Chasing Omaha: How Cal Poly Baseball Alumni are Providing Scholarships for Players
5/26/2026 12:15:00 PM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Green jerseys scatter the field, stained by a weekend of baseball games in the heat of May. Cal Poly pitcher Tanner Sagouspe stands on the mound eyeing the Irvine batter carefully. The crowd watches, unable to avert their eyes, anticipating victory. With a 2-1 count, Sagouspe releases the ball. Center fielder Casey Murray Jr. takes a step backwards as the batter makes contact, sending the ball his way.
The ball hung in the air long enough for Murray to find it and drop safely into his glove; the dugout emptied.
Despite their apparent exhaustion, after winning three elimination games in just 30 hours, every Cal Poly player dog piled on the mound in celebration. They had just become Big West Champions and punched their ticket to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in eleven years.
Moments like that are what Project Omaha is intended to sustain. As a fundraising initiative set to raise five million dollars in scholarship funds for Cal Poly Baseball, it will be a dynamic change to how the team recruits and retains talent.
As a mid-major program, baseball has been at the forefront of the school's athletic success.
Last year, the NCAA changed the scholarship limitations from 11.7 to 34. Like many similar programs, Cal Poly doesn't have the funding for that many scholarships. This is where Project Omaha comes into play. At a minimum, the goal is to cover 25 scholarships.
At the helm of this project are Cal Poly baseball alums Robin Baggett and Jason Novi, who have both been incredibly generous benefactors of the program. After witnessing the determination and hard work that inspired a Big West Championship and run in the NCAA playoffs, Baggett and Novi are intent on maintaining that success.
As Cal Poly players in their day, they can attest to the incredible culture and camaraderie in the clubhouse and are dedicated to filling it with the best baseball players possible.
“My education at Cal Poly was baseball; it really taught me all the life lessons.” Baggett shares joyfully reflecting on his time on the field.
He now resides in San Luis Obispo as a highly successful businessman and continues to stay connected with the program.
As the namesake of the Cal Poly baseball stadium, Baggett has already dedicated a lot of his time and money to the program. He has been there as a player, a fan, a benefactor, and in some of the program’s most trying moments.
“The year ‘79 was critical… There was a proposal to eliminate some sports, and baseball was one of them.” Baggett explains.
Baggett and other alumni came together to cover the operational tasks, essentially saving the program. They did this for ten years through fundraising and donations. He felt strongly that baseball was one of the only campus sports that could compete at the national level and, therefore, deserved to do so.
He explains that he shares the same mentality now with Project Omaha, and so does the school. As part of this fundraising initiative, for every dollar they raise, the school will match it. With a $5 million goal, the program is targeting $10 million in scholarship money over the span of five years.
“Darn near every recruit that we get to San Luis Obispo, once we get them here, they don't want to leave,” Novi explains pridefully.
So, to compete against bigger schools offering NIL money, Novi sees Project Omaha as its ticket to keeping good players on the Central Coast.
“We were only a pitcher or two away from winning that regional in Oregon last year,” declared Novi.
And that's what makes Project Omaha important. To be one pitcher ahead of other teams is the difference between a trip to Omaha and a trip home. Novi and Baggett are determined that Cal Poly will be the most desirable team in the Big West Conference.
“We’re leaders in this,” Novi says confidently.
Other schools are attempting similar campaigns. Cal Poly's top competitors, UC Irvine and UCSB, have launched projects of their own; however, their facilities cannot compete with those of Cal Poly. Their initiatives are much smaller and haven't been met with the same enthusiasm from their administrations.
Project Omaha is truly its own ballpark. And it's already proven successful.
Already halfway there with $2.5 million raised, head coach Larry Lee has begun to dip into the fund to support incoming players. As of the ‘26 season, Cal Poly has replaced their starting catcher, Sunday pitcher, and closer, all thanks to the scholarships Project Omaha provides.
With a small town of fans behind it and a network of alumni invested in its future, the program is determined to bring home a World Series title.
Winning the Big West tournament was just the beginning; now they're chasing Omaha.
Support Cal Poly Baseball through Project Omaha and help fund scholarships and holistic student-athlete support, ensuring the program has the resources to compete at the highest level amid the evolving landscape of college athletics, including the NCAA’s increase to 34 full scholarships. Donations directly support student-athletes, helping attract and retain elite talent while upholding academic excellence. As part of the initiative, a matching fund specific to Project Omaha has been established by the University, providing permanent investment into the program’s operational budget and further strengthening Cal Poly Baseball’s competitive foundation.
Make your impact today by supporting Project Omaha, powered by Players Edge.
