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2020 NCAA Division I baseball season

{{Short description|Baseball season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{College baseball season

| title = 2020 NCAA Division I baseball season

| duration = February 14–March 12, 2020

| no_of_games =

| no_of_teams = 300

| DefendingChampions = Vanderbilt

| preseason1 = Louisville (CB, D1B); Vanderbilt (BA)

| awards =

| award1 =

| award1winner =

| award2 =

| award2winner =

| attendance =

| average_attendance =

| TV = ESPN

| tournament_link = 2020 NCAA Division I baseball tournament

| tournament = Tournament

| TourneyDuration = not held

| ConferenceBids =

| WorldSeries_link = 2020 College World Series

| WorldSeries = College World Series

| CWSDuration = not held

| WorldSeries_champ =

| WorldSeries_titlecount =

| WorldSeries_runner-up =

| WorldSeries_count =

| WorldSeries_coach =

| WorldSeries_coachcount =

| WorldSeries_MOP =

| MOPTeam =

| prevseason_year = 2019

| nextseason_year = 2021

}}

The 2020 NCAA Division I baseball season, play of college baseball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began on February 14, 2020. On March 12, it was announced that the 2020 NCAA tournament would be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision whether to continue with an abbreviated season was left to individual schools and conferences.{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/ncaa-cancels-remaining-winter-and-spring-championships|title=NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships|publisher=NCAA.org|access-date=March 13, 2020}}

Realignment

  • Akron restarted its program within the Mid-American Conference. Akron previously dropped baseball after the 2015 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/09/university_of_akron_to_bring_b.html|title=University of Akron to bring back baseball; add women's lacrosse|first=Karen|last=Farkas |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland |date=September 19, 2017}}
  • Savannah State moved all sports to NCAA Division II, departing the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and returning to its former home of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.{{cite web|url=http://savannahnow.com/local-colleges/news/sports/2017-04-17/savannah-state-plans-move-athletics-down-division-ii|last=Heath|first=Donald|title=Savannah State plans to move athletics down to Division II|publisher=Savannah (GA) Morning News|date=April 18, 2017|access-date=January 26, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.savannahstate.edu/News/2017/12/07/SSU-moves-to-Division-II-Southern-Intercollegiate-Athletic-Conference|title=SSU moves to Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference|publisher=Savannah State University|date=December 7, 2017|access-date=January 26, 2018}}
  • Boise State restarted its program within the Mountain West Conference, but dropped it again in July due to a reduction in the athletic department's budget. Boise State previously dropped baseball after the 1980 season.
  • Merrimack upgraded all sports, including baseball, to NCAA Division I from NCAA Division II, joining the Northeast Conference.

=Format changes=

  • The MEAC dissolved its divisions.

Ballpark changes

  • The 2020 season was to be the first for UConn at Elliot Ballpark, replacing J. O. Christian Field. The team was originally scheduled to play its first game there on March 29 against Seton Hall.
  • Oklahoma State originally planned to inaugurate O'Brate Stadium on March 20, 2020, replacing Allie P. Reynolds Stadium after the first 14 home games of the 2020 season. The first scheduled game at the new ballpark was against the TCU Horned Frogs. Oklahoma State's season was canceled on March 13.
  • The 2020 season was the last for Florida at McKethan Stadium, before the season was canceled on March 17. The team's last game at the venue was on March 10, a loss against the rival Florida State Seminoles.
  • The 2020 season was expected to be the last that Marshall would play off-campus. The Thundering Herd scheduled most of its 2020 home games at Kennedy Center Field, part of a YMCA recreation camp about 7 miles from its Huntington, West Virginia campus; the remainder were at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, West Virginia, more than 50 miles from campus. Ground was broken on a new on-campus ballpark in October 2019, and the new facility is scheduled to open for 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Fans-excited-for-long-awaited-Marshall-baseball-stadium--506685671.html |title=Marshall University to break ground on baseball stadium |first=Andrew |last=Colegrove |publisher=WSAZ-TV |date=October 22, 2019 |access-date=February 16, 2020}}

