How the Men’s College World Series Works

Each year, college baseball’s best teams compete in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, competing for the opportunity to play in Omaha during the Men’s College World Series.

Here’s how the NCAA Division I baseball tournament works, including its history and format.

What is the difference between the Division I Baseball Tournament and the Men’s College World Series?

The NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament is a 64-team tournament held in the spring. After two rounds (each consisting of several matches), there are only eight teams left. These eight teams will then head to Omaha, Nebraska, for the Men’s College World Series. The MCWS is the culmination of the DI tournament, where the teams compete in two groups, with the winners of each meeting advancing to the MCWS finals, a best-of-three series to decide the NCAA champion.

When did the Men’s College World Series start?

The first-ever NCAA Division I baseball tournament took place in 1947 and would hardly be recognized as the same tournament today. The 1947 tournament featured only eight teams, which were divided into two single-elimination groups of four teams. The two winners – California and Yale – then met in a best-of-three final in Kalamazoo, Michigan. California went undefeated through the inaugural CWS, defeating Yale to capture its first title.

MCWS HISTORY: Coaches with the most wins | Most titles | Most performances | Conferences most represented

How has the NCAA Division I baseball tournament changed since its inception?

The tournament has grown enormously since 1947. There are currently 64 teams competing for the title in four rounds (two double-elimination brackets, two best-of-three series).

Here are the major changes to the tournament, as they occurred:

• 1948: The first round playoffs were changed to double elimination.
• 1949: The finals were expanded to a four-team, double-elimination format, and the location changed to Wichita, Kansas.
• 1950: Location moves to Omaha, Nebraska.
• 1954: The field is expanded to 23 teams. The field size will fluctuate between 21 and 32 over the next two decades. In the 22 years between 1954 and 1975, the field was never the same size two years in a row.
• 1976: The field expands to 34 teams, where it will remain until 1982.
• 1982: The field is expanded to 36 teams. Will expand several times over the next few years, before reaching 48 teams in 1987, where it will remain until 1999.
• 1988-1998: The eight regional champions are placed into two groups of four teams. Those two brackets will play a double elimination, with the bracket winners then meeting in a one-match championship.
• 1999: The field is expanded to its current size of 64 teams, super-regional teams are added.
• 2003: CWS final becomes a best-of-three series.

How are teams selected for the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament?

Since 1954, the NCAA Division I baseball tournament field has been split into two qualifying groups: the automatic berths and the at-large selections. Since 2014, this split has allowed 30 conference champions to receive automatic berths, and 34 teams to receive at-large bids, decided by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee.

As part of that selection process, 16 teams will receive national seeds and the opportunity to host a super regional if they advance to the second round.

What is the format for the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament?

There are four competitive stages to the tournament:

Regionals

In the first round, the 64 teams are split into 16 groups. Each is a double-elimination bracket with four teams, seeded 1-4. Double elimination means that a team is only eliminated from the bracket if they lose two games.

Super regional

The 16 winners of the regionals will advance to the super regionals, where they will be split into eight pairs. These combinations play in a best-of-three series.

Men’s College World Series

The eight winners of the super regionals go to the MCWS in Omaha. They are split into two double elimination brackets, each consisting of four teams.

Men’s College World Series Final

The winners of the two MCWS brackets will meet in the MCWS Finals, a best-of-three series to determine the NCAA champion.

When is the Men’s College World Series?

The NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament begins each year after the height of the regular season in late May or early June. The Men’s College World Series, the final phase of the tournament, concludes the season in June.

You can view the schedule and program here.

How to get tickets to the Men’s College World Series

Visit the ticket section of NCAA.com here for tickets.

Who has won the most Men’s College World Series?

No team has won it more times than Southern California. The Trojans have 12 titles to their name, the first in 1948 and the most recent in 1998. That includes a period from 1968 to 1974, when USC won six of seven titles.

Here you can view the winners of each tournament.