Nebraska Set to Host First NCAA Baseball Regional Since 2008
The Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team has secured the No. 13 overall seed, marking a significant milestone as they prepare to host their first Lincoln Regional since 2008. Announced by the NCAA baseball selection committee, this regional will see Nebraska joined by Ole Miss, Arizona State, and South Dakota State.
In this competitive four-team double elimination bracket, the victor will earn a spot in the super regionals, scheduled for the following weekend. Nebraska’s Lincoln Regional is paired with the Auburn Regional, home to the No. 4 overall seed, the Auburn Tigers. Notably, Nebraska faced Auburn earlier in the season, winning the first game of the series in extra innings before dropping the next two games.
Nebraska’s impressive 42-15 overall record, a 23-7 performance in the Big Ten, and an RPI ranking of 10 played pivotal roles in their selection as a regional host, a distinction given to the top 16 teams nationwide. This announcement was made public on Sunday night, with Nebraska, Oregon, and No. 1 overall seed UCLA representing the Big Ten as regional hosts.
During the selection show on ESPN, Husker head coach Will Bolt expressed his delight at the news, stating, “Elation, emotion, just a lot, a lot of awesome feelings coming in there, when you see your name on there.” Bolt, a former player at Nebraska, revealed that one of his objectives since his hiring in 2019 was to bring the NCAA Tournament back to Nebraska. He shared his excitement about having the team’s home crowd in full support this weekend in Lincoln.
Bolt praised the Huskers’ fan base, saying, “Our fan base is the best, bar none, just in terms of how they support all the sports here at Nebraska.”
The Cornhuskers last appeared in the Men’s College World Series in 2005, led by future MLB All-Star Alex Gordon. That season, they ended with a 57-15 record, going 1-2 in the CWS. Their journey back to Omaha and the College World Series begins on Friday, as they take on No. 4 regional seed South Dakota State at 3 p.m. Central at Haymarket Park. This game will be available for streaming on ESPN Plus. The Jackrabbits clinched their spot by winning the Summit League Conference Tournament, entering the regional with a 24-31 record. Friday’s schedule also features No. 2 regional seed Ole Miss facing No. 3 regional seed Arizona State at 8 p.m. Central.
Fans can catch the entire lineup of games this weekend on ESPN’s networks.
