College World Series

Last updated
College World Series
Cws logo new ncaa2016.png
Most recently played 2025
Latest champion LSU

The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is a baseball tournament held each June in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the culmination of the NCAA Division I baseball tournament—featuring 64 teams in the first round—which determines the champion of NCAA Division I level college baseball. The eight participating teams are split into two double-elimination brackets of four teams apiece, with the bracket winners playing in a best-of-three championship series.

Contents

History

The first edition of the College World Series was held in 1947 at Hyames Field in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The tournament was held there again in 1948, but was moved to Lawrence Stadium in Wichita, Kansas, for the 1949 tournament. Since 1950, the College World Series (CWS) has been held in Omaha, Nebraska. [1] [2] It was held at Rosenblatt Stadium from 1950 through 2010; starting in 2011, it has been held at Charles Schwab Field Omaha (formerly TD Ameritrade Park Omaha). The name "College World Series" is derived from that of the Major League Baseball World Series championship; it is currently an MLB trademark licensed to the NCAA. [3]

The event's official name was changed to "Men's College World Series" no later than 2008. The most recent hosting agreement between the NCAA and the city of Omaha and related entities, signed in that year, states, "The official name of the [championship] shall be the NCAA Men's College World Series". However, as of October 2021, the CWS logo still appeared on the NCAA's official D-I baseball tournament bracket, and on the front page of the NCAA's official CWS website, without the word "Men's". [4] The NCAA has since added "Men's" to the event's logo, and both the NCAA and College World Series of Omaha, Inc. (CWS Omaha), the nonprofit group that organizes the event, now consistently use the phrase "Men's College World Series" to describe it. [5]

On March 13, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 College World Series was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first time in the event's history it had been canceled. [6]

Contract extension

On June 10, 2008, the NCAA and CWS Omaha announced a new 25-year contract extension, keeping the MCWS in Omaha through 2035. [7] A memorandum of understanding had been reached by all parties on April 30. [8]

The currently binding contract began in 2011, the same year the tournament moved from Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium to the venue now known as Charles Schwab Field Omaha, a new ballpark across from CHI Health Center Omaha.

Format history and changes

2006 College World Series Championship game (University of North Carolina versus Oregon State University) at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska. College World Series 2006 - Finals Game 2 opening.jpg
2006 College World Series Championship game (University of North Carolina versus Oregon State University) at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

