BREAKING: Nebraska baseball is hosting an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2008
Nebraska baseball (42-15) officially earned one of the 16 NCAA Regional host sites Sunday night. The announcement ended an 18-year drought and secured postseason baseball at Hawks Field for the first time since 2008.
The full 64-team NCAA Tournament bracket will be unveiled Monday at 11 a.m. CST. Head coach Will Bolt’s club already knows the road to Omaha begins in Lincoln.
“You saw what it did for softball being able to play at home and the crowds and the support, and you know what it does for the entire community,” Bolt said Saturday night. “I’m excited for that potential opportunity for us, and like I said, there’s no doubt in my mind that that should be the case.”
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Bolt and his players are thrilled for themselves and the community to be hosting a regional
The Huskers entered the weekend firmly positioned to host after building one of college baseball’s strongest resumes. Nebraska finished the regular season 41-14 overall and 23-7 in Big Ten play. The Huskers climbed into hosting conversations throughout May. Multiple projections entering Selection Monday had Nebraska safely inside the top 16 and potentially pushing for a national seed.
“It would mean everything,” Jeter Worthley said about the opportunity to host a regional. “This fan base is the best fan base in the country.”
The announcement marks a major milestone for Bolt and the program. Nebraska has not hosted NCAA Regional action since 2008 despite multiple NCAA Tournament appearances over the last two decades. Haymarket Park now returns to the national spotlight. Four teams will arrive next weekend, chasing a spot in Super Regional play.
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“Our body of work speaks for itself, and 40-plus wins, second in the league and a top 10 RPI,” Bolt said. “We’ve done everything we possibly can to play home baseball next weekend.”
The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday morning. Nebraska will learn its regional opponents, seeding placement and projected path toward the Men’s College World Series in Omaha. NCAA Regionals begin May 29 and run through June 1.
“This is just a special team in general, and we feel like the sky’s the limit for us,” Worthley said. “Going out there and playing for our fan base is all we want to do. We feel like we owe it to them. They’ve come out all year and given us some of the best crowds we’ve all played in. Like I said, that’s the goal, and it’s been the goal from Day 1.”
Bolt inherited a program searching for consistency. He has steadily rebuilt Nebraska into a national contender. The Huskers have reached 40 wins in two of the last three seasons. Nebraska also owns three Big Ten titles and four NCAA Regional appearances in the last six years.
