Stephen F. Austin brought back its varsity intercollegiate baseball program for the 2006 season, after having dropped the program following the 1995 season.[3]
Both Kennesaw State and North Florida transitioned from Division II to Division I for the 2006 season.[4]
Entering the 2006 baseball season, many baseball-sponsoring schools changed conferences. Several schools left Conference USA, as Charlotte and St. Louis left for the Atlantic 10 Conference, Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida left for the Big East Conference, and Texas Christian left for the Mountain West Conference. In order to replace these schools, Conference USA added Rice from the Western Athletic Conference, Marshall from the Mid-American Conference, and Central Florida from the Atlantic Sun Conference.[5]
In order to compensate for the schools lost to Conference USA, the Western Athletic Conference also made several changes. New Mexico State joined from the Sun Belt Conference, along with Sacramento State, previously a Division I Independent.[6] The Sun Belt, in turn, added Florida Atlantic and Troy from the Atlantic Sun. The Colonial Athletic Association added Northeastern from the America East Conference and Georgia State from the Atlantic Sun Conference.[5]
The Atlantic Sun added three schools, East Tennessee State from the Southern Conference and Kennesaw State and North Florida from the Division II Peach Belt Conference.[5]
The Atlantic Coast Conference added Boston College from the Big East.[5]
The Southland Conference added one program, as conference member Stephen F. Austin revived its baseball program.[3]
As a result of the addition of Boston College as a 12th member, the Atlantic Coast Conference split into two six-team divisions. The Atlantic 10 Conference, which had added both Charlotte and St. Louis, eliminated its previous format of two six-team divisions. The West Coast Conference, which had previously competed in two four-team divisions, also eliminated its divisional format.