Results

YearChampionCoachScoreRunner-upMost Outstanding PlayerStadiumCity
1947 California Clint Evans 17–8, 8–7 Yale Hyames Field Kalamazoo, MI
1948 USC Sam Barry 3–1, 3–8, 9–2 Yale
1949 Texas Bibb Falk 10–3 Wake Forest Tom Hamilton, Texas Lawrence–Dumont Stadium Wichita, KS
1950 Texas (2) Bibb Falk 3–0 Washington State Ray VanCleef, Rutgers Omaha Municipal Stadium Omaha, NE
1951 Oklahoma Jack Baer 3–2 Tennessee Sidney Hatfield, Tennessee
1952 Holy Cross Jack Barry 8–4 Missouri James O'Neill, Holy Cross
1953 Michigan Ray Fisher 7–5 Texas J.L. Smith, Texas
1954 Missouri Hi Simmons 4–1 Rollins Tom Yewcic, Michigan State
1955 Wake Forest Taylor Sanford 7–6 Western Michigan Tom Borland, Oklahoma A&M
1956 Minnesota Dick Siebert 12–1 Arizona Jerry Thomas, Minnesota
1957 California (2) George Wolfman 1–0 Penn State Cal Emery, Penn State
1958 USC (2) Rod Dedeaux 8–7 Missouri Bill Thom, USC
1959 Oklahoma State Toby Greene 5–3 Arizona Jim Dobson, Oklahoma State
1960 Minnesota (2) Dick Siebert 2–1 USC John Erickson, Minnesota
1961 USC (3) Rod Dedeaux 1–0 Oklahoma State Littleton Fowler, Oklahoma State
1962 Michigan (2) Don Lund 5–4 Santa Clara Bob Garibaldi, Santa Clara
1963 USC (4) Rod Dedeaux 5–2 Arizona Bud Hollowell, USC
1964 Minnesota (3) Dick Siebert 5–1 Missouri Joe Ferris, Maine Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium
1965 Arizona State Bobby Winkles 2–1 Ohio State Sal Bando, Arizona State
1966 Ohio State Marty Karow 8–2 Oklahoma State Steve Arlin, Ohio State
1967 Arizona State (2) Bobby Winkles 11–2 Houston Ron Davini, Arizona State
1968 USC (5) Rod Dedeaux 4–3 Southern Illinois Bill Seinsoth, USC
1969 Arizona State (3) Bobby Winkles 10–1 Tulsa John Dolinsek, Arizona State
1970 USC (6) Rod Dedeaux 2–1 Florida State Gene Ammann, Florida State
1971 USC (7) Rod Dedeaux 7–2 Southern Illinois Jerry Tabb, Tulsa
1972 USC (8) Rod Dedeaux 1–0 Arizona State Russ McQueen, USC
1973 USC (9) Rod Dedeaux 4–3 Arizona State Dave Winfield, Minnesota
1974 USC (10) Rod Dedeaux 7–3 Miami (FL) George Milke, USC
1975 Texas (3) Cliff Gustafson 5–1 South Carolina Mickey Reichenbach, Texas
1976 Arizona Jerry Kindall 7–1 Eastern Michigan Steve Powers, Arizona
1977 Arizona State (4) Jim Brock 2–1 South Carolina Bob Horner, Arizona State
1978 USC (11) Rod Dedeaux 10–3 Arizona State Rod Boxberger, USC
1979 Cal State Fullerton Augie Garrido 2–1 Arkansas Tony Hudson, Cal State Fullerton
1980 Arizona (2) Jerry Kindall 5–3 Hawaii Terry Francona, Arizona
1981 Arizona State (5) Jim Brock 7–4 Oklahoma State Stan Holmes, Arizona State
1982 Miami (FL) Ron Fraser 9–3 Wichita State Dan Smith, Miami (FL)
1983 Texas (4) Cliff Gustafson 4–3 Alabama Calvin Schiraldi, Texas
1984 Cal State Fullerton (2) Augie Garrido 3–1 Texas John Fishel, Cal State Fullerton
1985 Miami (FL) (2) Ron Fraser 10–6 Texas Greg Ellena, Miami (FL)
1986 Arizona (3) Jerry Kindall 10–2 Florida State Mike Senne, Arizona
1987 Stanford Mark Marquess 9–5 Oklahoma State Paul Carey, Stanford
1988 Stanford (2) Mark Marquess 9–4 Arizona State Lee Plemel, Stanford
1989 Wichita State Gene Stephenson 5–3 Texas Greg Brummett, Wichita State
1990 Georgia Steve Webber 2–1 Oklahoma State Mike Rebhan, Georgia
1991 LSU Skip Bertman 6–3 Wichita State Gary Hymel, LSU
1992 Pepperdine Andy Lopez 3–2 Cal State Fullerton Phil Nevin, Cal State Fullerton
1993 LSU (2) Skip Bertman 8–0 Wichita State Todd Walker, LSU
1994 Oklahoma (2) Larry Cochell 13–5 Georgia Tech Chip Glass, Oklahoma
1995 Cal State Fullerton (3) Augie Garrido 11–5 USC Mark Kotsay, Cal State Fullerton
1996 LSU (3) Skip Bertman 9–8 Miami (FL) Pat Burrell, Miami (FL)
1997 LSU (4) Skip Bertman 13–6 Alabama Brandon Larson, LSU
1998 USC (12) Mike Gillespie 21–14 Arizona State Wes Rachels, USC
1999 Miami (FL) (3) Jim Morris 6–5 Florida State Marshall McDougall, Florida State
2000 LSU (5) Skip Bertman 6–5 Stanford Trey Hodges, LSU
2001 Miami (FL) (4) Jim Morris 12–1 Stanford Charlton Jimerson, Miami (FL)
2002 Texas (5) Augie Garrido 12–6 South Carolina Huston Street, Texas
2003 Rice Wayne Graham 4–3 10 , 3–8, 14–2 Stanford John Hudgins, Stanford
2004 Cal State Fullerton (4) George Horton 6–4, 3–2 Texas Jason Windsor, Cal State Fullerton
2005 Texas (6) Augie Garrido 4–2, 6–2 Florida David Maroul, Texas
2006 Oregon State Pat Casey 3–4, 11–7, 3–2 North Carolina Jonah Nickerson, Oregon State
2007 Oregon State (2) Pat Casey 11–4, 9–3 North Carolina Jorge Luis Reyes, Oregon State
2008 Fresno State Mike Batesole 6–7, 19–10, 6–1 Georgia Tommy Mendonca, Fresno State
2009 LSU (6) Paul Mainieri 7–6, 1–5, 11–4 Texas Jared Mitchell, LSU
2010 South Carolina Ray Tanner 7–1, 2–1 11 UCLA Jackie Bradley Jr., South Carolina
2011 South Carolina (2) Ray Tanner 2–1 11 , 5–2 Florida Scott Wingo, South Carolina TD Ameritrade Park
2012 Arizona (4) Andy Lopez 5–1, 4–1 South Carolina Rob Refsnyder, Arizona
2013 UCLA John Savage 3–1, 8–0 Mississippi State Adam Plutko, UCLA
2014 Vanderbilt Tim Corbin 9–8, 2–7, 3–2 Virginia Dansby Swanson, Vanderbilt
2015 Virginia Brian O'Connor 1–5, 3–0, 4–2 Vanderbilt Josh Sborz, Virginia
2016 Coastal Carolina Gary Gilmore 0–3, 5–4, 4–3 Arizona Andrew Beckwith, Coastal Carolina
2017 Florida Kevin O'Sullivan 4–3, 6–1 LSU Alex Faedo, Florida
2018 Oregon State (3) Pat Casey 1–4, 5–3, 5–0 Arkansas Adley Rutschman, Oregon State
2019 Vanderbilt (2) Tim Corbin 4–7, 4–1, 8–2 Michigan Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt
2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Mississippi State Chris Lemonis 2–8, 13–2, 9–0 Vanderbilt Will Bednar, Mississippi State TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, NE
2022 Ole Miss Mike Bianco 10–3, 4–2 Oklahoma Dylan DeLucia, Ole Miss Charles Schwab Field
2023 LSU (7) Jay Johnson 4–3 11 , 4–24, 18–4 Florida Paul Skenes, LSU
2024 Tennessee Tony Vitello 5–9, 4–1, 6–5 Texas A&M Dylan Dreiling, Tennessee
2025 LSU (8) Jay Johnson 1–0, 5–3 Coastal Carolina Kade Anderson, LSU

