BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University is making its 14th trip to the NCAA Regionals and its first since 2010.

The Cardinals are headed to College Station to take on 12th seeded Texas A&M at 3 p.m. Friday.
 
POSTSEASON PLAY: The Cardinals improved to 42-37 all-time in Southland Conference tournament play since 1967 … LU is now 60-51 all-time in conference play … LU has won six conference tournament titles in program history, including four Southland Conference tournament championships (2002, 2004, 2010, 2026) and two Sun Belt tournament titles (1993, 1995) … LU has won 12 Southland Conference regular-season titles (1971, 1975-77, 1979, 1981, 1984-85, 2003-04, 2021, 2024) … The Cardinals have made 22 appearances in the Southland Conference tournament (1967-1968, 2001-2011, 2013-2014, 2016-2017, 2021, 2023-2026).

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Since 1976, the Cardinals have made 14 trips to the NCAA Regionals (1976-1977, 1979, 1981, 1984-1985, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2002-2004, 2010, 2026) … This marks the 13th time the Cardinals have remained in Texas to compete in an NCAA regional, including their second appearance in the College Station Regional since 1993 … LU has ventured outside the Lone Star State for a regional only once — the 1995 Midwest Regional at Wichita State … The Cardinals are 13-26 all-time in the NCAA tournament … LU last earned a regional victory at the 2003 Austin Regional, defeating Arkansas in the opening game.

THE WILL DAVIS ERA: In his 10th season at the helm, Will Davis — the second-winningest coach in program history — has compiled a 263-219 overall record, including a 187-80 mark since 2023 … Davis has led the Cardinals to two regular-season titles (2021, 2024) … Named Southland Conference Coach of the Year in 2024, Davis has produced a Player of the Year (Ryan Snell, 2023), two Hitter of the Year honorees (Reid Russell, 2016 | Damian Ruiz, 2025), two Pitcher of the Year recipients (Brooks Caple, 2024 | Olivier, 2026) and a Newcomer of the Year (Lutz, 2026) … Davis recorded back-to-back 40-win seasons in 2024 and 2025, marking the program's first such stretch since 2003-2004 … He also helped lead the Cardinals to a 27-2 regular season home record in 2025, the best winning percentage at Vincent-Beck Stadium since 1993.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE: Four Cardinals were named to the Southland's All-Conference team: Chris Olivier (First team/Pitcher of the Year), A.J. Taylor (First team/All-Defensive team), Tab Tracy (Second team) and Travis Lutz (Second team/Newcomer of the Year).

ALL-TOURNAMENT: Eight Cardinals were named to the Southland Conference All-Tournament Team: Olivier (Most Valuable Player), Jake Wagoner, Cooper Carlgren, Hector Rodriguez, Taylor, Beau Durbin, Balin Valentine and Lutz … Olivier became the program's first tournament MVP since Anthony Moore in 2010 … The eight all-tournament selections are the most since LU had seven in 2004.

GETTING HOT: The LU pitching staff posted a 1.33 ERA during the conference tournament, recording 54 strikeouts over 61 innings while allowing just nine earned runs … Julius Carpio recorded three saves in four appearances, tossing seven scoreless innings … Wagoner led the offense, batting .520 over seven games with 13 hits, including a double and three RBIs … Valentine hit .421 with eight hits and four RBIs.

OFFENSIVE RESURGENCE: Wagoner leads the offense with a .347 batting average and enters the week on a six-game hitting streak and an 11-game on-base streak.

KEEPING TABS ON TAB: Tracy leads the offense with 74 hits, 20 stolen bases, 21 multi-hit games and a .433 on-base percentage … Tracy has a seven-game hitting streak with 10 hits including a double, home run and five RBIs.

OFFENSIVE LEADER: Durbin leads the Cardinals with 20 doubles, 42 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 109 total bases, 12 multi-RBI games and a .458 slugging percentage … Durbin has reached base safely in his last 12 games … Durbin's 20 doubles rank eighth on the program's single-season list.

