Alcorn State Braves baseball

The Alcorn State Braves baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball program of Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, United States. The program's first season was in 1959, and it has been a member of the NCAA Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference since the start of the 1963 season. Its home venue is the Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium, located on Alcorn State's campus. Carlton Hardy has been the team's head coach since the 2025 season. The program has appeared in 1 NCAA Tournament. It has won one conference tournament championship and 0 regular season conference titles. As of the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, 1 former Brave has appeared in Major League Baseball.

Alcorn State Braves
2024 Alcorn State Braves baseball team
Founded1959 (1959)
UniversityAlcorn State University
Athletic directorDerek Horne
Head coachCarlton Hardy (1st season)
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
West Division
LocationLorman, Mississippi
Home stadiumFoster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium
(Capacity: 500)
NicknameBraves
ColorsPurple and gold[1]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
2011
Conference tournament champions
2002, 2011
Regular season conference champions
2002

History

edit

Early history

edit

The program's first season of play was 1959.

Conference affiliations

edit

Alcorn State in the NCAA Tournament

edit
Year Record Pct Notes
2011 0–2 .000 Houston Regional
TOTALS
0–2 .000

Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium

edit

The stadium is named for Willie McGowan, head baseball coach from 1972 to 2009.[2][3] In 38 years as Alcorn State's coach, McGowan won over 700 games.[4] The field and stadium were officially dedicated on September 4, 2010. Plaques commemorating the dedications were added on May 6, 2011.[2]

Head coaches

edit

Alcorn State's longest tenured head coach was Willie E. "Rat" McGowan, who has coached the team from 1972 to 2009.

Year(s) Coach Seasons W-L-T Pct
1959 Louis Crews 1 7–7 .500
1960–1969 William H. Foster 8 82–84–1 .494
1971 Davey Whitney 1 14–8–1 .630
1972–2009 Willie E. "Rat" McGowan 38 720–663–7 .521
2010–2015 Barret Rey 6 115–218 .345
2016–2021 Bretton Richardson 6 66–166 .284
2022–present Reggie Williams 1 2–39 .049
Totals 6 coaches 61 1,006–1,185–9 .459

Notable former players

edit

Below is a list of notable former Braves and the seasons in which they played for Alcorn State.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Alcorn State University Identity Standards and Editorial Stylebook (PDF). Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Alcorn State University Holds Plaque Unveiling Ceremony in honor of the McGowan Stadium/Fisher Field on May 6". Alcorn.edu. Alcorn State University. Archived from the original on 2012-01-31. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  3. ^ "House Bill 730". Mississippi State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  4. ^ "Alcorn names baseball stadium after the living legend Coach Willie "Rat" McGowan". Alcorn.edu. Alcorn State University. Archived from the original on 2010-07-06. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
edit