Teams reaching the finals

Teams reaching the finals
TeamTitlesRunners-upFinals
Appearances
USC 12 (1948, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1998)2 (1960, 1995)14
LSU 8 (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009, 2023, 2025)1 (2017)9
Texas 6 (1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, 2005)6 (1953, 1984, 1985, 1989, 2004, 2009)12
Arizona State 5 (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1981)5 (1972, 1973, 1978, 1988, 1998)10
Arizona 4 (1976, 1980, 1986, 2012)4 (1956, 1959, 1963, 2016)8
Miami (FL) 4 (1982, 1985, 1999, 2001)2 (1974, 1996)6
Cal State Fullerton 4 (1979, 1984, 1995, 2004)1 (1992)5
Minnesota 3 (1956, 1960, 1964)3
Oregon State 3 (2006, 2007, 2018)3
South Carolina 2 (2010, 2011)4 (1975, 1977, 2002, 2012)6
Stanford 2 (1987, 1988)3 (2000, 2001, 2003)5
Vanderbilt 2 (2014, 2019)2 (2015, 2021)4
Oklahoma 2 (1951, 1994)1 (2022)3
Michigan 2 (1953, 1962)1 (2019)3
California 2 (1947, 1957)2
Oklahoma State 1 (1959)5 (1961, 1966, 1981, 1987, 1990)6
Missouri 1 (1954)3 (1952, 1958, 1964)4
Wichita State 1 (1989)3 (1982, 1991, 1993)4
Florida 1 (2017)3 (2005, 2011, 2023)4
Wake Forest 1 (1955)1 (1949)2
Ohio State 1 (1966)1 (1965)2
Georgia 1 (1990)1 (2008)2
UCLA 1 (2013)1 (2010)2
Virginia 1 (2015)1 (2014)2
Coastal Carolina 1 (2016)1 (2025)2
Mississippi State 1 (2021)1 (2013)2
Tennessee 1 (2024)1 (1951)2
Holy Cross 1 (1952)1
Pepperdine 1 (1992)1
Rice 1 (2003)1
Fresno State 1 (2008)1
Ole Miss 1 (2022)1
Florida State 3 (1970, 1986, 1999)3
Yale 2 (1947, 1948)2
Southern Illinois 2 (1968, 1971)2
Arkansas 2 (1979, 2018)2
Alabama 2 (1983, 1997)2
North Carolina 2 (2006, 2007)2
Washington State 1 (1950)1
Rollins 1 (1954)1
Western Michigan 1 (1955)1
Penn State 1 (1957)1
Santa Clara 1 (1962)1
Houston 1 (1967)1
Tulsa 1 (1969)1
Eastern Michigan 1 (1976)1
Hawaii 1 (1980)1
Georgia Tech 1 (1994)1
Texas A&M 1 (2024)1

