But whether that bid is granted is based on more than rankings. UCI’s estimated standing in the Ratings Percentage Index, believed to be weighed heavily when assigning national seeds and regional host sites, is No. 12 by one popular Internet watchdog.
Further, concerns about attendance, logistics, and a still-growing facility that is below the standards of programs in the major BCS conferences, cloud the notion of whether UCI’s home turf is still worthy of welcoming a regional.
Junior starting pitcher Danny Bibona, who allowed just five hits in his first collegiate complete game to improve to 10-1 this season, said the conference crown was just the first of many goals the Anteaters hope to check off their list.
“Forty wins is one [goal],” Bibona said. “Winning the Big West is one; winning the Regional; winning the Super Regional. And not just going to Omaha [site of the College World Series], but winning a national championship. We’ve got that list of goals ahead of us.”
UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said he is not concerned that clinching with five conference games left, six regular-season games in all, will distract his players’ focus on the big picture.
“I think we understand that it has yet to be determined how the seeding [for the 64-team NCAA tournament] will go,” Gillespie said. “And I think how we continue to play and how we finish up will have an impact ... I think the [players’] makeup is such that we’ll keep playing hard. I hope it means we’ll keep playing well, but we’ll keep playing hard.”