BEST DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP: Taylor leads the team with seven home runs, tied for first with 21 multi-hit games and second with 12 doubles … Taylor also ranks third in hits (69), second in stolen bases (11) while he's tied for second in RBIs (32) … He's riding a five-game hitting streak going 9 for 22 (.409) with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs … Taylor ranked third nationally among shortstops in defensive runs saved, according to 6-4-3 Charts.

THIS AND THAT: Valentine sports a six-game hitting streak going 8 for 17 (.471) with four RBIs … Rodriguez has a five-game hitting streak going 9 for 17 (.529) with four RBIs … Braden Benton leads the offense with 39 walks.

OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS: Taylor's five-hit game against New Orleans marked the first by a Cardinal since Zak Skinner in 2024 … LU's 20-1 victory in Game 3 at New Orleans was the fourth time since 2024 that the Cardinals have scored 20 or more runs in a game … Earlier this season, Tracy recorded a 20-game on-base streak, marking the 12th time since 2010 that an LU hitter has reached base safely in 20 or more consecutive games … Durbin became the first Cardinal hitter to hit three doubles in a game during Game 3 against Southeastern Louisiana since Kirkland Banks in 2022.

HOME RUN TRACKER: LU has hit 38 home runs, with 28 coming on the road … LU has 10 home runs at home for the season … The Cardinals hit four home runs against Sam Houston, marking the fifth time since 2022 the program has hit four or more home runs in a game.

EXTRA INNINGS: The Cardinals have played in nine extra-inning games this season, posting a 6-3 record … Six of the nine contests went 10 innings.

WALK IT OFF: LU has recorded three walk-off wins this season: a single by Durbin in Game 3 against UTRGV, a two-run home run by Brayden Evans against Tarleton State and a walk-off wild pitch in Game 3 against Northwestern State.

RUN-RULE: The Cardinals have also recorded three 10-run rule wins, both coming in Game 3 road contests at Nicholls and New Orleans and during Game 7 of the conference tournament against Stephen F. Austin.

HOME SWEET HOME: LU has gone 18-12 at home, compiling a 69-18 record at Vincent-Beck Stadium over the past three seasons ... The Cardinals are 1,085-521-6 (.673) all-time at Vincent-Beck Stadium since 1969.

WINNING: The Cardinals are the only Southland Conference team with 30 or more Division I wins in each of the past five seasons.

ATTENDANCE: LU ranked fourth in the Southland Conference in attendance, drawing 27,579 fans during the regular season for an average of 1,021 per game … The Cardinals drew 8,850 fans during the conference tournament, including a season-high 2,131 fans for Game 2 of the championship series.

TOP 10 PLAY: For the first time since 2023, an LU baseball player earned a spot on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 plays reel … Evans checked in at No. 3 after robbing a home run Saturday in Game 2 against Houston Christian … Kirkland Banks was the last Cardinal to make the list, also ranking No. 3.

ACE OF THE STAFF: Olivier leads the staff in strikeouts (103) and innings pitched (88) … Olivier is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA in 15 starts with an opponent batting average of .180 … He went 2-0 during the Southland Conference tournament with a 1.29 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched … Olivier is a four-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week and College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year semifinalist … Olivier's complete-game win in Game 1 against Northwestern State marked LU's first complete-game shutout since Trevin Michael in 2021 … Olivier's 14 strikeouts against Oakland are tied for the third most in a single game in program history, matching Will Hibbs' total in 2016 … Since 2010, only three LU pitchers have reached the 100‑strikeout milestone: Caple, who finished with 102 in 2024, and Jonathan Dziedzic, who accomplished the feat twice with 114 strikeouts in 2010 and 106 in 2013.

SOLID FRESHMAN: Jarret Williams, a midseason first team Perfect Game Freshman All-American, is fourth on the staff with 49 strikeouts … Williams is 2-3 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 15 appearances and 12 starts across 54 innings … He has seven appearances without allowing an earned run.

STRIKEOUTS: The LU pitching staff has recorded 502 strikeouts this season, ranking first in program history and surpassing the previous mark of 491 set in 2025.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHTS: Lutz ranks second on the staff with 67 strikeouts and is 4-2 with a staff-best 2.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over 59.1 innings in 15 appearances … Cooper Carlgren ranks third on the staff with 53 strikeouts, including 35 over his last six outings … Carpio leads the staff with five saves while Nathan Darden has three … Fabian Ramirez has a 2.45 ERA in 15 appearances across 18.1 innings … Ethan Oceguera is 4-1 in 20 appearances and 23.1 innings.

