The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced on January 26 that Lincoln University of Missouri has been admitted to the Conference for full-time membership, following a vote of approval by the GLVC Council of Presidents. In addition to transitioning into the GLVC, the university announced that it will bring back the baseball program.
During the meeting of the Lincoln board of trustees, members voted to approve a recommendation by the college’s administration to restart men’s baseball. The proposal had been researched and discussed at the college for nearly a year.
The return of baseball will enable Lincoln to serve a wider population of students and help meet strategic goals.
The expansion timeline would see baseball starting in fall 2024-2025 giving time to hire coaches and properly prepare the baseball field. The baseball program was cut in 2016 due to budget cuts after starting in 1970.
The recommendation to resume the baseball program was thoughtful and grounded in data analysis. Reliable sources have stated the institution had an expansion plan laid out.
The program will ultimately cover their expenses through a combination of tuition, general fees and course fees while also using student activity fees. Lincoln expect to see an excess in revenue that will be used to support the operations of the college.
There are other primary reasons baseball is coming back… enrollment, student success and revenue generation. Adding baseball teams is a trend being seen at HBCUs across the country. Wilberforce University, Dillard University, Oakwood University, and Philander Smith College have added baseball.
Lincoln will soon be posting a national job search of a full-time head baseball coach. The Lincoln Blue Tigers will compete in NCAA Division II. The team will play its home games at Vivion Field, the home of the Jefferson City Renegades, a member of the MINK Collegiate Baseball League.