Four Sun Belt teams selected to 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament

For the second-straight season and the fifth time since 2000, four Sun Belt baseball programs will represent the conference in NCAA Baseball Regionals from June 2-5. The Sun Belt has been a multi-bid conference in 28-of-34 seasons since 1989.

The Sun Belt is 1-of-5 conferences with four-or-more teams in the NCAA field, joining the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12.

Entering postseason play, the Sun Belt boasts the No. 5 RPI in the nation—trailing only the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12. Two Sun Belt programs currently rank among the Top 25 in the RPI—Coastal Carolina (14 RPI) and Southern Miss (21 RPI)—with four sitting among the Top 50—Troy (38 RPI) and Louisiana (47 RPI)—and nine among the Top 100.

Sun Belt regular-season champion Coastal Carolina (39-19) earned the right to host the Conway Regional at Springs Brooks Stadium as the No. 10 national seed. The Chanticleers will commence their 19th all-time NCAA appearance—and their fourth in the last five events—against MAAC tournament champion Rider (35-19). Duke (35-21) and CAA tournament champion UNCW (34-21) will also join the Chanticleers in Conway, S.C.

Sun Belt tournament champion Southern Miss (41-17) is headed to the Auburn Regional at Plainsman Park. The Golden Eagles, who are making their 19th all-time NCAA appearance and seventh-straight, will square off against SoCon tournament champion Samford (36-23) in the regional opener. No. 13 overall seed Auburn (34-21-1) and Ivy League tournament champion Penn (32-14) will also compete in Auburn, Ala.

Troy (39-20), which finished third in the Sun Belt regular-season standings, is bound for the Tuscaloosa Regional at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Trojans will open their 22nd all-time NCAA appearance—and first since 2018—against Boston College (35-18). No. 16 overall seed Alabama (40-19) and Southland tournament champion Nicholls (34-22) will also compete in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Sun Belt tournament runner-up Louisiana (40-22) is headed to the Coral Gables Regional at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. The Ragin’ Cajuns will open their 18th all-time NCAA appearance—and second-straight—against Texas (38-20). No. 9 overall seed Miami (40-19) and America East tournament champion Maine (32-19) will also compete in Coral Gables, Fla.

Sun Belt baseball programs have now earned 21 NCAA berths over the past 10 seasons.

The winner of each double-elimination regional tournament will compete in NCAA Super Regionals from June 9-12, with the Super Regional victors advancing to the 2023 College World Series in Omaha, Neb., from June 16-26.