    Best performances by conference

    RankConferenceTitles
    1 Pac-12 18
    2 Southeastern (SEC) 17
    3 Western Athletic (WAC) 7
    4 Big Ten 6
    4 PCC-CIBA 6
    6Independents5
    7 Big Eight 4
    7 Southwest 4
    9 Atlantic Coast (ACC) 2
    9 Big 12 2
    9 Big West (BWC) 2
    9Big West (SCBA) 2
    13 Big South (BSC) 1
    13 Missouri Valley (MVC) 1
    13 West Coast (WCC) 1

    Awards

    The College World Series Most Outstanding Player award is presented to the best player at each College World Series finals (first awarded in 1949). [19]

    An All-Tournament Team consisting of the best players of the tournament has also been announced for each tournament since 1958.

    Records and statistics

    All-time record for champions

    TeamAppearancesFirstLastWinsLossesPct.Titles
    Texas 38194920228863.5836
    Miami (FL) 25197420164842.5334
    Arizona State 22196420106138.6165
    Southern California 21194820017426.74012
    LSU 20198620255129.6388
    Oklahoma State [a] 20195420164038.5131
    Arizona 19195420254334.5584
    Stanford 19195320234131.5692
    Cal State Fullerton 18197520173431.5234
    Florida 14198820242727.5001
    Mississippi State 12197120211824.4291
    South Carolina 11197520123220.6152
    Oklahoma 11195120221516.4842
    Michigan 8195320191614.5332
    Oregon State 8195220252114.6003
    Tennessee 7195120241413.5191
    Wichita State 7198219961611.5931
    Rice 7199720081013.4351
    Virginia 7200920241314.4811
    Missouri 6195219641811.6211
    Ole Miss 6195620221011.4761
    California 619472011118.5792
    Georgia 6198720081011.4761
    UCLA 6196920251011.4761
    Vanderbilt 5201120212010.6672
    Minnesota 519561977177.7083
    Holy Cross 41952196397.5631
    Ohio State 41951196797.5631
    Fresno State 41959200898.5291
    Wake Forest 31949202395.6431
    Coastal Carolina 22016202594.6921
    Pepperdine 21979199272.7781

    Most appearances without an MCWS championship

    Top 10
    RankSchoolAppearancesWinsMCWS Winning %Runner-upWins Per Appearance
    1Florida State2432.40031.33
    2Arkansas1217.43621.42
    2Clemson1212.33301.00
    2North Carolina1219.42221.58
    5Northern Colorado103.13000.30
    6Texas A&M88.33311.00
    7Maine77.22200.57
    8Western Michigan69.42911.50
    8St. John's (NY)66.33301.00
    8Auburn63.23100.50
    8Louisville66.33301.00

