Northern Colorado Bears baseball is the varsity intercollegiate team representing University of Northern Colorado in the sport of college baseball in NCAA Division I. The team is led by Mike Anderson, and plays its home games at Jackson Field on campus in Greeley, Colorado. The Bears are baseball members of the Summit League, having joined in July 2021 after spending the previous eight years as baseball members of the Western Athletic Conference.

Prior to the 1968 establishment of what is now the NCAA Division II baseball tournament, the Bears reached the College World Series nine times, and reached the CWS again in 1974 at the Division I level for a total of ten appearances, compiling a record of 3–20. The school was known as Colorado State College until 1970, when the school changed to its present name. This is not to be confused with the current Colorado State University, which was known as Colorado A&M until 1957.

Venue

The Bears play baseball home games at Jackson Field, which holds 1,500. Jackson Field has hosted NCAA regionals in 1952, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1962 and 1974.

History Northern Colorado first fielded a baseball team from 1924 to 1942, taking a break during World War II and returned to play in 1945, under Pete Butler, who returned to his post as head coach after serving in the United States Navy.

After playing as a Division I Independent following their return to Division I play in 2004, the Bears joined the Great West Conference for the 2010 season. The Bears captured the 2013 regular season Great West Conference championship, their first conference championship since 1998. When the Great West League became defunct, the Bears joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Following the 2021 season, the Bears announced they would join the Summit League to help control costs.

Head coaches Records are through June 28, 2024 1924–1927 George E. Cooper 4 13–9–1 1928–1929 George Cooper/Pete Brown 2 6–3 1930–1940 Pete Brown 11 54–58 1941–1942, 1945–1967 Pete Butler 25 417–153–2 1943–1944 World War II – No Team 1968–1970 Thurman Wright 3 43–35–1 1971–1985 Tom Petroff 15 367–198–1 1986–1990 John Barnes 5 90–133 1991–2002 Terry Hensley 12 289–284 2003–2010 Kevin Smallcomb 8 195–235 2011–2022 Carl Iwasaki 12 218–375 2023–present Mike Anderson 2 27–72–1

+Longest Tenure 1 Pete Butler 25 2 Tom Petroff 15 3 Terry Hensley 12

+Most Wins 1 Pete Butler 417 2 Tom Petroff 367 3 Terry Hensley 289

+Best Winning Pct. 1 Pete Butler .731 2 Tom Petroff .649 3 George E. Cooper .587

Postseason appearances

NCAA tournament

Year Site Record Notes 1949 Bovard Field 1–2 West Regional 1951 Unknown 2–0 Won District VII Playoff 1952 Jackson Field 2–0 Won District VII Playoff 1952 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1953 Derks Field 2–1 Won District VII Playoff 1953 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1954 Jackson Field 1–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1955 Jackson Field 2–1 Won District VII Playoff 1955 Omaha Municipal Stadium 1–2 CWS Fifth Place 1956 Jackson Field 1–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1957 Jackson Field 2–1 Won District VII Playoff 1957 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1958 Cougar Field 1–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1958 Omaha Municipal Stadium 1–2 CWS Fifth Place 1959 Jackson Field 2–1 Won District VII Playoff 1959 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1960 Derks Field 2–1 Won District VII Playoff 1960 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1961 Unknown 3–1 Won District VII Playoff 1961 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1962 Jackson Field 3–0 Won District VII Playoff 1962 Omaha Municipal Stadium 0–2 CWS Seventh Place 1963 UA Field 0–3 Lost District VII Playoff 1964 Falcon Baseball Field 0–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1965 Phoenix Municipal Stadium 2–4 Lost District VII Playoff 1966 Jackson Field 0–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1968 Unknown 1–2 Lost District VII Playoff 1971 Unknown 3–2 Lost Midwest Regional 1972 Unknown 2–2 Lost Midwest Regional 1973 Unknown 2–2 Lost Midwest Regional 1974 Jackson Field 4–1 Won District VII Playoff 1974 Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium 1–2 CWS Fifth Place 1975 Packard Stadium 0–2 Lost Rocky Mountain Regional 1976 Bailey Field 0–2 Lost West Regional 1994 Mules’ Field 0–2 Lost Central Regional 1998 Mules’ Field 0–2 Lost Central Regional Total – 41–60 (38–40 regionals)(0–0 super reg.)(3–20 CWS)

Source:

Conference affiliations Rocky Mountain Conference: 1924–1972 Great Plains Athletic Conference: 1973–1976 Division I Independent: 1977–1990 North Central Conference 1991–2003 Division I Independent: 2004–2009 Great West Conference: 2010–2013 Western Athletic Conference: 2014–2021 Summit League: 2022–present

Source:

Awards and honors

All-Americans

YearPositionNameTeamSelector1949PHarry Wise3rdABCA1954OFRichard Porter2ndABCA1956PJohn Hogg3rdABCA1957PJohn Hogg3rdABCA1957OFDel Peterson2ndABCA1958CLarry Klumb3rdABCA1959PDon Herrick3rdABCA1961OFJohn Koehler3rdABCA1967SSGreg Riddoch3rdABCA1972CBob DeMeo2ndABCA1973CBob DeMeo3rdABCA1974CBob DeMeo3rdABCA1982OFJordon Berge3rdABCA1989OFTim Walstrom1stABCA1990OFTim Walstrom1stABCA20031BPhil Delich2ndABCA2013OFNick Miller2ndABCA

Freshman All-Americans

YearPositionNameSelector2012OFJensen ParkLouisville Slugger

Conference player of the year

YearConferencePositionName2013Great WestOFJensen Park2015WACOFJensen Park

Conference coach of the year

YearConferenceName2013Great WestCarl Iwasaki

References