Any opinions on the baseball program at delaware and the conference (colonial aa).
You often hear low,med.and high level 1 and i'm guessing that is based on the conference??

Delaware is middle of the CAA. The CAA has slipped of late with the loss of East Carolina and Richmond.

They play decent baseball but don't play many (if any) Top 20 type teams. I think they played Rutgers last year and beat them but lost 4 of 5 to Delaware State.

Redbird - I totally disagree with your opinion. The CAA has an outstanding baseball programs.

They have UNC-Wilmington, William and Mary, Old Dominion, George Mason, VCU as well as Delaware and Hofstra. (Hofstra would be the only one I would question as I know nothing about their programs). The rest I have first hand knowledge of as an observer, my son was recruited by each of them, and because we know so many of the players at each of these schools personally and I know the talent level they possess.

ODU has one of the top pitchers in the nation right now with Justin Verlander, Orenduff of VCU was a team member of Verlanders on the 2003 USA National Team. William and Mary has a first team all american pitcher,

UNC-W head coach was named the 2003 East Coach of the year by ABCA.

You won't find the majority of the CAA traveling far for games because they don't have to, they get outstanding competion within their own conference and within hours of their home fields. They choose to spend their money in other ways. The CAA is made up mostly of schools within Virginia and there aren't many Top 20 schools anywhere near the CAA schools.

Many of Northern Virginia's top players end up in CAA schools, both because of their academics and baseball reputations.

I would definiately encourage anyone who is being recruited by a CAA school to look more into the programs and the school.

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"Baseball, it is said, is only a game. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole."

"JustMom"

my teammate signed their early d this year....he's pretty good. hit the ball hard...plays a decent first base...or third if his arm is better....if he can play there they are a mid D1 team

I'm not saying it isn't good baseball. I am saying it isn't as good as it was. In the early to mid 90's, the CAA was #3 in the Conference RPI (behind SEC & ACC; but ahead of Pac-10). Where is it now?

Since ECU and Richmond have "defected", the conference has slipped. Please don't tell me that you lose ECU and Richmond, replace them with Hofstra, Drexel, and Delaware and you still have a very strong conference.

In the whole scheme of things, CAA baseball is good but each year, they only get 1 bid to Regionals.

Unfortunately the changes in the CAA were motivated by sports other than baseball.

ECU left to go to a league that had 1a football, Conference USA. That hasn't worked well for them and the tragic loss of Coach LeClair due to retirement brought on by Lou Gehrig's disease has hurt their baseball program.

Richmond went to the Atlantic 10 to strengthen their Baseketball program. Their baseball program has gotten better lately but now needs to show strength over an extended period of time.

The CAA elected to add Delaware, Drexel, Towson, and Hofstra to strengthen their Basketball programs and to extend into the Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York markets for TV. I don't think they have had the success they hoped for in those areas.

In baseball Delaware and Towson have been the best of the lot. Hofstra isn't very good and Drexel has dropped baseball due to Title 9 concerns. The CAA is middle of the pack in RPI ratings. It does continue to produce good players who are drafted every year. Last year 2 teams made it to the NCAA regionals.

One question every prospective college player should ask is will I get playing time. Does it make sense to go to a top 25 school and sit for a year or two. In my opinon you only get better by playing. The CAA and its member schools offer fine educations, good baseball, and lots of exposure. There are schools which can meet the academic and social needs of all different types of players/students. Look at the choices and then decide.