Season outlook

{{further|2020 NCAA Division I baseball rankings}}

style="vertical-align:top;"

|

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=2| ESPN/USA Today Coaches {{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaa-baseball/polls/coaches-poll/2020/2020-01-23/|title=Baseball Coaches Poll|date=January 23, 2020|publisher=Baseball America|access-date=January 29, 2020}}

Ranking

!Team

1

|Vanderbilt

2

|Louisville

3

|Texas Tech

4

|Georgia

5

|Arkansas

6

|Mississippi State

7

|Miami (FL)

8

|UCLA

9

|Auburn

10

|Florida

11

|Michigan

12

|LSU

13

|Arizona State

14

|Florida State

15

|Stanford

16

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|title=North Carolina}}

17

|Oklahoma State

18

|NC State

19

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=East Carolina Pirates|title=East Carolina}}

20

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Duke Blue Devils|title=Duke}}

21

|Texas A&M

22

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets|title=Georgia Tech}}

23

|Ole Miss

24

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}

25

|Oregon State

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=2| Collegiate Baseball News {{cite web|url=http://baseballnews.com/collegiate-baseball-div-1-poll-12-16-19/|title=Collegiate Baseball Div. I Poll - Pre-season|date=December 16, 2019|publisher=Collegiate Baseball|access-date=December 16, 2019}}

Ranking

!Team

1

|Louisville

2

|Vanderbilt

3

|Texas Tech

4

|Miami (FL)

5

|Arizona State

6

|Mississippi State

7

|Georgia

8

|Auburn

9

|Arkansas

10

|Michigan

11

|LSU

12

|UCLA

13

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|title=North Carolina}}

14

|Florida

15

|Florida State

16

|NC State

17

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}

18

|Arizona

19

|Oklahoma State

20

|TCU

21

|Texas A&M

22

|Texas

23

|South Alabama

24

|Louisiana

25

|Stanford

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=2|D1Baseball{{cite web|url=https://d1baseball.com/top-25/2020-d1baseball-preseason-top-25/|publisher=D1Baseball|title=2020 D1Baseball Preseason Top 25|date=January 13, 2020|access-date=January 13, 2020}}

Ranking

!Team

1

|Louisville

2

|Vanderbilt

3

|Miami (FL)

4

|Florida

5

|Georgia

6

|Texas Tech

7

|Arkansas

8

|Auburn

9

|Arizona State

10

|Mississippi State

11

|LSU

12

|Florida State

13

|Michigan

14

|UCLA

15

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Duke Blue Devils|title=Duke}}

16

|NC State

17

|Stanford

18

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}

19

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets|title=Georgia Tech}}

20

|Texas A&M

21

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=East Carolina Pirates|title=East Carolina}}

22

|Oklahoma State

23

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|title=North Carolina}}

24

|Oklahoma

25

|Ole Miss

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=2|Baseball America{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/college-baseball-top-25/|title=College Top 25|date=January 22, 2020|publisher=Baseball America|access-date=January 22, 2020}}

Ranking

!Team

1

|Vanderbilt

2

|Louisville

3

|Arizona State

4

|Florida

5

|Miami (FL)

6

|Texas Tech

7

|Georgia

8

|Michigan

9

|Mississippi State

10

|UCLA

11

|Arkansas

12

|Florida State

13

|Auburn

14

|LSU

15

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Duke Blue Devils|title=Duke}}

16

|Oklahoma State

17

|NC State

18

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|title=North Carolina}}

19

|Oklahoma

20

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}

21

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets|title=Georgia Tech}}

22

|Arizona

23

|Dallas Baptist

24

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Ohio State Buckeyes|title=Ohio State}}

25

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=East Carolina Pirates|title=East Carolina}}

|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!colspan=2|NCBWA{{cite web|url=http://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/news/2020/poll200203.html|publisher=NCBWA|title=VANDERBILT TOPS 2020 PRESEASON NCBWA POLL|date=February 3, 2020|access-date=February 4, 2020}}

Ranking

!Team

1

|Vanderbilt

2

|Louisville

3

|Texas Tech

4

|Georgia

5

|Miami (FL)

6

|Arkansas

7

|Arizona State

8

|Florida

9

|Mississippi State

10

|Auburn

11

|UCLA

12

|Michigan

13

|LSU

14

|Florida State

15

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Duke Blue Devils|title=Duke}}