TAKING ON THE TOP 25: The Cardinals have played five teams that are or were ranked in the top 25, including No. 5 Texas, No. 7 Oregon State, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 13 Kansas and TCU … The last time LU played three or more ranked opponents in a season was in 2016.

MIDWEEK CONTESTS: LU finishes the season going 5-8 in midweek contests, highlighted by a 4-1 victory over Big 12 opponent, regional host and now No. 13 Kansas.
LU vs. Texas A&M: Texas A&M leads the all-time series 38-8 against the Cardinals, dating back to the first meeting in 1971 … LU's last win came on Feb. 21, 2023 — its first against the Aggies since 2000 … Six of LU's eight wins came in Beaumont in 2000, 1994, 1987 and 1976.
TEAM OUTLOOK: Texas A&M is 39-14 overall and finished 18-11 in the Southeastern Conference … The Aggies are 5-5 in their last 10 games, including a 7-0 loss to Auburn in the opening game of the SEC tournament … Texas A&M sports a 27-6 record at home … The Aggies are making their 39th NCAA tournament appearance and will host an NCAA Regional for the 14th time.

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

• Junior infielder Gavin Grahovac: A first team All-SEC selection leads the offense with 74 hits and a .344 average … He also has 19 home runs and 71 RBIs with a .712 slugging percentage.
• Junior outfielder Caden Sorrell: A first team All-SEC selection posted a .341 average with 72 hits, 17 doubles, 23 home runs and 74 RBIs.

PITCHERS TO WATCH:

• Junior righthander Clayton Freshcorn: A first team All-SEC selection posted a 3-2 record with a 2.36 ERA in 25 appearances with a team-leading 12 saves in 45.2 innings.
• Redshirt junior lefthander Shane Sdao: Posted a 4-4 record in 15 appearances and 12 starts with a team-best 78 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched.

TEAM OUTLOOK: Southern California is 43-15 overall and finished 20-10 in the Big Ten … The Trojans posted a 32-1 home record and went 7-3 in their last 10 games, including a loss to rival UCLA in the Big Ten tournament semifinals … USC has made back-to-back NCAA regional berths since 2001-2002.

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

• Junior infielder Adrian Lopez: Leads the offense with 65 hits … Posted a .300 average in 56 starts with 12 doubles, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.
• Senior outfielder Jack Basseer: Earned second team All-Big Ten honors … Leads the offense with a .356 average and .678 slugging percentage while recording 53 hits, 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs.

PITCHERS TO WATCH:

• Junior lefthander Mason Edwards: Named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year … Posted an 8-0 record with a 1.43 ERA in 15 starts with 160 strikeouts in 88.1 innings pitched … Leads NCAA Division I in strikeouts.
• Sophomore righthander Grant Govel: Named first team All-Big Ten … Sporting a 10-2 record with a 2.84 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 88.2 innings pitched.

TEAM OUTLOOK: Texas State finished 36-24 overall and went 16-14 in the Sun Belt Conference … The Bobcats are 7-3 in their last 10 games, including a loss to UL Lafayette in the Sun Belt tournament semifinal ... This is the seventh trip overall to the NCAA tournament and third time as an at-large selection.

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

• Senior outfielder/catcher Rashawn Galloway: Named second team All-Sun Belt … Led the offense with a .324 average, 27 doubles and 83 hits … Posted 12 home runs and 48 RBIs.
• Junior infielder Manny Salas: Named second team All-Sun Belt … Posted a .315 average with 70 hits, 14 doubles, 15 home runs and 40 RBIs.

PITCHERS TO WATCH:

• Freshman righthander Wade Cooper: Sporting a 6-3 record with five saves and a 4.67 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched and 21 appearances.
• Redshirt junior lefthander Jesus Tovar: Posted a 9-3 record in 12 starts with one save … Struck out 65 batters in 67 innings pitched with a 5.24 ERA.