JUCO World Series facts for kids
The JUCO World Series is a big baseball tournament that happens every year. It's where junior colleges (colleges that offer two-year degrees) play to find out who is the best baseball team in the country. This exciting event takes place in late May and early June. It's organized by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), which has three different levels, or "divisions," for baseball teams.
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How Teams Reach the JUCO World Series
The way teams get into the JUCO World Series is mostly the same for all three divisions. The journey to the championship starts with playoffs.
Region Sectional
First, teams play in a "Region Sectional." This is usually a series of three games against another team from their region. Often, the top eight teams in a region are ranked from one to eight. The number one team plays the number eight team, and so on.
Region Championship
The four teams that win their Region Sectional games move on to the "Region Championship." This is a tournament where four teams play. If a team loses two games, they are out. The winner of this tournament becomes the champion of their region. There are 24 regions in the NJCAA.
District Championship
After winning their region, teams go to the "District Championship." This is usually a three-game series between two region champions. The team that wins this series gets to go to the JUCO World Series!
The World Series Tournament
For Divisions I and II, ten district champions go to the JUCO World Series. They play in a "double-elimination" tournament. This means a team has to lose two games before they are out of the tournament. The last team standing is the national champion.
In Division III, seven district champions make it. One extra team, called an "at-large selection," also gets to play. This is usually a team that did very well but didn't win their district. These eight teams then play in a double-elimination tournament to find their national champion.
Division I College World Series
The Division I College World Series has been held every year since 1958. Since 1977, ten teams have competed in this tournament. Each team is a champion from one of the ten NJCAA districts.
This tournament is a double-elimination event. It has been held in Grand Junction, Colorado at Sam Suplizio Field for many years.
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 | Morgan McCullough, Chipola | |
| 2019 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | Hunter Jump, Central Arizona |
| 2020 | no tournament | |
| 2021 | [[{{{school}}}|McLennan Community College]] | Logan Henderson, McLennan |
| 2022 | [[{{{school}}}|Central Arizona College]] | Kiko Romero, Central Arizona |
| 2023 | [[{{{school}}}|College of Central Florida]] | Juan Correa, Central Florida |
| 2024 | [[{{{school}}}|Blinn College]] | Cade Climie, Blinn |
Division II College World Series
The NJCAA Division II College World Series is also a big event. It is held every year in Enid, Oklahoma at David Allen Memorial Ballpark. Before 2009, it was held in Millington, Tennessee.
Like Division I, this tournament is a double-elimination event. Ten district champions compete to become the national champion.
Division II Champions
| Year | Champion | Most Outstanding Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Massasoit Community College | |
| 1994 | Lincoln Land Community College | |
| 1995 | Potomac State College | Chris Reyes, Potomac State |
| 1996 | Grand Rapids Community College | |
| 1997 | ||
| 1998 | Jefferson Davis Community College | |
| 1999 | Kishwaukee College | |
| 2000 | Lincoln Land Community College | Scott Blackwell, Lincoln Land |
| 2001 | Delaware Technical Community College | Brian Elder, Delaware Tech |
| 2002 | Parkland College | Daniel Grant, Parkland |
| 2003 | Grand Rapids Community College | Justin McKenzie, Grand Rapids |
| 2004 | ||
| 2005 | ||
| 2006 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Brett Durand, LSU-Eunice |
| 2007 | Longview Community College | Ben Knuth, Longview |
| 2008 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Perry Smith, LSU-Eunice |
| 2009 | Parkland College | Kevin Kiermaier, Parkland |
| 2010 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Gabriel Thibodeaux, LSU-Eunice |
| 2011 | Western Oklahoma State College | Jhiomar Veras, Western Oklahoma State |
| 2012 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Stuart Turner, LSU-Eunice |
| 2013 | Murray State College | Noel Nevarez, Murray State |
| 2014 | Mesa Community College | Jordan Zimmerman, Mesa |
| 2015 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | David LaFluer, LSU-Eunice |
| 2016 | Jones County Junior College | Erick Hoard, Jones County |
| 2017 | Kankakee Community College | Matt Littrell, Kankakee |
| 2018 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Koi Westbrook, LSU-Eunice |
| 2019 | Northern Oklahoma College-Enid | Brandon Hudson, Northern Oklahoma-Enid |
| 2020 | no tournament | |
| 2021 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Peyton LeJeune, LSU-Eunice |
| 2022 | Pearl River Community College | D.K. Donaldson, Pearl River |
| 2023 | Heartland Community College | Meade Johnson, Heartland |
| 2024 | Louisiana State University at Eunice | Dawson Willis, LSU-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 to different cities over the years. It was held in Jamestown, New York, then Batavia, New York, then Glens Falls, New York, and Tyler, Texas, before moving to Kinston, North Carolina. It has been in Greeneville, Tennessee since 2017.
This is also a double-elimination tournament. Seven district champions play, along with one "at-large" team. This makes it a total of eight teams competing for the national championship. Division III has fewer districts than Divisions I and II.
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
