Winning in transition: the case for Cal Baptist
Cal Baptist leads the WAC by a half-game over preseason favorite New Mexico State with six conference matches left. No matter what happens until then, the Lancers' season will end on November 13. Previously a powerhouse in the PacWest conference of NCAA Division II, Cal Baptist is in the beginning of a four-year transition to becoming a full member of Division I. Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, CBU will be fully eligible for postseason events, by the time all current players will be gone, except potentially fifth-year seniors. Why can't they go to the postseason now? Cal Baptist won the DII Learfield Director's Cup in the 2017-18 school year, given to the top overall athletic program in the country (Stanford regularly wins it in DI). The 2017 CBU volleyball team went 29-1 in their final year in the Pacific West, with their only defeat coming in the West Region final, DII's equivalent of the Elite Eight. Despite that, the Lancers (17-5, 8-2 Weste