POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA – Black College Championships (BCC) announce the 2023 Black College World Series (BCWS) bracket selection show. Watch the full selection show revealing the entire 8-team field on April 26, 2023.
The field of 8 teams that will compete for the 2023 HBCU Baseball Black College World Series Presented by Tyson Foods will be announced on The Boys On The Hill Podcast at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, April 26. You can stream it on Black College Championships and Black College Nines websites.
The eight teams will be placed in 2 different four-team brackets with teams seeded one through four to compete in a double-elimination format. The NCAA Division II bracket and the NAIA bracket. We will list every team once they’ve been revealed.
Games start May 10 and continue before the Black College World Series bracket champions begins Friday, May 12, at Riverwalk stadium in Montgomery, AL.
Here’s the complete schedule:
2023 Black College World Series baseball tournament Schedule:
HBCU Baseball Top 10 Poll: April 25, Black College Nines National Publication
Selection show: 8 PM ET on Wednesday, April 26, on Boys On The Hill Podcast streamed on Black College Championships and Black College Nines website
Black College World Series start: Wednesday, May 10 through Thursday, May 13
Bracket Championships: Friday, May 12
Black College Championship Game: Saturday, May 13 (Winner Crowned Black College World Series National Champion)
(2023 BLACK COLLEGE WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE):
The event brackets for each game played between May 10 – 13, 2023:
NCAA Division ll Bracket
Day 1 Wednesday May 10, 2023:
Gm. 1 9:00 a.m.
Gm. 2 4:00 p.m.
Day 2 Thursday May 11, 2023:
Gm. 3 9:00 a.m.
Gm.4 4:00 p.m.
Day 3 Friday May 12, 2023:
Gm. 5 9:00 a.m.*
Gm. 6 4:00 p.m. **
*Loser final winner advances to Dll semi-final game 6 (Ploys doubleheader 4:00 p.m.)
**Championship for NCAA Dll bracket
NAIA Bracket
Day 1 Wednesday May 10, 2023:
Gm. 1 12:30 p.m.
Gm. 2 7:30 p.m.
Day 2 Thursday May 11, 2023:
Gm. 3 12:30 p.m.
Gm.4 7:30 p.m.
Day 3 Friday May 12, 2023:
Gm. 5 12:30 p.m.
Gm. 6 7:30 p.m. **
*Loser final winner advances to NAIA semi-final game 6 *(Plays doubleheader 7:30 p.m.)
**(Championship for NAIA Bracket)
Please note the actual schedule:
Day 1 May 10, 2023:
Gm. 1 9:00 a.m. (NCAA Dll)
Gm. 1 12:30 p.m. (NAIA)
Gm. 2 4:00 p.m. (NCAA DII)
Gm. 2 7:30 p.m. (NAIA)
Day 2 May 11, 2023:
Gm. 3 9:00 am. (NCAA Dll)
Gm. 3 12:30 p.m. (NAIA)
Gm. 4 4:00 p.m. (NCAA DII)
Gm. 4 7:30 p.m. (NAIA)
Day 3 May 12, 2023:
Gm. 5 9:00 a.m. (NCAA DII) *Loser final winner advances to DII semi-final game 6 (Plays doubleheader 4:00 p.m.)
Gm. 5 12:30 pm. (NAIA) *{Loser final winner advances to NAIA semi-final game 6 *(Plays doubleheader 7:30 p.m.)
Gm. 6 4:00 p.m. (NCAA DII) *(Championship for NCAA DII bracket)
Gm.6 7:30 p.m. (NAIA) *(Championship NAIA bracket)
Day 4 Saturday May 13, 2023:
Home Run Derby 2:00 p.m.
Gm.7 5:00 p.m. (Championship Game)
Winner Crown Black College World Series Champions
May 14, 2023:
*Games could get played on Sunday if inclement weather pushes the tournament back for a day.
Edward Waters won the 2022 Black College World Series over Kentucky State.
Bluefield State Won the 2021 Black College World Series over Xavier of Louisiana (In two games).
