JUCO World Series facts for kids
The JUCO World Series is a big baseball tournament held every year for junior colleges. It's organized by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). This exciting event happens in late May and early June. It helps decide which junior college baseball team is the best in the country!
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How Teams Reach the JUCO World Series
Getting to the JUCO World Series is a journey through several playoff rounds. The rules are mostly the same for all divisions.
First, teams play in a Region Sectional. This is a "best-of-three" series against another team from their region. Often, the top eight teams in a region are ranked. The number one team plays the eighth, and so on.
The four winners from these games then move on to the Region Championship. This is a tournament where four teams play until only one is left. There are 24 regions in the NJCAA, and each winner gets to move forward.
Next up is the District Championship. This is usually a three-game series between two region champions. The winner of this series earns a spot in the JUCO World Series!
For Division I and II, ten district champions go to the World Series. They play in a "double-elimination" tournament to find the national champion. This means a team isn't out until they've lost two games.
In Division III, there are seven district champions. An extra team, called an "at-large" selection (which is a runner-up from one of the district championships), also gets to join. These eight teams then play in their own double-elimination tournament for the national title.
Division I College World Series
Since 1977, the best team from each of the ten NJCAA districts gets to play in the Division I College World Series. It's a ten-team tournament where teams are eliminated after two losses.
The tournament has changed a bit over the years. When it started in 1958, eight teams played. The teams that won their first two games played for the championship. In 1959, they started using the double-elimination format, which is still used today. The event grew to ten teams in 1977 and has stayed that way.
The Division I College World Series is held every year in Grand Junction, Colorado. The games take place at Sam Suplizio Field.
Division I Champions
| Year | Champion | Most Outstanding Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | [[{{{school}}}|Cameron Junior College]] | Patrick O'Dell, Lawton |
| 1959 | [[{{{school}}}|Paris Junior College]] | Glendell Baker, Paris |
| 1960 | [[{{{school}}}|Phoenix College]] | Mickey Lee, Tarleton State |
| 1961 | [[{{{school}}}|Wilmington Junior College]] | Ronnie Durham, Wilmington |
| 1962 | [[{{{school}}}|Phoenix College]] | Lee McFarland, Phoenix |
| 1963 | [[{{{school}}}|Wilmington Junior College]] | Ken Wideman, Long Island |
| 1964 | [[{{{school}}}|Miami Dade Junior College]] | Mack Hendreau, Mesa |
| 1965 | [[{{{school}}}|Phoenix College]] | Tom Burgess, Phoenix |
| 1966 | [[{{{school}}}|Nassau Community College]] | Joe Arnold, Miami Dade |
| 1967 | [[{{{school}}}|Bacone Junior College]] | Gerald Pirtle, Bacone |
| 1968 | Glendale Community College (AZ) | Otic McCowan, Glendale (AZ) |
| 1969 | Panola College | Doug Ault, Panola |
| 1970 | Mesa Community College | Larry Patton, Columbia |
| 1971 | Jim Otten, Mesa | |
| 1972 | Greg Snowden, Mesa | |
| 1973 | Ranger Junior College | Donnie Moore, Ranger |
| 1974 | Meramec Community College | Steve Viefhaus, Meramec |
| 1975 | [[{{{school}}}|Yavapai Junior College]] | Neil Fiala, Meramec |
| 1976 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | Jim Morley, Central Arizona |
| 1977 | [[{{{school}}}|Yavapai Junior College]] | Dan Townsend, Yavapai |
| 1978 | Ranger Junior College | Jim Mick, Ranger |
| 1979 | [[{{{school}}}|Middle Georgia College]] | Tommie Dunbar, Middle Georgia |
| 1980 | Greg Geren, Cleveland State | |
| 1981 | [[{{{school}}}|Miami Dade Junior College]] | Curtis Morgan, Seminole |
| 1982 | [[{{{school}}}|Middle Georgia College]] | Kal Daniels, Middle Georgia |
| 1983 | McLennan Community College | David Turner, McLennan |
| 1984 | College of Southern Idaho | Shell Scott, Southern Idaho |
| 1985 | San Jacinto College-North | Randy Randle, San Jacinto |
| 1986 | Brian Deak, Yavapai | |
| 1987 | Bill Losa, San Jacinto | |
| 1988 | [[{{{school}}}|Hillsborough Community College]] | Chris Hanks, Southern Idaho |
| 1989 | San Jacinto College-North | David Evans, San Jacinto |
| 1990 | Randy Brown, San Jacinto | |
| 1991 | Howard College (TX) | Frank Rodriguez, Howard |
| 1992 | Essex Community College (MD) | Mike Peters, Essex |
| 1993 | [[{{{school}}}|Yavapai Junior College]] | Kevin Pitts, Triton |
| 1994 | Galveston College | José Rosado, Galveston |
| 1995 | [[{{{school}}}|Middle Georgia College]] | Brian Davis, Middle Georgia |
| 1996 | [[{{{school}}}|Northeast Texas Community College]] | Robert Vaz, Northeast Texas |
| 1997 | [[{{{school}}}|Cowley County Community College (KS)]] | Travis Hafner, Cowley |
| 1998 | Josh McMillen, Cowley | |
| 1999 | Grayson College (TX) | Matt Gawer, Grayson |
| 2000 | Adam LaRoche, Seminole State | |
| 2001 | North Central Texas College | Blake Justice, North Central Texas |