16

|Stanford

17

|NC State

18

|Oklahoma State

19

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|title=North Carolina}}

20

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=East Carolina Pirates|title=East Carolina}}

21

|Texas A&M

22

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets|title=Georgia Tech}}

23

|{{CBSB link|year=2020|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}

24

|Oklahoma

25

|Ole Miss

|}

Conference standings

cellpadding="5"

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 America East Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 American Athletic Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Atlantic Coast Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Atlantic Sun Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Big East Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Big Ten Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Big 12 Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Big South Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Big West Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Colonial Athletic Association baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Conference USA baseball standings}}

vailgn="top" width=25em|{{2020 Horizon League baseball standings}}

|vailgn="top" width=25em|{{2020 Ivy League baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Mid-American Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Missouri Valley Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Mountain West Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Northeast Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Ohio Valley Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Pac-12 Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Patriot League baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Southeastern Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Southern Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Southland Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Southwestern Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Summit League baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Sun Belt Conference baseball standings}}

|valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 West Coast Conference baseball standings}}

valign="top" width=25em|{{2020 Western Athletic Conference baseball standings}}

=Aborted conference tournaments=

The below conferences would have ended their regular seasons with a single-elimination tournament or a double-elimination tournament; all were cancelled when the NCAA ended the spring sports season on March 12.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!Conference

!Tournament
Venue (City)

America East ConferenceLeLacheur Park • Lowell, MA
American Athletic ConferenceSpectrum Field • Clearwater, FL
Atlantic 10 ConferenceThe Diamond • Richmond, VA
Atlantic Coast ConferenceBB&T Ballpark • Charlotte, NC
Atlantic Sun ConferenceSwanson Stadium • Fort Myers, FL
Big 12 ConferenceChickasaw Bricktown Ballpark • Oklahoma City, OK
Big East ConferencePrasco Park • Mason, OH
Big South ConferenceSegra Stadium • Fayetteville, NC
Big Ten ConferenceTD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE
Big West Conferencecolspan=3|No tournament; regular-season champion would have earned automatic bid
Colonial Athletic AssociationEagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park • Harrisonburg, VA
Conference USAMGM Park • Biloxi, MS
Horizon LeagueRegular-season champion home stadium
Ivy LeagueCampus sites
Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceRichmond County Bank Ballpark • Staten Island, NY
Mid-American ConferenceSprenger Stadium • Avon, OH
Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceJackie Robinson Ballpark • Daytona Beach, FL
Missouri Valley ConferenceDuffy Bass Field • Normal, IL
Mountain West ConferenceWilliam Peccole Park • Reno, NV
Northeast ConferenceSenator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium • Norwich, CT
Ohio Valley ConferenceRent One Park • Marion, IL
Pac-12 ConferenceNo tournament; regular-season champion would have earned automatic bid
Patriot LeagueCampus sites
Southeastern ConferenceHoover Metropolitan Stadium • Hoover, AL
Southern ConferenceFluor Field at the West End • Greenville, SC
Southland ConferenceWhataburger Field • Corpus Christi, TX
Southwestern Athletic ConferenceWesley Barrow Stadium • New Orleans, LA
The Summit LeagueJ. L. Johnson Stadium • Tulsa, OK
Sun Belt ConferenceSprings Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC
West Coast ConferenceBanner Island Ballpark • Stockton, CA
Western Athletic ConferenceHohokam Stadium • Meza, AZ

College World Series

{{Main|2020 College World Series}}

The 2020 College World Series was scheduled to start on June 12 in Omaha, Nebraska, but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and the NCAA prematurely ending spring sports for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Coaching changes

This table lists programs that changed head coaches at any point from the first day of the 2020 season until the day before the first day of the 2021 season.

class="wikitable"

!Team

!Former
coach

!Interim
coach

!New
coach

!Reason

Boise State

| Gary Van Tol

| {{N/A}}

| {{N/A}}

| Program discontinued{{cite news |title=Boise State baseball players 'heartbroken' after university's decision to cut program |url=https://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/college/mountain-west/boise-state-university/article243988167.html |access-date=December 18, 2020 |work=Idaho Statesman |date=July 4, 2020}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{NCAA Division I baseball season navbox|state=autocollapse}}