2016 Record: 16-37
2016 Southland Conference Record: 8-21
The 2016 Abilene Christian Wildcats struggled to a 16-37 record, but enter the 2017 season on a mission to firmly establish itself as a Division 1 program to be reckoned with. With the school in the midst of the fourth and final year of the reclassification process as it transitions to Division 1 status, ACU will not be eligible for conference or NCAA postseason play in 2017.
That will not stop the Wildcats from playing a full Southland Conference schedule, as well as perhaps the toughest non-conference slate in school history. Overall, its scheduled opponents finished a combined 163 games over .500 in 2016.
ACU opens the season at home with a 4-game series against Michigan State, the first time ever the school has faced a team from the Big 10. The schedule also includes a home and home set against in-state powers TCU and Dallas Baptist, and a three-game series in Abilene against Creighton. The Wildcats don't get to catch their breath on the road either, as they visit Big 12 foe Kansas State for three games in late April, Texas A&M on April 11th, and they conclude the regular season with a four game series in Corvallis, Oregon against Oregon State.
The Wildcats return their top hitter from the 2016 squad, senior Russell Crippen, who batted .306 on his way to being named the Southland Conference Utility Player of the Year. The team will have to replace virtually its entire pitching staff, however. Junior Drew Hanson is the only returning member of the staff who started a game for the Wildcats in 2016 - and he only started 3. The story of the 2017 season may well be told by how effectively ACU's freshman and junior college transfer arms can hold down the fort and provide quality innings for Wildcats.
All in all it should be an exciting season in Abilene!
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