The Men’s College World Series is set, and it will bring an entirely new field to Charles Schwab Field as all eight teams from the 2024 series failed to make it to Omaha. Among the eight that qualified this year are two teams with Nebraska natives on their roster, one of Omaha’s favorite squads, a powerhouse with a familiar coach and more.
No team makes Omaha feel like home more than LSU, and after a one-year hiatus the Tigers (48-15) are back to party with the locals. This will be LSU’s 20th appearance in the CWS. The Tigers won six titles in the 1990s and 2000s then added another in their last appearance, 2023.
The last time they made it to Omaha, LSU fans shattered the record for Jell-O shots purchased at Rocco’s (aided by a $30,000 order from Raising Cane’s founder and Baton Rouge resident Todd Graves). In addition to a sizable contingent of their own fans, the Tigers will likely have a healthy number of Omaha natives cheering them on at the Schwab.
The Rocco’s Jello Shot record holders are coming back to Omaha 😳
Can LSU fans beat their own mark of 68,888? pic.twitter.com/XmFFDmUiA2
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) June 9, 2025
Unfortunately, from that standpoint, LSU drew the only team seeded higher than itself to open the series: Arkansas. The Razorbacks (48-13) are the No. 3 overall seed and will bring their own large travel party of fans.
Led by former Nebraska head coach Dave Van Horn — who led the Huskers to two College World Series appearances in the early 2000s — Arkansas has two Nebraska natives on its roster in Cam Kozeal (Millard South) and Elliott Peterson (Creighton Prep).
Kozeal spent his freshman year at Vanderbilt before transferring to Arkansas, where he played a big part in bring the Razorbacks back to Omaha. The second baseman is third on the team in hits (75) and RBIs (62), second in home runs (15) and tied for first in doubles (18). He’s hitting .346 with a .636 slugging percentage (second on the team).
Peterson, a catcher, landed at Arkansas after a productive two years at Southeast Community College but hasn’t played in a game this season.
There’s only one other team with a Nebraska native on its roster, Coastal Carolina (53-11). Tadan Bell is a left-handed pitcher from Columbus who has pitched 7.2 innings and struck out seven this season as a redshirt sophomore.
The last time the Chanticleers made it to Omaha (2016) was their first, and they won the whole thing. Coach Kevin Schnall’s son, Jayden, suffered a series of strokes prior to that 2016 appearance and was not able to travel to the series. Schnall was associate head coach at the time, and now that he’s the head man, Jayden is healthy enough to make the trip and watch his dad’s team compete.
Oregon State’s Mitch Canham is as familiar with Omaha as any coach in the field despite this being the first time he’s led the Beavers to the CWS. Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Canham played for the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2013 when the team won the Triple-A National Championship. He also spent the 2015 season with the Lincoln Salt Dogs, the final year of his playing career. Canham also won two national championships in Omaha with the Beavers as a player.
Those four squads have the most direct toes to Omaha, but all eight teams have made the CWS before. Here’s more on each of them.
Arizona Wildcats (44-19)
- Conference: Big 12
- Appearance: 19th (four titles)
- Head Coach: Chip Hale
- Top Hitters: Jr. IF Mason White (.332 avg., 19 HRs), Jr. OF Aaron Walton (.320 avg., 14 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: So. RHP Owen Kramkowski (87.0 IP, 9-6 record, 5.48 ERA), Fr. RHP Smith Bailey (83.0 IP, 3-3 record, 4.01 ERA)
Arkansas Razorbacks (48-13)
- Conference: SEC
- Appearance: 12th
- Head Coach: Dave Van Horn
- Top Hitters: Jr. IF Wehiwa Aloy (.348 avg., 20 HRs), Sr. OF Logan Maxwell (.360 avg, 13 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: Jr. LHP Zach Root (92.2 IP, 8-5 record, 3.59 ERA), So. RHP Gabe Gaeckle (62.1 IP, 4-2 record, 4.76 ERA)
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (53-11)
- Conference: Sun Belt
- Appearance: Second (one title)
- Head Coach: Kevin Schnall
- Top Hitters: Jr. IF Blake Barthol (.279 avg., 12 HRs), Sr. OF Alexander Sebastian (.320 avg., 10 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: So. RHP Jacob Morrison (96.1 IP, 11-0 record, 2.15 ERA), Sr. RHP Riley Eikoff (80.2 IP, 6-2 record, 2.90 ERA)
LSU Tigers (48-15)
- Conference: SEC
- Appearance: 20th (seven titles, one runner-up finish)
- Head Coach: Jay Johnson
- Top Hitters: Jr. IF Jared Jones (.328 avg., 20 HRs), Fr. OF Derek Curiel (.340 avg., 7 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: So. LHP Kade Anderson (103.00 IP, 10-1 record, 3.58 ERA), Jr. RHP Anthony Eyanson (98.2 IP, 11-2 record, 2.74 ERA)
Louisville Cardinals (40-22)
- Conference: ACC
- Appearance: Sixth
- Head Coach: Dan McConnell
- Top Hitters: Sr. OF Eddie King Jr. (.362 avg, 17 HRs), Jr. IF Jake Munroe (.345 avg, 12 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: Jr. RHP Patrick Forbes (66.0 IP, 4-2 record, 4.36 ERA), Fr. LHP Ethan Eberle (58.0 IP, 6-2 record, 4.34 ERA)
Murray State Racers (44-15)
- Conference: Missouri Valley
- Appearance: First
- Head Coach: Dan Skirka
- Top Hitters: Sr. OF Jonathan Hogart (.339 avg., 22 HRs), Sr. OF Dustin Mercer (.356 avg. 90 H)
- Top Pitchers: Jr. RHP Nic Schutte (91.0 IP, 8-4 record, 4.85 ERA), Sr. RHP Isaac Silva (81.1 IP, 9-2 record, 5.09 ERA)
Oregon State Beavers (47-14-1)
- Conference: Independent
- Appearance: Eighth (three titles)
- Head Coach: Mitch Canhan
- Top Hitters: Jr. IF Aiva Arquette (.354 avg., 18 HRs), Jr. OF Gavin Turley (.346 avg., 17 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: So. LHP Ethan Kleinschmidt (86.1 FP, 8-4 record, 3.54 ERA), Fr. RHP Dax Whitney (71.1 IP, 6-3 record, 3.66 ERA)
UCLA Bruins (47-15)
- Conference: Big Ten
- Appearance: Sixth (one title)
- Head Coach: John Savage
- Top Hitters: Roch Cholowsky (.367 avg., 23 HRs), AJ Salgado (.313 avg., 12 HRs)
- Top Pitchers: Michael Barnett (81.1 IP, 12-1 record, 4.09 ERA), Landon Stump (73.1 IP, 6-1 record, 4.54 ERA)
