Tag Archives: NAIA

January 7, 2020 · 8:26 pm

TWENTY MORE COOL-NAMED NAIA COLLEGE SPORTS TEAMS

The year 2020 will be the year of plenty of Top Twenty lists here at Balladeer’s Blog. Here is yet another one:

calmaritimekeelhaulersCAL MARITIME KEELHAULERS

Location: Vallejo, CA

Comment: The name Keelhaulers may sound like a bar (“It’s Ladies’ Night at Keelhaulers!”) but that’s no problem since their mascot looks like he can definitely handle himself in rough company.

TRINITY CHRISTIAN TROLLTRINITY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE TROLLS

Location: Palos Heights, IL

Comment: No, their mascot isn’t a message board jerk provoking flame wars, it’s an old-school Troll like you’d find in fairy tales and myths.

columbia_koalasCOLUMBIA COLLEGE FIGHTING KOALAS

Location: Columbia, SC

Comment: Okay, koalas would be scary enough, but FIGHTING Koalas? Those babies will mess you up badly! And you can add your own Koalas in the Rain joke here. Continue reading →

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July 29, 2019 · 6:43 am

MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE EXPANDS TO TWELVE TEAMS

Mid-South ConferenceThe NAIA’s Mid-South Conference announced that it will add three more teams for the 2020-2021 season, bringing the league’s total number of teams to twelve.

Fans of the old Trans-South Conference will be delighted to hear that the three teams will be the Martin Methodist College Redhawks, the Freed-Hardeman University Lions and the Bethel (TN) University Wildcats. Continue reading →

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August 22, 2014 · 12:01 am

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES FOR AUGUST 23rd

Arizona Christian Univ helmetThe most wonderful time of the year is nearly upon us! If you’re ready for some gridiron clashes THAT COUNT for this year’s record, the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog kick off TOMORROW! The NAIA’s ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM (helmets at left) will be playing their very FIRST year of intercollegiate football in 2014. For their inaugural game they will host the EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS tomorrow.

Some of the other terrific games lined up for tomorrow:

* NAIA *

Mayville State CometsThe MAYVILLE STATE COMETS will host the WALDORF UNIVERSITY WARRIORS in a game that would normally pit the NORTH STAR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION against the MID-STATES LEAGUE. Waldorf has joined the NSAA, making it a conference clash for both teams.  

Montana Tech OrediggersThe MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS are going to take it on the road for Week One and do battle with their arch-rivals the UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA-WESTERN BULLDOGS. These two teams always play some of the most memorable games in the FRONTIER CONFERENCE each year.

Menlo Oaks helmetMeanwhile the MENLO COLLEGE OAKS will welcome the EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS to open the season. The Oaks are independent when it comes to football while the Mountaineers hail from the FRONTIER CONFERENCE. Continue reading →

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August 4, 2014 · 11:44 pm

THE COOLEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL HELMETS IN THE NAIA

With college football kicking off on August 23rd in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog the time seemed right to present a look at the coolest football helmets in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) football. Feel free to let me know whose helmets you feel I left out or who should have been rated higher or lower.

Dordt College Defenders11. DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS

Location: Sioux Center, IA

Comment: The NAIA has the Defenders, the NJCAA has the Avengers and Canadian college football boasts the X-Men! Marvel Comics fans have absolutely no excuse not to get into college football.  

Oklahoma Baptist University helmet10. OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON

Location: Shawnee, OK

Comment: Now here’s a helmet that’s as grand and glorious as the mighty beast the team is named for! OBU is known for getting things done with its sports programs so even though they’re still a little new to gridiron action look for them to make noise sooner rather than later.   

9. BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES

Location: Lindsborg, KS 

Comment: Like the Florida Gators the Bethany Swedes have one of those iconic helmets with stylish lettering and an overall eye-catching appeal. This helmet looks even better topping the Swedes’ blue jerseys and gold pants. Continue reading →

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June 23, 2014 · 7:52 pm

NAIA BASEBALL PLAYERS TAKEN IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE DRAFT IN 2014

Balladeer’s Blog’s annual tradition of giving a shoutout to the several dozen NAIA college baseball players who were selected by Major League Baseball teams in the draft continues. I’m also continuing my tradition of bestowing Official Balladeer’s Blog Nicknames on them.

OklahomaCityStarsOKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS –

Chris “Captain” Pike – Tampa Bay Rays      *****     “Bad Boy” Brad Wieke – New York Mets     *****     Michael “Sergeant” Nolan – Oakland A’s Continue reading →

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July 31, 2013 · 10:32 pm

COOL-NAMED SPORTS TEAM: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-KEARNEY

Nebraska-Kearney Lopers logoUNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-KEARNEY LOPERS

Location: Kearney, NE

Division: NCAA Division Two

Conference Affiliation: MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association

Comment: Founded in 1905 this former NAIA institution is Continue reading →

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April 14, 2013 · 2:17 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE BASEBALL RESULTS FROM APRIL 13TH

PrintHORNET SPLIT – The NAIA’s unranked SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY RUNNIN’ HORNETS split a double-header yesterday with the number 3 team in the nation, the FAULKNER EAGLES. In one game the Runnin’ Hornets came out on top by a score of 5-1 and in the other the Eagles won in a 4-0 shutout. It all made for a bittersweet Senior Day for the Faulkner faithful.

acu firestormCHAR-BROILED MUSTANGS – The ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM took both games of their double-header against the 6th ranked MASTER’S MUSTANGS. Both games were absolute blowouts as the Firestorm singed the Mustangs 7-0 to start things off then incinerated them by a score of 13-3 in the second game. Though unranked in the NAIA poll Arizona Christian is number one in Continue reading →

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March 17, 2013 · 2:21 pm

COLLEGE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT RESULTS FROM MARCH 16TH

* NCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

Shorter U Hawks

Shorter U Hawks

SHORTER PEOPLE GOT PLENTY OF REASONS TO LIVE – The National Christian College Athletic Association tournament has provided us with plenty of exciting basketball since its Wednesday tipoff. True to form the NCCAA Championship Game boasted a wealth of drama as well, with the SHORTER UNIVERSITY HAWKS and the OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES going into Overtime before the new champs were crowned.

OCU was going for its second title in the past three years but the Hawks would have none of it. When the dust had settled in the extra session Shorter University emerged with a 90-87 victory in this Instant Classic. Enroute to the title game SU defeated Mid- America Christian University and top- seeded Fresno Pacific University. Congratulations to the Hawks!

* NJCAA3 CHAMPIONSHIP *

Brookdale College

Brookdale College

PARTYING IN THE GARDEN STATE – The National Championship game in NJCAA Division Three was played yesterday between New Jersey’s BROOKDALE COLLEGE JERSEY BLUES and the state of Texas’ EASTFIELD COLLEGE HARVESTERS. The first half of the game was a Continue reading →

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March 16, 2013 · 2:40 pm

COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT RESULTS FROM MARCH 15TH

* NAIA SWEET SIXTEEN *

Montana Western BulldogsNUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – Perennial basketball powers the (3) LEE UNIVERSITY FLAMES were upset yesterday by the (14) MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS. The Bulldogs are the only Frontier Conference team left in the tournament and did the league proud with their 83-73 shocker over the Flames. Montana Western came back from a 34-31 halftime deficit to stun the nation.

LSU-Shreve bigCRUSADE OF THE RIVERBOAT PILOTS – The LSU- SHREVEPORT PILOTS put together an upset of their own last night. Their opponents, the (9) EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS, only gave up an average of 65 points during the 2012-2013 campaign but the Pilots boast the highest- scoring offense in NAIA Division One. The game saw a series of runs, with Continue reading →

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March 15, 2013 · 7:27 pm

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS FOR THE NAIA, NCCAA AND NJCAA FROM MARCH 14TH

* NAIA *

Culver Stockton College WildcatsNUMBER FIVE GOES DOWN – That was number FIIIIIVE! Yesterday the CULVER STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS upset the (5) LEWIS- CLARK STATE COLLEGE WARRIORS thanks to a hot’n’ heavy 2nd half effort! The final score in this memorable game was Wildcats  91 Warriors  72.

*

MNUPioneersIF NUMBER FIVE FALLS CAN NUMBER SEVEN BE FAR BEHIND? – The MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS scored a Century Club- level number of points on the way to their own upset yesterday. The Pioneers took down the (7) CAL STATE- SAN MARCOS COUGARS in a 109-98 donnybrook the MNU faithful will be reliving for years.  

OklahomaBaptist-_Bison_150pTHE BISON ADVANCE – The (10) OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON had their hands full with the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM but got it together enough to emerge with a win. The Bison move on to the Sweet Sixteen with an Continue reading →

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