Here is more on how the tournament works:
The HBCU national championship baseball tournament is an 8-team tournament that starts in May. After two rounds of play (which each consist of multiple games), there are just two teams left. The BCWS is the culmination of the DI and NAIA tournament, where the teams compete in two brackets, with the winners of each meeting in the BCWS finals, a winner take all to decide the Black College World Series champion.
When did the Black College World Series start?
The first-ever HBCU baseball tournament was in 2021, founded by Michael Coker (Executive Director – Black College Championships, Lead Contemporary Reporter at Black College Nines, Special Consultant National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, HBCU Baseball guru). The games are played at Riverwalk Stadium, the home of the Montgomery Biscuits. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and play in the Southern League.
The 2021 tournament featured just six teams, which were divided into two double-elimination brackets. The two winners – Bluefield State and Xavier of Louisiana met in a best-of-two final in Montgomery. Bluefield State would lose the first championship game but defeat Xavier in a winner take all championship game to capture the first title.
How are teams selected for the Black College World Series baseball tournament?
The Black College Championships selection committee is chaired by Jerrel Calhoun who will be responsible for selecting the top eight teams for the Black College World Series.
The selection committee is made up of six informed and impartial group of individuals who follow HBCU baseball on all levels. Included in the group are national media members, a legendary former head coach, and a school educator.
Calhoun will lead Clifford McAfee of Urban Media Today, Roger Cador of Black College Championships, Trevin Jones of HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association, Ray Porter Jr of Urban Media Today and Kelvin Carter, Missouri School Educator for the BCC Selection Committee.
The members begin their terms in the spring of 2022. The committee will select the best teams who will compete for a national title among Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCU) “small school” baseball programs.
Calhoun enters the third Black College World Series event. His expertise, knowledge, and integrity, along with love of college baseball, he has become the right fit leading the committee members.
Calhoun currently resides in Montgomery, AL and works in the athletic department at Alabama State University. He’s a former collegiate baseball player at Lawson State Community College and at Miles College in 2008. He also coaches high school baseball at Pike Road High School and serves as the president of community relations as well as Alabama regional director for Minority Baseball Prospects.
Roger Cador was the head coach at his alma mater, Southern University for 33 seasons (1985-2017) where he built the team into one of the most respected HBCU programs in the nation and turned the Jaguars into a powerhouse baseball program. He compiled a career record of 913-597-1 (.604) in leading Southern to 14 conference titles and 11 NCAA tournaments. The legendary coach guided the Jaguars to a first time an HBCU school won an NCAA tournament game. Also, added two more NCAA tournament victories en route to posting a dozen 30-win seasons. Cador is also a senior consultant and event planner for Black College Championships.
Cliff McAfee, Jr, was born in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Steven Technology School in Lancaster, PA. McAfee obtained his mater’s from the University of South Florida, this past August of 2022. He is also a sports journalist for Urban Media Today Sports (urbanmediatoday.com) and the vice president of the Student Veterans of America at the University of South Florida.
Kelvin Porter has been a freelance sportswriter at Urban Media Today since 2010 and he is responsible for writing local/national sports articles and other news articles as assigned. He also covers Pittsburgh Steelers games and news conferences, interviewing players in the locker room and attending practices. Porter covers the University of Pittsburgh football and basketball games, news conferences and Pitt football practices. He has also covered the first and second rounds of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, events at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Duquesne University basketball games.
Carter is a native of Meridian, MS and a graduate of Alcorn State University, Lindenwood University (Masters), and Webster University (EDS). Kelvin has cultivated multiple relationships with higher educational institutions in the St. Louis Metro Area and beyond with access to educational real and relevant educational options. Porter is also instrumental in connecting Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCUs) either through academics and/or athletics.
Trevin Jones, a Norfolk State University graduate, has worked as an announcer for WTJZ in Hampton, VA. He was also a producer for WBLS-FM and WLIB-AM in New York. He then became a producer and a sports anchor for the Sheridan Broadcasting Network in Pittsburgh. He also was a co-host and producer on SBNS’ award-winning Black College Football Weekly radio show. After producing for Sirius -XM Fantasy sports channel in DC and a brief stint on air at V96 FM in Valdosta, GA. Jones returned north to became “The Voice of Howard University football and basketball” and a sports anchor for SBN Sports.
I cannot wait for this . I have watched both and will be watching this year.