| 2002 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | Gabe Mayorga, Central Arizona |
| 2003 | [[{{{school}}}|College of Southern Nevada]] | Tyler Coon, Southern Nevada |
| 2004 | [[{{{school}}}|Dixie State College]] | Matt Spring, Dixie State |
| 2005 | [[{{{school}}}|New Mexico Junior College]] | Renny Osuna, NMJC |
| 2006 | Walters State Community College | Jack Tilghman, Walters State |
| 2007 | Chipola College | Drew Parker, Chipola |
| 2008 | Grayson College (TX) | J. D. Alfaro, Grayson |
| 2009 | [[{{{school}}}|Howard College (TX)]] | Andrew Collazo, Howard |
| 2010 | Iowa Western Community College | Ivan Hartle, Iowa Western |
| 2011 | Navarro College | J. T. Files, Navarro |
| 2012 | Iowa Western Community College | Keaton Steele, Iowa Western |
| 2013 | Central Alabama Community College | Darius Reece, Central Alabama |
| 2014 | Iowa Western Community College | Alex Krupa, Iowa Western |
| 2015 | Northwest Florida State College | Ramon Osuna, Walters State |
| 2016 | [[{{{school}}}|Yavapai Junior College]] | Rashaan Kuhaulua, Yavapai |
| 2017 | [[{{{school}}}|Chipola College]] | José Caballero, Chipola |
| 2018 | ||
| 2019 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | |
| 2020 | no tournament | |
| 2021 | [[{{{school}}}|McLennan Community College]] | Logan Henderson, McLennan |
| 2022 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | |
| 2023 | College of Central Florida | Juan Correa, Central Florida |
| 2024 | Blinn College | Cade Climie, Blinn |
Division II College World Series
The NJCAA Division II College World Series is held every year in Enid, Oklahoma. Games are played at David Allen Memorial Ballpark. Before 2009, it was held in Millington, Tennessee.
Like Division I, this tournament is also a double-elimination event. Ten district champions compete to become the national champion. The format is very similar to the Division I tournament.
Division II Champions
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Massasoit Community College |
| 1994 | Lincoln Land Community College |
| 1995 | Potomac State College |
| 1996 | Grand Rapids Community College |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | Jefferson Davis Community College |
| 1999 | Kishwaukee College |
| 2000 | Lincoln Land Community College |
| 2001 | Delaware Technical Community College |
| 2002 | Parkland College |
| 2003 | Grand Rapids Community College |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2007 | Longview Community College |
| 2008 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2009 | Parkland College |
| 2010 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2011 | Western Oklahoma State College |
| 2012 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2013 | Murray State College |
| 2014 | Mesa Community College |
| 2015 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2016 | Jones County Junior College |
| 2017 | Kankakee Community College |
| 2018 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2019 | Northern Oklahoma College-Enid |
| 2020 | no tournament |
| 2021 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
| 2022 | Pearl River Community College |
| 2023 | Heartland Community College |
| 2024 | Louisiana State University at Eunice |
Division III College World Series
The NJCAA Division III College World Series is held every year in Greeneville, Tennessee at Pioneer Park. This tournament has moved around a lot over the years! It was in Jamestown, New York (1993-1994), then Batavia, New York (1995-2004), then Glens Falls, New York (2005-2006), and Tyler, Texas (2007-2014). From 2015-2016, Kinston, North Carolina hosted it. Since 2017, it has been in Greeneville.
This is a double-elimination tournament with eight teams. Unlike Divisions I and II, Division III only has seven districts. So, seven district champions play, plus one "at-large" team. This at-large team is usually a strong runner-up from one of the district championships. This makes the tournament a fair eight-team bracket.
Division III Champions
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Gloucester County College |
| 1994 | Joliet Junior College |
| 1995 | Madison Area Technical College |
| 1996 | |
| 1997 | Madison Area Technical College |
| 1998 | Norwalk Community-Technical College |
| 1999 | Gloucester County College |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | Eastfield College |
| 2002 | Richland College |
| 2003 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | Gloucester County College |
| 2006 | Eastfield College |
| 2007 | Tyler Junior College |
| 2008 | Joliet Junior College |
| 2009 | Richland College |
| 2010 | Gloucester County College |
| 2011 | Eastfield College |
| 2012 | Joliet Junior College |
| 2013 | Gloucester County College |
| 2014 | Tyler Junior College |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | Oakton Community College |
| 2019 | Cumberland County College |
| 2020 | no tournament |
| 2021 | Tyler Junior College |
| 2022 | Herkimer County Community College |
| 2023 | Rowan College of South Jersey |
| 2024 | Rowan College of South Jersey |
See also
- Baseball awards § U.S. college baseball
- National Junior College Athletics Association
