Samford University Baseball: A Legacy of Excellence
Contents
The Samford University baseball team has a long-standing tradition of excellence. Find out what makes this team so special and read about their impressive legacy.
Introduction
Located in Birmingham, Alabama, Samford University is a private, co-educational institution founded in 1841. The university is comprised of nine colleges and schools and offers more than 150 majors, minors and academic programs. Samford University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees.
The Samford University baseball team has a long-standing tradition of excellence, dating back to its first season in 1897. The team has won 12 conference championships and made 15 appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship In 1999, the team was ranked #1 in the nation by Baseball America The team has produced 19 Major League Baseball players, including two-time World Series Champion pitcher Jeff Suppan.
The History of Samford University Baseball
Samford University Baseball has a long and storied history dating back to the late 1800s. The program has produced many Major League Baseball players, including Hall of Famer Frank Thomas Today, the team competes in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference and is a perennial contender for the conference title
Ford Baseball began in 1897 as a club sport. The team played its first official game against Birmingham Southern College in 1898, winning by a score of 12-2. Samford joined the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association in 1899 and won the League Championship in 1900. The team left the SIAC after two years and played as an independent for several decades.
In 1978, Samford joined the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference The team won its first conference championship in 1979 and made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II World Series Samford moved up to Division I in 1985 and joined the Trans American Athletic Conference The team won back-to-back conference championships in 1986 and 1987.
In 1992, Samford left the TAAC and joined the Southern Conference The team won its first SoCon championship in 1993 and made four straight appearances in the NCAA Division I tournament from 1993 to 1996. The Bulldogs made their first trip to the College World Series in 1997 and finished as runners-up after losing to Arizona State University
Samford has won six SoCon championships since joining the conference in 1992. The team has made nine appearances in the NCAA tournament and six trips to the College World Series Samford is one of only two schools in the history of Division I Baseball to make six trips to the CWS without winning a National Championship (the other school is Florida State University).
The Legacy of Excellence
Samford University baseball has a long and storied history of success on the diamond. Dating back to the program’s inception in 1947, the Bulldogs have won five conference championships and made seven appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The Bulldogs have also produced 27 Major League baseball players including All-Stars Tim Hudson and Billy Ripken In recent years Samford has continued its tradition of excellence, winning the 2012 Southern Conference Championship and making back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014.
As Samford enters its 70th season of baseball in 2016, the Bulldogs are poised to continue their legacy of success on the diamond.
The Current Team
The Samford University Baseball Team has a long tradition of excellence, dating back to its first season in 1967. The team has made 17 appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship most recently in 2019. The Bulldogs have also won five Southern Conference championships, most recently in 2017.
The current team is coached by Casey Dunn and features a mix of experienced veterans and talented young players The team is led by senior third baseman Drew Eubanks, who was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2019. Other Key Players include junior outfielder Bryant Bowen, junior pitcher Connor Moore, and sophomore shortstop Cade Doughty.
The Bulldogs have high hopes for the 2020 season, as they look to build on their tradition of success.
The Future of Samford University Baseball
The Samford University baseball team has a long tradition of success, dating back to its time as a Division III powerhouse in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In recent years the team has transitioned to Division I, and though the results have not been as immediate, the Bulldogs have continued to build a strong program that is poised for success in the years to come.
Head coach Casey Dunn has been at the helm of the program since 2016, and he has assembled a talented roster that includes several players who are considered to be among the best in the country. With a mix of experienced veterans and promising young talent, Samford is poised to make a run at an NCAA tournament berth in the near future.
The Bulldogs have made great strides in recent years but they will need to continue to work hard if they want to take the next step and become one of the premier programs in Division I Baseball With Casey Dunn leading the way, there is no doubt that Samford is headed in the right direction.
The Fans
Baseball fans are some of the most loyal and dedicated in all of sports. They follow their teams through thick and thin, cheering them on to victory no matter what the odds. And nowhere is this loyalty and dedication more evident than at Samford University’s Alumni Field, home of the Bulldogs baseball team
For nearly 40 years, Samford baseball fans have been treated to some of the finest Collegiate Baseball in the country. The Bulldogs have amassed an impressive record of success over the years, appearing in 12 NCAA Division I Regional tournaments and three NCAA Division I Super Regionals They have also won 10 conference championships, made six trips to the College World Series and produced a long line of All-Americans and Major League Baseball draft picks
But it’s not just the team’s success that has made Ford Baseball so special to its fans; it’s also the way the Bulldogs play the game Samford teams are known for their hard-nosed style of play, gritty defense, and unwavering determination. These are qualities that Bulldog fans can identify with, and they help make Samford Baseball one of the most popular programs on campus.
So whether it’s a hot day in April or a cold night in May, you’ll find Samford baseball fans packed into Alumni Field cheering on their team. For them, it’s not just about wins and losses; it’s about supporting a program with a rich tradition of excellence.
The Facilities
When it comes to college baseball the facilities are important. That’s why at Samford University, we take pride in our top-of-the-line facilities. From our brand new stadium to our world-class training facility, we provide our student-athletes with everything they need to succeed.
Our brand new stadium, home to the Samford Bulldogs Baseball Team is one of the finest in the country. Featuring state-of-the-art amenities and a capacity of 3,500, it is a perfect setting for America’s pastime. And with a gorgeous view of Red Mountain in the background, it’s easy to see why our fans love coming out to support their team.
In addition to our ballpark, we also have an on-campus training facility that is second to none. Featuring top-of-the-line weightlifting equipment, hitting tunnels, and pitching mounds, it is a sanctuary for student-athletes looking to take their game to the next level.
Whether you’re a diehard baseball fan or just looking for a Great Place to watch a game, Samford University is the perfect destination. Come out and support your Bulldogs today!
The Coaches
Since the beginning, Ford baseball has been led by some of the most influential and impressive coaches in the game’s history. These men have lead their teams to an unprecedented amount of success, and have helped to shape the Game of Baseball as we know it today.
Some of the most notable coaches in Samford baseball history include:
--coach Bob Farris, who led the team to its first ever College World Series appearance in 1992;
-coach Andy eatinger, who guided the team to 5 straight Southern Conference Championships from 1999-2003;
-coach Casey Dunn, who led the team to back-to-back NCAA regional appearances in 2017 and 2018.
The Conference
The Bulldogs play their home games at Joe Lee Griffin Field, located on the university’s campus in Homewood, Alabama. They are members of the Southern Conference, and have won seventeen conference championships.
The Game
The game of baseball has been a part of American culture for centuries, and it has had a special place in the heart of Samford University since the school’s founding in 1841. The Samford Bulldogs have a long and storied history on the diamond, dating back to the early days of the sport.
Today, Samford University is home to one of the top Collegiate Baseball programs in the country. The Bulldogs have won five Southern Conference championships and have made ten appearances in the NCAA tournament In 2019, they were ranked as high as No. 19 in the nation by Baseball America
The Samford baseball program has produced several Major League baseball players including All-Stars Tim Hudson and Jeremy Bonderman. Hudson, who played for the Bulldogs from 1995 to 1997, is one of only two Samford alumni to win a World Series title (with the San Francisco Giants in 2010). Bonderman, who pitched for the Detroit Tigers from 2003 to 2010, was an All-Star in 2006.
The future is bright for Ford Baseball and the program’s legacy of excellence is sure to continue for many years to come.