Dallas Baptist Patriots

Dallas Baptist Patriots
University Dallas Baptist University
Conference Heartland Conference
Missouri Valley Conference (baseball only)
NCAA Division II
Division I (baseball only)
Athletic director Connor Smith
Location Dallas, TX
Varsity teams 13
Basketball arena Burg Center
Baseball stadium Horner Ballpark
Soccer stadium Patriot Soccer Field
Other arenas Straus Field House
Nickname Patriots
Colors Red, White, and Blue
              
Website dbupatriots.com

The Dallas Baptist Patriots (also DBU Patriots) are the 13 athletic teams that represent the Dallas Baptist University, located in Dallas, Texas, in NCAA intercollegiate sport. All of the Patriot athletic teams compete at the Division II level with the exception of the baseball team, which plays in Division I. As such, all athletic teams, except for baseball, compete in the Heartland Conference while the baseball program is an associate member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Athletic program

The Athletic Department also features a Christ-centered Patriot Discipleship program, entitled "Champions for Christ," as well as the Athletic Department's Global Missions Initiative with athletic mission trips to Guatemala,[1] Northern England,[2] Peru,[3] and South Korea.[4] With a focus on academics as well, the school developed the Athletic Study Hall, which has helped boost the department GPA to the highest in the history of Patriot Athletics.

Connor Smith serves as Dallas Baptist University’s Director of Athletics. Over the last several years, additions have been made to the Athletic Department, including the construction of the Sadler Patriot Clubhouse, Patriot Athletic Guesthouse, Horner Ballpark, and the Athletic Training Center. In addition, several new sports have been added, including: NCAA Div II Sports - Men's Basketball and Women’s Golf; Club Sports: Bass Fishing, Cheerleading, Drill Team, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, and Swimming.

DBU has recently seen their first-ever NCAA Regional Tournament appearances in Baseball, Men’s Basketball and Men and Women’s Golf, Women's Volleyball and a National appearance by the Women's Cross Country team.

Varsity teams

The Patriots women's volleyball team in action against the Texas A&M–Commerce Lions in 2013

Dallas Baptist sponsors teams in eight men's and seven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[5]

Individual sports

Baseball

Horner Ballpark

Although the baseball team played as an independent for several years, in 2013, the team played as a part of the Western Athletic Conference.[6] Beginning in the 2014 season, the Patriot Baseball team became a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. In 2008, the Patriots made the NCAA baseball tournament for the first time, marking the first DBU Athletic team to make the NCAA postseason.[7] The Patriots won the Fort Worth Regional in the 2011 tournament to advance to the Super Regional round for the first time.[8]

In 2013, the Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark was completed and the first game was played on February 15, an 11-9 loss to the Creighton Bluejays. Designed by HKS, Inc., this advanced facility can accommodate over 2,000 patrons.

Track & field

The men's and women's cross-country/track program holds ten of the school's conference championship wins. All intercollegiate athletic teams also hold membership in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

References

  1. Henson, George. "DBU team hits home run with Guatemalan children". Baptist Standard.
  2. "DBU tennis teams share gospel in England". Baptist Standard. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  3. "DBU women's teams bring joy to orphans in Peru". Baptist Standard.
  4. "DBU students share basketball, cheerleading and the gospel in Korea". Baptist Standard.
  5. "The Official Site of Dallas Baptist University Athletics". Dallas Baptist University. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  6. "WAC Adds DBU, CSUB in 2012-13". NCAA. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  7. Davis, Brian (May 27, 2008). "Dallas Baptist earns reward - Strong play against tough foes pays off with first NCAA bid". Dallas Morning News.
  8. "Super season places Dallas Baptist baseball on national radar". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 3 September 2011.

External links

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