Omaha's Greatest Show on Dirt

Omaha is special. Sure, it's the birthplace of Wade “the Chicken Man” Boggs and hometown to born and raised Yankees Single-A Manager Rachel Balkovec. But because right in the middle of America, it's been home to the College World Series, "The Greatest Show on Dirt”, for 73 years.

Every June, the last eight remaining NCAA Division I baseball teams move into the heart of America for a week of America’s favorite pastime.

Omaha! Omaha!

Remember Peyton Manning’s popular play call, “Omaha!”? I’m telling you, it’s because that guy has taken in a College World Series or two. But why Omaha?

In the 1940s, then Mayor Johnny Rosenblatt, an avid baseball fan and former amateur player, along with a group of Omaha business leaders commonly referred to as “the founding fathers” pushed the city to build Omaha Municipal Stadium (later renamed after Rosenblatt in 1964) with the goal of attracting minor league baseball. The “founding fathers” later convinced the NCAA to give Omaha a shot to host the College World Series after it had been previously held in Kalamazoo, MI and Wichita, KS. In 1950, Omaha hosted its first College World Series, and 73 years later, it remains the hub.

In 2008, the NCAA and CWS of Omaha signed a contract that will keep the College World Series in the city through at least 2036.

In 2011, the City of Omaha built Charles Schwab Field as a replacement for historic Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. Charles Schwab Field has a seating capacity of 24,000, with the ability to expand to 35,000 spectators.

Today, Omaha is home to six Fortune Five Hundred Companies who help make the CWS the great event that it is.

And let's be honest, if there's a state that can sell out a college event, it's the Cornhusker state.

The Road to Omaha

The 2023 bracket consists of a few familiar faces and a few not-so-familiar faces. Teams competing in this year’s College World Series include Wake Forest (1), Florida (2), LSU (5), Virginia (7), Stanford (8), and unseeded Oral Roberts, TCU, and Tennessee.

Elite Eight

Wake Forest is led by Coach Tom Walter. This is the school’s third CWS appearance and first since 1955. The school will look to win its second National Championship and first since 1955.

New Jersey Natives:

Jackson Kraemer | FR | OF | The Hun School
Justin Johnson | R-JR | INF | Lafayette
Glen Gardner | JR | North Hunterdon

Florida is led by Coach Kevin O’Sullivan. This is the school’s 13th CWS appearance and first since 2017 and 8th under the guidance of Coach O’Sullivan. The school will look to win its second National Championship and first since 2017.

Notable Alum: Harrison Bader, OF, New York Yankees

New Jersey Natives:

Pierce Coppola | Soph | P | Verona
Richie Schiekofer | Grad | OF | Millburn

LSU is led by Coach Jay Johnson. This is the school’s 19th CWS appearance and first since 2017. The school will look to win its seventh National Championship and first since 2009.

Notable Alum: DJ LeMahieu, INF, New York Yankees

Virginia is led by Coach Brian O’Connor. This is the school’s sixth CWS appearance and first since 2021. The school will look to win its second National Championship and first since 2015.

New Jersey Natives:

Kyle Teel | JR | C/INF | Mahwah
Tommy Courtney | Grad | OF | Don Bosco Prep
Anthony Stephan | Soph | INF | Ridgewood
Juan De La Cruz | FR | INF | Bergen Catholic
Johnny Ormsby | FR | P | Paul VI
Kevin Jaxel | FR | P | Don Bosco Prep
Aidan Teel | FR | P/UTL | Mahwah
Chris Baker | Grad | OF | Moorestown

Stanford is led by Coach David Esquer. This is the school’s 19th CWS appearance and first since 1955. The school will look to win its third National Championship and first since 1988.

New Jersey Natives:

Tommy O'Rourk | JR | P | Seton Hall Prep

Oral Roberts is led by Coach Ryan Folmar. This is the school’s second CWS appearance and first since 1978. The school will look to win its first National Championship.

Notable Alum: Jose Trevino

“I’ve got a few text messages coming in from the guys. It’s been special. I can’t believe ORU is in the CWS. Those coaches deserve it” - Jose Trevino on whether he's been in contact with his old teammates.

TCU is led by Coach Kirk Saarloos. This is the school’s sixth CWS appearance and first since 2017. The school will look to win its first National Championship.

Tennessee is led by Coach Tony Vitello. This is the school’s sixth CWS appearance and first since 2021. The school will look to win its first National Championship.

Tournament Schedule

The tournament opened on Friday with Oral Roberts scoring four runs for the go-ahead win against TCU in the top of the ninth and Florida getting their first win in walk-off style over Virginia.

College World Series Schedule & Bracket