North Texas and NCAA baseball have struggled to work in tandem since the Mean Green last fielded a team in 1988. Alumni-led groups have garnered support in reviving the program.
The Division I program originally lasted five seasons before it was disbanded to comply with Title IX, a federal law preventing sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.
Baseball reverted to its roots as a club sport. Junior Eli Melnick has now become the current president of the university’s baseball club, adding to the history of the school’s oldest and only baseball team.
“Club sports is such a cool thing that I never knew anything about,” Melnick said. “I mean, just wearing the jerseys, wearing the merch […], it’s awesome to have that connection to the school.”
Melnick said the club, which competes in the National Club Baseball Association, aims to prioritize the enjoyment of the game without the fear of failure. He also said it gives students another opportunity to compete and display their passion for America’s pastime.
Those qualities of the club instilled by its former players are something Melnick enjoyed when he joined in his freshman year, 2023. After playing high school baseball in Illinois, he joined the club in his freshman year after being approached in the dining hall by members of the club and has stayed since.
“When I was a freshman, it was cool because there wasn’t a dynamic where there’s guys on the team that are above and guys that are below,” Melnick said. “I came out to the first few games, and my love for the game was just instantly back.”
Sophomore club secretary Brayden Crockett similarly said he believes passion is what has allowed the student-run organization to stay around for so long.
“It’s purely for the love of the game,” Crockett said. “I don’t think there’s a single group of guys who are willing to go 0-for-4, have a bad game and drive themselves all the way back […], just to go to class the next day.”
Crockett grew up spending most of his Saturdays in Denton. His father, who has worked in Denton for over 30 years, would sit with him in the crowd of green and white, cheering on the Mean Green football team.
Crockett was able to see firsthand what it meant to represent the university, but it was not until he got older that he realized his interest in sports could not apply to a DI baseball team at the university.
“I was so invested in UNT that I was almost baffled when I realized they didn’t have a baseball team,” Crockett said.
While the reality of fielding an American Conference baseball team seems closer than ever for the club, the timeline is still uncertain. Jared Mosley, vice president and director of athletics, took to X on Sept. 22 to answer an array of questions regarding university athletics.
Of the questions directed at Mosley, one account was curious about whether a DI baseball team would be feasible in the next decade.
“Baseball is more likely to happen once we get our support facilities adequate to serve more student-athletes,” Mosley posted. “Athletic Center Expansion Phase 1 and 2 need to be complete. Depends on how long that takes us to complete fundraising for phase 2.”
In a separate tweet, Mosley confirmed the completion of Phase 1, with the university hoping to break ground on the project in early 2026.
The club’s reputation has resonated with players and supporters alike, as it is the only baseball team representing the Mean Green. Melnick said the club’s roster numbers have been trending upward in recent years, and before this season, the club held tryouts for 60 potential players, compared to 40 last year.
Just like with any club sport, however, Melnick said the financial resources to sustain a full season are expectedly minuscule compared to a sanctioned sport.
He said funds received from annual fundraisers and donations are allocated toward the team’s traveling expenses, uniforms, equipment and other related costs. Additionally, he mentioned the team has to rent baseball fields for both home games and weekly practices.
While the club receives funding from UNT Recreational Sports, players feel that there is a sizable difference that is covered by outside support.
“Frankly, [the school’s funding will] never be enough,” Melnick said. “They can’t afford to cover our expenses for the whole season because baseball is an expensive sport. We definitely do need donations to stay afloat.”
While the discussion of bringing DI baseball back to the university will continue for years to come, the Mean Green baseball club hopes people will realize that the sport never left.
“Guys have that dream of playing in college and then life happens,” Melnick said. “Being able to come out here and have club baseball revitalize that for you really gives me a lot of pride.”