    Most MCWS participants by one conference in a year

    Minimum three participants
    NumberYearConferenceProgramsMCWS Winner
    41997SECAlabama, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi StateLSU
    42004SECArkansas, Georgia, LSU, South CarolinaCal State Fullerton
    42006ACCClemson, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North CarolinaOregon State
    42015SECArkansas, Florida, LSU, VanderbiltVirginia
    42019SECArkansas, Auburn, Mississippi State, VanderbiltVanderbilt
    42022SECArkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, Texas A&M [b] Ole Miss
    42024ACCFlorida State, NC State, North Carolina, VirginiaTennessee
    42024SECFlorida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&MTennessee
    31988Pac-12Arizona State, California, StanfordStanford
    31990SECGeorgia, LSU, Mississippi StateGeorgia
    31996SECAlabama, Florida, LSULSU
    31998SECFlorida, LSU, Mississippi StateSouthern California
    32005Big 12Baylor, Nebraska, TexasTexas
    32008ACCFlorida State, Miami (FL), North CarolinaFresno State
    32011SECFlorida, South Carolina, VanderbiltSouth Carolina
    32012SECArkansas, Florida, South CarolinaArizona
    32014Big 12TCU, Texas, Texas TechVanderbilt
    32016Big 12Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas TechCoastal Carolina
    32017SECFlorida, LSU, Texas A&MFlorida
    32018SECArkansas, Florida, Mississippi StateOregon State
    32021SECVanderbilt, Mississippi State, TennesseeMississippi State
    32023SECFlorida, LSU, TennesseeLSU
    1. Before 1957, Oklahoma State University was known as Oklahoma A&M.
    2. In addition to the four then-current SEC members, two other participants in that edition, Oklahoma and Texas, announced in 2021 that they would join the SEC no later than 2025 (2026 season). Both ultimately joined the SEC for the 2025 season.

    See also

    Notes

      References

      1. "College World Series of Omaha, Inc. - Creighton University" . Retrieved 28 June 2017.
      2. CWS History [ permanent dead link ]. CWS Omaha, Inc. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
      3. NCAA Trademarks – NCAA.org Archived 2017-05-05 at the Wayback Machine , footnote at bottom: "College World Series and Women's College World Series: The NCAA is the exclusive licensee of these marks, registered by Major League Baseball, in connection with the NCAA Division I Men's Baseball Championship and the Division I Women's Softball Championship."
      4. "NCAA External Gender Equity Review: Phase II". Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP. October 25, 2021. p. 70. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
      5. See, e.g., the NCAA Division I baseball home page, with linked stories consistently using "Men's College World Series"; the NCAA's official MCWS home page; and the CWS Omaha home page.
      6. "2020 NCAA Tournament canceled due to growing threat of coronavirus pandemic". 13 March 2020.
      7. "NCAA Men's College World Series 2008 - NCAA Signs 25-Year Agreement with College World Series of Omaha Inc". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-12. NCAA Signs 25-Year Agreement with College World Series of Omaha, Inc.
      8. "NCAA Men's College World Series 2008 - NCAA Memorandum of Understanding Paves the Way for Extending the Road to Omaha through 2035". Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-12. NCAA Memorandum of Understanding...
      9. "NCAA baseball selection committee altering seeding process for 2026: top 32 teams to receive seeds". CBS Sports. 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
      10. BlueGoldNews.com, Kevin Kinder (2025-08-20). "NCAA Baseball seeding change doesn't appear to bring much impact". WV News. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
      11. "General CWS Records, All-Time Won-Lost by Conference, Pg 19" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
      12. "Big 12 National Championships". NeuLion, Inc. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
      13. "The College Football Report's Long (Somewhat) And Illustrious (Kind Of) History Of The Big Six". The Beachwood Media Company. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
      14. "Western Athletic Conference Official Site - National Champions". Western Athletic Conference. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
      15. "Western Athletic Conference Official Site - WAC Timeline". Western Athletic Conference. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
      16. "Baseball_Tournament_Records.pdf" (PDF). Western Athletic Conference. Retrieved 1 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
      17. "Atlantic Sun Conference and Western Athletic Conference to Forge Strategic Alliance: WAC to Rebrand as United Athletic Conference" (Press release). United Athletic Conference. 2025-06-26.
      18. "Coastal Carolina to join Sun Belt Conference in July 2016". Ncaa.com.
      19. "General CWS Records" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved April 17, 2022.