The 2024 HBCU baseball small school season kicks off the weekend of January 26-28, 2024 with Dillard University, Paine College, Texas College, and Wiley University all seeing their first spring action.
Wiley University will host Texas College in a four-game series with games played at Airport Park in Marshall, Texas. Dillard University will likewise play a four-game series on the road visiting Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana, Billy Allgood Field. Paine College will open on Sunday January 28, at home hosting Thomas University in a doubleheader tilt in Augusta, Georgia
As stated, many times before, college baseball is about four seasons – the non-conference schedule, the conference schedule, the conference tournament if entered, and then post season tournaments, should a team qualify, including the Black College World Series in May at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.
What’s in store for 2024?
Notable Storylines:
*A few HBCU baseball programs in the offseason made conference moves. What’s in store with Talladega College (now back in the GCAC) and Wilberforce University (now in the Continental Athletic Conference).
*Two Florida baseball programs will use the 2024 season to defend their HBCU Baseball national titles. Florida A&M University was crowned HBCU Baseball large school national champion. Florida Memorial University won the small schools national title, by winning the Black College World Series last year.
*Talladega College departed from the Gulf Coast Atlantic Conference (GCAC) two years ago joining the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) and now makes a return to the GCAC where the Tornadoes dominated, winning four trips to the NAIA National Opening Round tournaments (2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019) and four Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) championships.
*Southern University at New Orleans will compete with a baseball program for the first time in the university’s existence starting in 2024. They will now be competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a member of the Gulf Coast Atlantic Conference (GCAC).
*Three HBCU baseball programs will debut new head coaches in 2024. Miles College has hired former Mississippi Valley State University Milton Barney to lead the program. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore tabbed Danny Acosta to lead the Hawks program. Mississippi Valley State University athletic department hired former Harris Stowe State University JC Bilbrey as the school’s baseball head coach. Barney and Bilbrey have coaching experience having stops at HBCUs.
*Edward Waters University baseball program will compete with a full NCAA Division II status in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
*The Black College World Series will be in its fourth year. Riverwalk Stadium will host the HBCU Baseball national championship series In May Montgomery, AL.
*HBCU Baseball programs are looking to make the 2024 season a return trip to Montgomery and play on the national stage of the Black College World Series championship series at Riverwalk Stadium. Florida Memorial University (3), Edward Waters University (3) and Bluefield State University (3) are past HBCU baseball national champions. Rust College has made (3) tournament appearances. Albany State University and Savannah State University both have made (2) trips to the national HBCU tournament.
*Talladega College, Kentucky State University, Miles College, Xavier University of Louisiana, Wiley University, and Paine College are hoping that the 2024 season brings a return trip to Riverwalk Stadium.
Opening Weekend 2024 Game Action:
- Wiley University opens the HBCU baseball season Friday, January 26th with a four-game series hosting Texas College in Wiley TX, HBCU Baseball nonconference contest. Games can be followed on Live Stats.
1/26/2024 Texas College vs Wiley University DH Game 1 12:00pm CT/ 1:00pm EST Wiley, Texas Airport Field Live stats *HBCU Baseball Nonconference contest
1/27/2024 Texas College vs Wiley University DH Game 1 12:00pm CT/ 1:00pm EST Wiley, Texas Airport Field Live stats *HBCU Baseball Nonconference contest
- Dillard nonconference 2024 season opening scheduled four-game series Friday, January 26th, on the road visiting Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana, Billy Allgood Field. The entire series can be viewed on the Wildcats Sports Network.
1/26/2024 Dillard University vs Louisiana Christian University DH 2:00pm CT/3:00pm EST Pineville, Louisiana Billy Allgood Field TV: Wildcats Sports Network
1/27/2024 Dillard University vs Louisiana Christian University DH 12:00pm CT/1:00pm EST Pineville, Louisiana Billy Allgood Field TV: Wildcats Sports Network
- Paine College season opener Sunday January 28, at home hosting Thomas University with a two-game doubleheader tilt, Augusta, Georgia in a nonconference NAIA matchup.
1/28/2024 Thomas University vs Paine College DH Game 1 12:00pmEST /Game 2 3:00pm. CT