Story by
FAMU baseball learns NCAA Regional fate: Here's what you need to know
- Story by
- FAMU baseball learns NCAA Regional fate: Here's what you need to know
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) baseball champions know where they're headed for the NCAA Tournament.
And it won't be far.
The Florida A&M Rattlers will play in the Gainesville Regional at Florida, as the 64-team field was announced on ESPN2 Monday at noon.
Advertisement
Florida was selected as the No. 2 national seed behind Wake Forest . Texas Tech and UConn round out the Gainesville Regional.
The Rattlers (29-28) and the Gators (44-14) will meet at 5:30 at Condron Family Ballpark in the first round of the double-elimination tournament. The game will be streamed via ESPN+.
The Rattlers gathered as a team and watched the selection show from the Al Lawson Multipurpose Center.
"We get to play baseball and not many people in the country can say that right now," FAMU head coach Jamey Shouppe said. "The excitement comes from watching the young men work so hard over the course of the season earn the right to play in the NCAA Regional Tournament."
This is FAMU's third NCAA appearance in program history ( 2015 , 2019 , 2023) ― all under Shouppe ― and second postseason trip to Gainesville.
Advertisement
The Rattlers are also looking for their first NCAA Tournament win in program history. They lost to the Florida Gators and Florida Atlantic Owls in Gainesville in 2015, and to Georgia Tech and Coastal Carolina in Atlanta in 2019.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for most guys to play in a regional tournament ― especially coming from a HBCU," Shouppe said. "Any time you play NCAA Regional ― it's just different. It's like a college football game sometimes. We look forward to the opportunity to represent the university and SWAC baseball the best we can.
"I'm going to make sure that these guys go in there understanding what a special opportunity this is and to enjoy and relish every minute of it."
The Rattlers beat Bethune-Cookman 9-6 Sunday to earn the SWAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Knocked into the losers' bracket in the second round, FAMU won four consecutive games to claim its first SWAC title since joining the conference in July 2021 .
Advertisement
It was also the program's 23rd conference title overall.
Additionally, Shouppe is probably on the short list of coaches who have won championships in multiple conferences (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and SWAC). Former Florida State head coach Mike Martin won titles in the Metro and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Overall, FAMU went 5-1 in the SWAC Tournament had five all-tournament selections ― outfielder Janmikell Bastardo , first baseman Sebastian Greico , pitcher Zach Morea , pitcher Hunter Viets , and third baseman Jared Weber .
Morea, a Chiles alum, was also named the SWAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) after earning four saves in FAMU's last four wins.
Advertisement
"It's awesome," Morea said of the NCAA Tournament berth. "It means a lot because we don't get a lot of chances like this at FAMU. Being able to show what we got on the field is huge.
"I know everyone on the team is looking forward to kick it off there."
MORE RATTLERNEWS COVERAGE
Bring it home: FAMU baseball flips setbacks to make a triumphant run at program's first SWAC title
'We know what's at stake': FAMU, Jackson State ready to push HBCU's in 2023 Orange Blossom Classic
Rattler Legends: FAMU Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2023
Florida A&M baseball infielder Sebastian Greico celebrates his single-season program record-breaking 16th homerun with teammates during the SWAC Tournament Semifinals against Alabama State at Georgia Tech's Russ Chandler Stadium, Friday, May 26, 2023
What to know about the FAMU-Florida matchup and the NCAA Regional
The winner of the Gainesville Regional will earn a spot in the Super Regional against the winner of the Columbia Regional that features No. 15 South Carolina , Central Connecticut, North Carolina State, and Campbell.
Advertisement
FAMU and Florida traditionally play annually in baseball.
The squads met for a non-conference midweek game in April. The Gators won 17-7 in seven innings.
"It's kind of a testament of our out of conference schedule," Shouppe said. "I think we were third in the country in terms of the strength of schedule for out of conference games. And Florida was a big part of that.
"We've basically played [Florida] every year since I've been at FAMU, so I'm familiar with them and know [ Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan ] real well."
One of the Rattlers' greatest wins in history was also against the Gators. In 2014, FAMU upset No. 12 Florida 4-3 in a midweek game in Gainesville. It was the program's first (and only win) in, at that time, the series' 19th meeting.
Advertisement
Florida leads the all-time series 29-1.
Florida lost to Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) semifinals Saturday. The Gators led the SEC with seven all-conference selections.
Tickets are on sale for the Gainesville Regional.
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.
Follow the Tallahassee Democrat on social media at Tallahassee Democrat (Facebook), TallahasseeDemocrat (Instagram), and @TDOnline (Twitter)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Baseball: Rattlers stay in Florida for the NCAA Regional Round
