Balladeer’s Blog offers one last round of congratulations to the 2016 college basketball champions in the FOURTEEN divisions covered here.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
National Champions – MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS
Runners-Up – Georgetown (KY) College Tigers
2015 Champions – Dalton State Roadrunners
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION TWO
National Champions – INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS
Runners-Up – University of Saint Francis (IN) Cougars
2015 Champions – Cornerstone University Golden Eagles Continue reading
The NCAA has changed the name of Wo-men’s Sand Volley-ball to Wo-men’s Beach Volley-ball and has named it the 90th colleg-iate sport whose Champ-ion-ship will come under the NCAA aegis. 
*** 1. PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY WAVES ### 2. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES ### 3. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS ### 4. STETSON UNIVERSITY HATTERS ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS ### 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE GRIZZLIES ### 2. LEWIS-CLARK STATE WARRIORS ### 3. BELLEVUE (NE) BRUINS ### 4. UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA DROVERS ### 
6. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BEAUFORT SAND SHARKS ### 7. OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS ### 8. FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be Furies) ### 9. WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS ### 10. SAINT THOMAS UNIVERSITY (FL) BOBCATS ### 
COLUMBIA COLLEGE CLAIM JUMPERS 
The NAIA’s Mid-South Conference and the Sun Conference are merging to form the nation’s largest football conference at any level. There will be 20 teams competing for three automatic bids to the NAIA playoffs. 2017 will be the debut year of the combo. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Both the CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO RAMS and their opponents, the SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS, came into the title game having suffered just ONE loss all through the regular season and the postseason! Naturally one of the teams would suffer their second loss in this game. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS clashed with the FRESNO CITY COLLEGE RAMS in this game. The Gauchos’ weakness of occasional slow starts came back to haunt them again as they trailed the Rams 28-19 at Halftime. 
FINAL FOUR: FIRST BERTH – The NorCal 3 seeds – the FRESNO CITY COLLEGE RAMS – had a hardcourt rumble with the NorCal 7 seeds – the CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE COMETS. The Rams dominated early and led the Comets 63-44 by Halftime. After the break Contra Costa College inched closer and closer to Fresno City College but their attempted rally fell short. The Rams won by a Century Club score of 100-89 led by B.J. Shelton with 27 points. 
ELITE EIGHT: FIRST BERTH – The Brummel Dome was the site of another masterpiece of defensive basketball played by the top seeded SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS. Their opponents, the 9th seeded BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES, trailed them at Halftime by a barely believable score of 26-16. The Renegades stunned the Gauchos after the break by forcing Overtime with a 50-50 tie to end Regulation. In the extra session Saddleback College won the game 64-56. Breaon Brady led the Gauchos with 14 points and 9 rebounds. 
NOR-CAL REGION – THIRD ROUND – GAME ONE – In this game the 7 seeds – the CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE COMETS – took the court against the 2nd seeded FEATHER RIVER COLLEGE GOLDEN EAGLES. The Comets trailed the Golden Eagles at Halftime by a score of 47-44 but in the 2nd Half Contra Costa College outscored Feather River College SIXTY-TWO to THIRTY-SEVEN! The Comets won this upset by a Century Club score of 106-84 led by Jeremiah Alston with 25 points. 
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