For the second time in program history, the Chanticleers from Coastal Carolina University are going back to Omaha for the College World Series!
Auburn
Who would have thought a bunch of kids from Conway, SC would sweep an SEC team, on their field in the Super Regionals? According to a Google AI search, Auburn’s NIL collective, “On To Victory,” has raised approximately $13 million dollars. While some reports suggest a slightly higher figure, these figures reflect the collective’s fundraising efforts to support student-athletes. On To Victory allows fans to contribute to the collective, with membership options ranging from monthly donations to bundles that include a WarEagle+ subscription.
CCU beat Auburn in 10 innings and a rain delay that ended after 2:00 AM. Then turned around and beat the Tigers again in game two to be the first team to punch their ticket to Omaha!
NIL
Google AI couldn’t give me a figure for Legacy 14 Baseball Collective, CCU’s baseball NIL collective. Named after former head coach, Gary Gilmore. To put in prospective, a year ago, the Sun News said CCU student athletes totaled less than $80K in NIL! LESS THAN $80 thousand dollars for all 19 athletic teams. Think about that! Eighty thousand dollars for an entire athletic program vs 13 MILLION dollars for an entire program. Even with all that NIL money they couldn’t buy Auburn a spot in the College World Series.
Absolutely
When Coastal’s head coach, Kevin Schnall, was asked if he thought he would be in the situation where he would be taking the Chants to Omaha in his first year as head coach, his response was “absolutely”! Absolutely he’s been talking about getting back to Omaha for years. CCU has built a program that is not a fluke. As the former catcher for the Chants (1995 – 1999), an assistant coach (2001 – 2012), associate head coach (2016 – 2024), and now the head coach. Schnall has played a huge role in Coastal’s success. Winning the Sun Belt regular season, the Sun Belt Championship, and going to Omaha in his first year was not a fluke. That’s decades of blood, sweat, and tears into a program for the Sun Belt Coach of the Year.
CCU has now appeared in 21 NCAA Tournaments. CCU has won four regional championships, won two super regional championships, and are now playing for a chance to win their second College World Series Championship. Coastal is on a 23-game winning streak, the longest current streak in college baseball. Can CCU win another CWS National Championship, absolutely!
Arizona
The irony of Coastal being matched up with Arizona for game one is that Coastal beat Arizona in the national championship game to win their first national title in 2016. I was there to watch the first pitch to beat Florida and the last pitch to beat Arizona. I still say if Anthony Marks (LF) didn’t hit the cutoff man as fast as he did, the runner on third would have scored to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. Arizona’s head coach Jay Johnson, who was coaching third base, said he would have nightmares about Marks’ play for the rest of his life. However, I will remember it as one of the most critical plays in CCU sports history.
Johnson is now the HC for LSU who is currently playing WVU to get back to Omaha. Said another way, the rematch with Arizona will be wild and CCU could face Johnson in the Championship, again.
CCU in Omaha. First game is set for Friday the 13th at 2:00 PM EST on ESPN+. Specific teams start times will be announced after Monday’s games to determine the final eight teams going to Omaha. LET’S GO COASTAL!
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