University Tulane University Nickname Green Wave | Location New Orleans, LA Founded 1893 | |
Head coach Travis Jewett (1st year) Home stadium Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
(Capacity: 5,000) Colors Olive Green and Sky Blue Conference American Athletic Conference Home ground Greer Field at Turchin Stadium | ||
The Tulane Green Wave baseball team represents Tulane University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The Green Wave baseball team competes in the American Athletic Conference and play their home games on campus at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. They are managed by head coach Travis Jewett, who took over the program in 2016 coming from Vanderbilt University where he was named one of the top assistants ready to lead in college baseball by multiple publications. In 2016, USA Today named Tulane University one of the top 10 best college baseball programs in the country.
Contents
- By the numbers
- History
- The College World Series
- Hurricane Katrina
- Recent history
- Stadium
- Logo and uniforms
- Tulane in the NCAA Tournament
- Collegiate national team members
- Greenies in MLB
- Retired numbers
- Other prominent former players
- References
One of the most prestigious universities in the United States (ranked 39th in US News & World Report Best Colleges 2017) is also home to one of the country’s oldest baseball programs as it has enjoyed over 100 years of illustrious baseball history. Tulane University, located in the heart of the Uptown area of New Orleans, La. on the historic St. Charles Ave., first fielded a baseball team in 1893, fifty years after the school opened its doors for the first time. The program got off to a great start, and it hasn’t looked back since.
Over time, the program has seen a multitude of transitions, but one constant has remained: winning. Tulane has captured 15 conference championships in three different leagues. On top of that, Tulane has been a regular in the NCAA postseason, having made 21 NCAA Regional Appearances as well as 3 Super Regionals and 2 trips to the College World Series.
The program has also produced a slew of draft picks and Major Leaguers, as 27 former Green Wave players have seen time in the big leagues. Additionally, many former players have gone onto successful careers in a variety of fields. With some of the finest facilities in the country and the support and resources of Tulane University and the city of New Orleans, Tulane baseball is considered one of the top 10 baseball programs in the NCAA both athletically and academically.
By the numbers
History
The last few years have seen Tulane's college baseball team consistently ranked among the best in the nation. The NCAA named it the 17th winningest team of the 2000s in terms of winning percentage and 16th by overall wins.
The College World Series
In 2001 the team's 55 wins set a school record and led the nation. The team made it to the College World Series in Omaha, only to blow an 8–0 lead against Stanford University and lose the game 13–11. The Green Wave won its next game against Nebraska 6–5 but was eliminated in the third game by Cal-State Fullerton. In 2005 the Green Wave tied its 2001 record for wins. Tulane started the season ranked first in the nation and held the top spot throughout most of the regular season. The Green Wave entered the postseason ranked No. 1 and beat Rice to win its Super Regional. Tulane advanced to the College World Series for the second time in school history. The Green Wave defeated Oregon State 3–1 in its first game but fell 5–0 to Texas, the eventual national champion. In an elimination game against Baylor, the Green Wave led 7–0 in the 7th inning before the Bears scored 8 runs in the final three innings to win the game. Brian Bogusevic won Louisiana Pitcher of the Year, was named to four All-American teams (including Louisville Slugger's first team), and was a semifinalist for three national awards. He was taken in the first round of the 2005 draft by the Houston Astros. Pitcher and first baseman Micah Owings was named Conference USA and Louisiana Player of the Year. He was drafted in the third round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Third baseman Brad Emaus was named Conference USA and Louisiana Freshman of the Year. Head Coach Rick Jones was named Louisiana Coach of the Year.
Hurricane Katrina
In 2006, the Tulane baseball team returned to New Orleans after spending the fall semester at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. With the renovation of Turchin Stadium delayed, the Green Wave were forced to play home games at nearby Zephyr Field for 2 seasons. Despite the distractions and disruptions of their day-to-day lives, the Green Wave finished the regular season 39–17, in third place in C-USA with a 15–9 conference record. Tulane lost to Ole Miss in the NCAA Regionals to end the season.
The university's Renewal Plan called for the suspension of some of its sports, and Tulane Athletics did not return to a full 16 teams until the 2011–12 school year.
Recent history
Prior to the 2007 season the Green Wave was recognized by Baseball America as one of the top college baseball programs in the country since the NCAA expanded its tournament from 48 to 64 teams. The ratings were formulated by evaluating a program's national impact, overall competitiveness, fans and facilities, and academics. The Wave received an "A" rating, one of only 16 teams so designated.
The 2007 season saw the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina finally wear on the team. With construction underway on the new Turchin Stadium, the Wave played a second straight season at Zephyr Field. A solid 28–11 start to the season (including a sweep of in-state rival LSU) was followed by a 6–15 limp to the finish line. The Green Wave failed to garner an NCAA bid for the first time since 1997.
Due to health concerns in his 21st season as head coach, Rick Jones stepped down temporarily, handing over control of the 2014 team to recruiting coordinator and hitting coach Jake Gautreau. He was replaced by David Pierce. In his first year at Tulane, David Pierce brought the Greenwave back to postseason play for the first time since 2008. In 2016 he improved on that and brought Tulane a conference championship. On June 29, 2016, Pierce left the Green Wave Baseball Team for the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns team.
Stadium
The Green Wave have played its home games at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium since 1991. The team has a .750 winning percentage in games played there and consistently ranks highly among Division I baseball programs in average attendance figures. In 2008 the Green Wave returned to a brand-new Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, nearly rebuilt at the site of the old stadium after damage from Katrina forced a much larger construction project. The new stadium expanded seating to 5,000, including four luxury box suites and a partially covered seating area with 2,700 chairback seats.
Logo and uniforms
Tulane Baseball is widely regarded year in and year out as having one of the best logos and uniforms in College Baseball. Throughout the years, multiple publications and fans have voted the Green Wave jerseys as having the #1 Logo and Uniform in college baseball, and as recently as 2016 the NCAA named it one of the top nine in the country.
Known for their classic appearance, Tulane's "birds on the bat" logo pays homage to the National League's fan favorite St. Louis Cardinals, which make them one of a kind in college baseball.
Tulane has worn multiple color combinations throughout the years that include the following: olive green, sky blue, cream, white, gray, black, and padre style camo jerseys, all donning the famous Tulane "birds on the bat" logo. The baseball cap insignia features either the "T-Wave symbol" or the "Slugger Bird".
Tulane in the NCAA Tournament
Collegiate national team members
Over the last two decades, the Green Wave have been well represented on the nation's most elite team: USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. There have been 9 players/coaches to don the Red, White and Blue uniform on eight separate occasions since Ivan Zweig became the first to represent Tulane as a member of Team USA in 1991.
"**"Indicates selected to team but did not participate due to injury
Greenies in MLB
Notable Drafted High School Commits in MLB
Retired numbers
The Tulane baseball program has retired three numbers in the school's history. One player, a player/coach and a coaching legend each have their names and numbers immortalized inside Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. A trio of New Orleans natives are all enshrined in the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame, with head coach Joe Brockhoff (East Jefferson High School), Cary D. Livingston (West Jefferson High School) and Milt Retif (Jesuit High School) all have their numbers hung on the facade inside the Green Wave's home stadium.
Other prominent former players
Andrew Friedman
Bobby Brown
Scott Sidwell