With NCAA Baseball Tournament bid, Iowa Hawkeyes join exclusive group nationally

Iowa baseball is back into the postseason for the first time since 2017. The announcement set off a celebration within Hawkeye nation on Monday.

“No, it feels great. Really happy for this group. I mean, they took it out of the committee’s hands and that’s what we set out to do this fall. What can we do to make sure that we’re still playing in June?

“You know, there is a part of me that you’re thinking about those last two teams that didn’t get the call and felt like that they should have and we’ll be playing for those guys, too,” Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller said of his team’s draw.

Iowa heads to the Terre Haute Regional, which has No. 14 overall seed Indiana State, North Carolina and Wright State. Here’s your full Terre Haute Regional encyclopedia, complete with plenty of stats and facts on each.

With its inclusion in the college baseball postseason, Iowa also joins a select group of programs nationally in the 2022-23 academic and athletic calendar year. Take a look below.

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A select group

Alabama's file

Football record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)

Men’s basketball record: 31-6 (16-2 SEC)

Women’s basketball record: 20-11 (9-7 SEC)

Baseball record: 40-19 (16-14 SEC)

Thoughts: Given who Alabama has been and what the Crimson Tide has accomplished over the past decade and a half in college football, it was a down year on the gridiron. Granted, Alabama still earned an Allstate Sugar Bowl bid and smacked Big 12 champion Kansas State, 45-20.

The Crimson Tide men’s basketball team captured the SEC regular-season crown and then doubled down with the SEC Tournament rings. All of that earned Alabama the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide were stunned by eventual national runners-up San Diego State in the Sweet 16, but it was a magical year for ‘Bama basketball.

The women’s basketball team garnered a No. 10 seed, too, and gave seventh-seeded Baylor all it could handle in the tournament’s first round. Now, baseball will host the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Connecticut's file

Football record: 6-7

Men’s basketball record: 31-8 (13-7 Big East)

Women’s basketball record: 31-6 (18-2 Big East)

Baseball record: 43-15 (15-5 Big East)

Thoughts: It’s a pretty sweet year whenever you win a national championship in any sport. Is UConn officially a men’s basketball blue blood? Tough to argue against it — at least in the past quarter century. After Dan Hurley guided the Huskies to the national championship this past spring, UConn has five national titles in program history and all have come since 1999.

Oh, Jim Mora just led UConn to its seventh all-time bowl appearance, Geno Auriemma and the Husky women should be right back in the thick of things nationally next season and now baseball is back in the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight season.

Life is certainly good.

Duke's file

Football record: 9-4 (5-3 ACC)

Men’s basketball record: 27-9 (14-6 ACC)

Women’s basketball record: 26-7 (14-4 ACC)

Baseball record: 35-21 (16-13 ACC)

Thoughts: Move over Clemson and Florida State, it’s Duke’s time on the gridiron. OK, that’s obviously not quite the case, but Duke did just roll UCF, 30-13, in the Military Bowl!

Men’s and women’s basketball getting bounced in the NCAA Tournament’s second round was obviously a bummer for Blue Devils fans, but that’s more than many fan bases can say.

See you in Conway!

Maryland's file

Football record: 8-5 (4-5 Big Ten)

Men’s basketball record: 22-13 (11-9 Big Ten)

Women’s basketball record: 28-7 (15-3 Big Ten)

Baseball record: 41-19 (17-7 Big Ten)

Thoughts: What a year for Maryland athletics. Laying the foundation with a solid football season just sets the tone doesn’t it? The Terps’ gridiron exploits were complete with a mayo bath in a 16-12 bowl win over North Carolina State.

Men’s basketball tracked down a No. 8 seed and managed to topple West Virginia before running into aforementioned Alabama. The women’s hoops team advanced to the Elite Eight before running into Final Four participant and then-defending national champion South Carolina.

Now, Maryland is celebrating Big Ten baseball regular season and tournament championships. Unfortunately, the Terps were rewarded with a trip to No. 1 overall seed Wake Forest. Hey, chance to make history, right?

North Carolina State's file

Football record: 8-5 (4-4 ACC)

Men’s basketball record: 23-11 (12-8 ACC)

Women’s basketball record: 20-12 (9-9 ACC)

Baseball record: 35-19 (13-16 ACC)

Thoughts: Doesn’t a win over North Carolina just warm your heart? Iowa fans are hoping to feel a similar joy come Friday evening, and, who knows, maybe even more than once in the Terre Haute Regional.

N.C. State enjoyed a 30-27 double overtime win over the Tar Heels in football after UNC kicker Noah Burnette missed a 35-yard try. The Wolfpack went ahead and secured NCAA Tournament berths in both men’s and women’s hoops.

Now, it’s off to the Columbia Regional where second-seeded Campbell awaits first.

Tennessee's file

Football record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)

Men’s basketball record: 25-11 (11-7 SEC)

Women’s basketball record: 25-12 (13-3 SEC)

Baseball record: 38-19 (16-14 SEC)

Thoughts: Just beating Alabama for the first time since 2006 would probably turn this athletics year into a pretty good one for some Tennessee Volunteer fans. But, there’s reason to be optimistic Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel is just starting to get things going inside Neyland Stadium.

Meanwhile, in men’s basketball, it looked like Tennessee’s bracket might be breaking all the way to the Final Four there for a moment. Obviously, 2023 Cinderella Florida Atlantic had other ideas. A Sweet 16 appearance all the same, and one that came at the expense of blue blood Duke. For any Vols fans disappointed in a Sweet 16 exit, Iowa fans have a season or two they’d be happy to trade with you.

Women’s basketball advanced to the Sweet 16 as well before Virginia Tech said adios. Now, it’s a trip to the Clemson Regional where it would be just a mild surprise to see the Vols emerge victorious and off to a Supers appearance.

Texas' file

Football record: 8-5 (6-3 Big 12)

Men’s basketball record: 29-9 (12-6 Big 12)

Women’s basketball record: 26-10 (14-4 Big 12)

Baseball record: 38-20 (15-9 Big 12)

Thoughts: Just for comedy’s sake: Is Texas on its way “back” in college football? Jokes aside, the Longhorns put a whooping on border rival Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl in 2022. It seems like the ‘Horns are the popular pick next season on their way out the door in the Big 12.

Then, in men’s basketball, Rodney Terry was officially named Texas’ new head coach after a fabulous stint taking over in the interim in less-than-ideal circumstances. He guided Texas all the way to the Elite Eight. Women’s basketball also won a game in the NCAA Tournament.

Texas just tied for the Big 12 title in baseball, too. Now, they get to head to Miami where they’ll look to upset the applecart in Coral Gables, Fla.

Iowa's file

Football record: 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten)

Men’s basketball record: 19-14 (11-9 Big Ten)

Women’s basketball record: 31-7 (15-3 Big Ten)

Baseball record: 42-14 (15-8 Big Ten)

Thoughts: Ah, yes! The moment you’ve all been waiting for. I’m not sure that every Iowa fan would sign up for the idea that it’s been some perfect athletics year.

But, that being said, you certainly can’t say it hasn’t been adventurous. From the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act of football season with the discrepancy between the Hawkeyes’ offensive and defensive units to the excitement of Caitlin Clark mania and women’s basketball season, it’s been a full year.

The ride to Dallas, Texas, and to the cusp of a women’s basketball national championship was quite the thrill. Now, can Iowa baseball put a bow tie on this athletics calendar year with a Regional championship and perhaps more?

Either way, it’s been stocked full with storylines.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire