NCBA DI & DII World Series Set to Boost Alton Economy with College Club Baseball

ALTON - The stage is set for the exhilarating National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) World Series, returning to Lloyd Hopkins Field in Alton for the second consecutive year. The field will host the top college club baseball teams who have emerged victorious from their regional championships. These teams are set to battle it out for the national title in both Division I and Division II categories.

Division II play kicks off on Friday morning, continuing through to the DII National Championship game slated for Tuesday, May 21 at 7:00 PM. The Division I series will commence on Thursday, May 24, culminating in the DI National Championship game on Thursday, May 30 at 7:00 PM.

The DI contenders this year include prestigious institutions such as Penn State, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Michigan, Oregon, East Carolina, Grand Canyon, and Florida State. The DII lineup features competitive teams from Ohio State, Central Florida, Milwaukee School of Engineering, State University of New York-Cortland, West Chester University, Grand Canyon, Metro State, and the University of Houston-Downtown.

This series is not just a display of top-tier college club baseball but also a significant economic booster for Alton. Last year, the event generated an estimated $1 million impact from hotel stays, dining, and shopping, and this year is expected to match that. Dallas Martz, General Manager of the Alton River Dragons, emphasized the positive effects of the tournament: "This is great for our community. Events like this bring people to the Riverbend area that may not have ever come here without this tournament and it gives us a chance to show them what all our area has to offer."

The NCBA is the only National Governing Body for Collegiate Club Baseball, known for being the fastest growing intercollegiate baseball organization in the country. The association is committed to providing college student-athletes with the opportunity to play competitive, organized baseball and to continually improve this experience for all participants.

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