Not satisfied with making regional, Troy baseball wants to be last team standing in 2026

May 26, 2025, serves as a stark reminder for Troy baseball coach Skylar Meade. It was the day the Trojans were left out of the NCAA tournament despite boasting 39 wins, a solid 18-12 record in the Sun Belt Conference, and a Top 50 RPI. Since that snub, Meade and his squad have been on a mission to ensure history didn't repeat itself.

The work has paid off. Troy is headed to the NCAA Gainesville Regional as the No. 3 seed, set to square off against Miami in their opening matchup at 5 p.m. Friday. While their 32-29 record might look modest on paper, the Trojans navigated one of the nation's 10 toughest schedules, including a non-conference slate ranked within the top five.

Fueling the Fire

“Last year was a travesty, and I’ve made that crystal clear,” Meade said. “We weren’t scared. We were fearless of what we did, and we played our best baseball in May. This is the only day I’ve thought about for 365 days.”

The Trojans' path included high-stakes battles against powerhouses like Mississippi State, Alabama, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Maryland, and East Carolina, with notable wins over the Crimson Tide, Bulldogs, and Terrapins. Even after a difficult stretch left them at 22-25 on May 2, the team rallied to go 9-4 down the stretch, securing a spot in the Sun Belt tournament semifinals.

Setting Sights High

When the NCAA selection show revealed their tournament bid, there was no surprise in the Troy camp—only resolve. “I’m not a ‘try hard’ person. I’m a doer,” Meade said. “We’re trying to win a national championship every year.”

The Gainesville Regional bracket is formidable, featuring No. 8 national seed Florida, Rider, and Miami. Florida arrives with top-tier arms like junior Liam Peterson and SEC Pitcher of the Year Aidan King, while Miami brings a high-octane offense. Yet, the Trojans are bringing their own star power, headlined by Sun Belt Player of the Year Jimmy Janicki.

“I think we’re better,” Janicki said. “We’ve got so much talent on this team, it’s actually insane. We’ve just got to stay mentally focused, physically focused and all healthy, and we’ll be good.”

Gainesville Regional Schedule (All Times Central)

• Game 1: No. 1 Florida (39-19) vs. No. 4 Rider (33-18), noon, ESPN+
• Game 2: No. 2 Miami (38-18) vs. No. 3 Troy (32-29), 5 p.m., ACC Network
• Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, noon
• Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5 p.m.
• Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 11 a.m.
• Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 4 p.m.
• Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary), time TBD