For months after Coastal Carolina surfaced out of the Big South in 2016 to win an NCAA baseball regional at NC State, then a super regional at LSU before rolling Florida, Texas Tech, TCU and Arizona in the College World Series to earn its first national title, coach Gary Gilmore accepted thanks at almost every turn.
In hotels, restaurants, airports, Gilmore said, "every time I went somewhere, some coach or some fan came up and stopped me."
They offered a singular message. "You made us believe."
Believers abound in the wake of the Monday unveil of the 64-team, NCAA postseason field.