven game home stand in Daytona Beach with mid-week games against South Florida and Stetson, followed by a three game weekend set against Florida Gulf Coast and finishing up the home stand versus Jacksonville and Central Florida.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule opens with a three game series versus a really good Florida A&M University team on March 12th. FAMU was one of the biggest surprise teams from a year ago and a team that should be at the top of the conference in 2016.
Later in the season, besides Bethune’s scheduled conference weekend series, the Wildcats play midweek games against North Florida, Quinnipac and Stetson plus powerhouse teams Miami, Florida International and Florida.
Don’t be surprised if Bethune-Cookman is right back at the top of the conference thanks in large part to their tough non-conference schedule. Expect them to be in the thick of things come this May.