Pac-12 Baseball welcomes the addition of Dallas Baptist University

Affiliate membership for Dallas Baptist University in the sport of baseball to begin with the new Pac-12’s launch for the 2026-27 season

8/20/2025 3:16:56 PM

By: Pac-12 Conference


The Pac-12 Conference and Dallas Baptist University (DBU) today jointly announced that the Patriots will join as an affiliate member in the sport of baseball beginning with the 2026-27 season, coinciding with the new Pac-12’s launch year. DBU will join Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State and Washington State as the seven members of Pac-12 Baseball. 

“As we build a new league upon our conference’s storied past, we are ecstatic to welcome DBU Baseball and its top-caliber program to help write our next chapter,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould. “With the strength of our new baseball league and amazing communities across our seven programs, including the Patriots’ passionate fanbase, we cannot wait for our official first pitch!”

DBU Director of Athletics Matt Duce said: "This is yet another significant moment in the history of DBU Athletics. DBU Baseball’s legacy stretches back decades, shaped by the dedication of players and coaches who laid the foundation for today’s success. Over the last two decades, Coach Heefner and the Patriots have carried that tradition to even greater heights, and joining the Pac-12 is the latest milestone in a storied history. On behalf of our alumni, players, and fans, I would like to thank Commissioner Teresa Gould and the leadership of the Pac-12 Conference for this exciting opportunity."

Head Coach Dan Heefner added: "We are excited for the challenge and the opportunity that the Pac-12 Conference brings to our program. The Pac-12 features elite programs and passionate fan bases. Our guys embrace big moments, and we are grateful for the chance to represent DBU in the Pac-12."

DBU Baseball: A Top 25 Program

With the addition of Dallas Baptist University as an affiliate member in the sport of baseball, the new Pac-12 welcomes a program with strong momentum and a recent track record of national success as evident by an average RPI of 24 over the last five seasons (since 2021) and NCAA postseason appearances in each of the last 11 campaigns (not including the 2020 season which was canceled due to the COVID pandemic).

Other notable highlights of DBU Baseball’s recent and sustained success include: 

  • 7th-highest average number of wins per year since 2015 (42.5)

  • One of five programs to reach the NCAA tournament each of the last 11 years (also: Florida, LSU, Oklahoma State & Vanderbilt)

  • 14 NCAA regional appearances over the last 17 seasons

  • 81 MLB draft selections during Head Coach Dan Heefner’s 18 years at the helm

  • 56 MLB draft selections since 2015, 24th-most in the country

  • 27 All-Americans since 2006

  • 17 freshman All-Americans since 2007

  • Finished 2015 regular season with the No. 1 RPI in the country

  • 437 wins since 2015, the seventh-most in the country in that time

  • 12 total 40-win seasons over the last 14 years

  • 23 players total reach the Major Leagues since 1987, including three total World Series rings earned across two former players (Ben Zobrist - 2, Freddy Sanchez -1)

  • 10-time conference champs (either regular season or tournament across their history in the Missouri Valley Conference and Conference USA)

  • Coach Heefner’s .688 winning percentage ranks as the ninth-highest in the nation among adjective coaches with at least five years of head coaching experience

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Top 5 League: Strength of the new Pac-12 in baseball

Now with the addition of Dallas Baptist University as an affiliate member, the new Pac-12’s baseball league is positioned as a Top 5 league in the country when looking at the past five seasons and considering future conference compositions for the sport. Since 2021 in that time, the new Pac-12’s seven baseball programs have several notable collective highlights, including: 

  • Average RPI of 106.0 over the last five seasons, the fifth-best mark in the country among all leagues trailing only the SEC (30.5), ACC (43.0), Big 12 (74.3) and Big Ten (101.5)

  • One of three conference with multiple programs averaging an RPI over 25-or-better over the last five seasons (SEC - 7, ACC - 2, Pac-12 - 2 with Dallas Baptist & Oregon State)

  • Ranks third nationally in percentage of programs earning NCAA Tournament bids annually over the last five seasons (SEC - 74%, ACC - 56%, Pac-12 - 43%).

  • The 4th-best collective overall winning percentage, .552 (1,092-886-2), over the last five seasons, trailing only the SEC (.629), ACC (.603) and Big 12 (.562).

  • Five of seven total programs with a collective winning percentage greater than .500 over the past five seasons 

  • 15 total NCAA postseason appearances over the last five seasons

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