2023 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Where are the NCAA College World Series Super Regionals being held?
With the NCAA Div-I baseball tournament in full swing, we look at all of the hosting cities of the Super Regionals on the road to the College World Series.
The top 64 teams in the land have rumbled and the field is now whittled down to 16. After the weekend, it will stand at eight, and the entire show will move to Omaha, in one of the sporting world’s most exciting tournaments, the College World Series.
The regionals played out much as expected, with Oral Roberts the surprise Cinderella team, dismantling their bracket and stunning Oklahoma State to advance.
Here are the Super Regional matchups.
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Wake Forest (1) vs. Alabama (16)
Coming into the tournament, Wake Forest was the national number one in the polls and they managed to stay alive through the regionals, earning them home field advantage for their matchup with Alabama. The Crimson Tide is still reeling from the scandal caused mid season over in-game betting, leading to the sudden resignation of their coach. All in all, they have done well to get here, but will need to step up their game to take down the Demon Deacons.
Gainesville, Fla.
Florida (2) vs. South Carolina (15)
Setting up a possible 1-2 face off, the national number two coming into the tournament, Florida, has also romped their way through the regionals to face the Gamecocks at home. South Carolina swept the Gators during the regular season, so any thought that they will be intimidated by Florida’s seeding should be pushed out of the mind.
Baton Rouge, La.
LSU (5) vs. Kentucky (12)
The Tigers owned the number one spot for most of the season, stumbling in the final furlong and losing ground as the tournament started. Since then, however, they have picked themselves off and advanced, albeit shakily at times. They will host Kentucky in the Wildcats’ second-ever visit to the Super Regionals.
Charlottesville, Va.
Virginia (7) vs. Duke
Duke managed to claw their way into the Super Regionals by thrashing stalwarts Coastal Carolina, earning themselves an invitation to Virginia. When the two ACC rivals met in April, Duke took two games off the Cavaliers. Things have steadied for Virginia since then, however, and the seventh-ranked Cavs will be no pushover in front of their home crowd.
Stanford, Calif.
Stanford (8) vs. Texas
The Cardinal are one of the nation’s top baseball institutions, and while currently ranked eighth in the country, they are capable of dethroning any school at any time. Just one year removed from Texas’ strong run that faltered at the final gate, the Longhorns are looking to redeem themselves in Palo Alto. Both of these teams breezed through their regional matchups and this game will be one of the best matchups you can see this year.
Fort Worth, Texas
Indiana State (14) vs. TCU
A conflict with the Special Olympics in Terre Haute means that despite Indiana State having the higher seeding than TCU, the Super Regional will be played in Fort Worth. Often overlooked in Texas, with attention focusing on the Longhorns and Aggies, the Horned Frogs are a baseball program that could be as good as any in the land. The Sycamores have ridden a top-notch defense to the Super Regionals for only the second time and will need to find some offense to match it if they want to take the next step.
Eugene, Or.
Oregon vs. Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts were the Cinderella story of the regionals, ripping through Stillwater like at team much higher than their status. Oregon may have been a foregone conclusion as a Super Regional host, but ORU definitely caught everyone off guard. In their dismantling of Oklahoma State, they earned a spot in Eugene and have proven that they are here to play.
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Southern Miss vs. Tennessee
Southern Mississippi is in danger of becoming a baseball powerhouse, having spent the past three seasons taking down giants in their wake. They have done it again in the regionals and will host Tennessee in a series that should be one of the top three to watch this weekend. The Vols are looking to rise after last season saw them dropped at this stage by Notre Dame, while the Golden Eagles are spreading their wings and developing into one of the best baseball programs in the country.
This year will mark the 76th annual College World Series, and the 73rd to be hosted by Omaha, Nebraska. First pitch is scheduled for Friday, June 16, where the final eight teams will play in a two-bracket, double-elimination tournament to determine the final two teams who will clash for the national championship.