HawgBeat - Well-oiled machine: Consistency, culture vital in Arkansas' hosting efforts
Consistency and culture have proven vital in Arkansas baseball hosting for six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments.
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The Arkansas baseball team will host its sixth NCAA Regional of the last seven postseason tournaments this weekend thanks to a team culture that drives a well-oiled machine of consistency under head coach Dave Van Horn.
After finishing with a 43-14 (20-10 SEC) record, the Razorbacks received the fifth overall seed in the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament that starts on Friday. Joining Arkansas is 2-seed Louisiana Tech, 3-seed Kansas State and 4-seed Southeast Missouri State. Arkansas also hosted a regional at Baum Walker-Stadium during the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 NCAA Tournaments.
"A few things are involved there," Van Horn said on Monday. "Obviously we have good players that care about winning and they take care of business. They find a way to show up every day mentally, even if they’re not feeling great or whatever. They’re humans, it’s just the way it is."
It's not uncommon to see programs falter after having great seasons. Mississippi State (2021), Ole Miss (2022) and LSU (2023) all missed the NCAA Tournament or had underperforming regular seasons the year after they won the national championship, after all. The Diamond Hogs have yet to reach the pinnacle of college baseball, but it's hard to imagine them falling off a cliff like others have. Year after year, the Razorbacks find themselves in position to make a deep run to Omaha.
"I think the coaches do a great job of preparing their guys mentally to play," Van Horn said. "I think it’s a little bit of our culture that’s gone on for years, as far as the way we do things here, what’s expected. It all adds up. Because you look around, there’s a handful of teams that have done it, but it’s hard to do and it’s hard to be consistent, especially these days with kids being able to jump around, coaches jumping around.
"We’ve done a good job of keeping our staff together and I think the players, they can see the coaches all like each other and that we get along, we hang out a little bit away from the ballpark. It just all adds up. The kids are maybe a little bit more comfortable early. I think it’s helped us over the years."
Van Horn went on to discuss the advantages and disadvantages that Arkansas faces in its home regional. Of their last six hosting opportunities in Fayetteville, the Hogs have only failed to advance on two occasions (2017, 2023).
"The advantages are you get to sleep in your own bed and your own surroundings that you’re used to and play in front of your own fans when they get loud and maybe help you flip an inning here or there," Van Horn said. "Just knowing your surface and the sun and the wind and all of those things.
"Sometimes a disadvantage about playing at home is there are a lot of distractions. People wanting tickets and getting texts and calls. Media. I mean, there are a lot of things that can distract you when you’re at home."
The Razorbacks will start postseason play in the NCAA Tournament on Friday against Southeast Missouri State. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT and it will stream on ESPN+.
