Due to fears over terrorism and travel security in the wake of the September 11 attacks , the Division I Baseball Committee , which selects the 64-team field and places the teams on the bracket , was ordered by the NCAA to keep regional pairings as localized as possible , in order to minimize the number of plane trips utilized . Due to these travel constraints , teams from the same conference were allowed to play in the same regional for the first time . An example of the travel restrictions came from the regional in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , featuring four schools from the Bayou State which are located a total of apart along Interstate 10 , the first time ( and to date , last ) a regional has been entirely an in-state affair outside California , Florida , and Texas . The travel restrictions were eased in 2003 , and the ban on conference teams facing each other in regional play was reinstated
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
2002 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament