Dallas Baptist to join Pac-12 in baseball in 2027

• Ryan Clarke | The Oregonian/OregonLive

The Pac-12 is adding a unique and highly competitive member on the diamond.

A source confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday that Dallas Baptist will join the Pac-12 in baseball, with its first season coming in spring 2027.

The Patriots, currently members of Conference USA, have appeared in 14 NCAA tournaments and won their regional twice since moving to Division I in 2004. They are one of just five teams in the country to make the regionals in each of the last 10 seasons.

With an enrollment of just over 4,000 students, DBU is Division II in all sports except for baseball.

Current coach Dan Heefner is entering his 19th season at the helm, boasting a career record of 693-344-1 — a .668 win percentage which ranks ninth among active Division I coaches. The program has produced 81 MLB draft picks during his tenure, including 31 in the first 10 rounds.

Alongside three-time national championsOregon State, the Pac-12’s future baseball members now include DBU, San Diego State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Texas State and Washington State.

The Beavers have played the Patriots seven times in their history, holding a record of 3-4. One of those losses came in 2021, when DBU beat OSU 8-5 to knock them out of the Fort Worth regional.

--Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at RClarke@Oregonian.com or on Twitter/X:@RyanTClarke. Find him on Bluesky:@ryantclarke.bsky.social.