KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Ten teams emerged from the Opening Rounds to reach historic Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho, for the 2026 Avista NAIA World Series, beginning May 22, and continuing through May 30, until one team stands alone and is crowned a champion. 

The seeding of the 10 teams was determined by the National Selection Committee prior to the Opening Round. 

Fans can follow all the action from Lewiston, Idaho, live and broadcast free on the NAIA Network and Urban Edge Network.

Schedule (PT)

The 2026 Avista NAIA World Series opens Friday, May 22, with four first-round games beginning at 8:30 a.m. PT as Doane (Neb.) takes on Mid-America Christian (Okla.). The winner advances to a winner’s-bracket game on Monday, May 25 at 3 p.m. PT against the winner of Taylor (Ind.) and William Carey (Miss.), which is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. PT on Friday.

Friday continues with Georgia Gwinnett and IU Southeast meeting at 3 p.m. PT, with the winner moving on to face the winner of Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) and Tennessee Wesleyan in the 7 p.m. PT nightcap.

Southeastern (Fla.) and Johnson (Tenn.) open Saturday’s action at 11 a.m. PT in the final first-round matchup. The rest of the Saturday shifts into elimination play as teams begin working through the losers’ bracket. The teams will take Sunday off, and return to action on Monday.

See the full bracket here.

Common World Series Opponents

• 1978 Game 1 — Lewis–Clark State defeated William Carey, 5-2
• 2011 Game 4 — Lewis–Clark State defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 5-4
• 2016 Game 15 — Lewis–Clark State defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 11-7
• 2017 Game 17 — Southeastern defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 8-7
• 2018 Game 17 — Southeastern defeated Lewis–Clark State, 9-6
• 2019 Game 11 — Tennessee Wesleyan defeated Georgia Gwinnett, 15-9
• 2021 Game 13 — Lewis–Clark State defeated Southeastern, 10-6
• 2022 Game 6 — Southeastern defeated Georgia Gwinnett, 9-7
• 2022 Game 15 — Southeastern defeated Lewis–Clark State, 9-5
• 2022 Game 18 — Lewis–Clark State defeated Southeastern, 10-9
• 2022 Game 19 — Southeastern defeated Lewis–Clark State, 11-5
• 2023 Game 7 — Taylor defeated Georgia Gwinnett, 23-7
• 2023 Game 8 — Southeastern defeated Lewis-Clark State 5-2
• 2023 Game 12 —  William Carey defeated Southeastern 13-4.
• 2023 Game 13 — Lewis-Clark State defeated Taylor 8-3.
• 2023 Game 16 — Lewis–Clark State defeated William Carey, 15-6
• 2024 Game 4 — IU Southeast defeated William Carey, 6-5
• 2024 Game 8 — Georgia Gwinnett defeated IU Southeast, 5-2
• 2024 Game 12 — Georgia Gwinnett defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 12-6
• 2024 Game 14 — Tennessee Wesleyan defeated Southeastern, 8-6
• 2025 Game 9 — Georgia Gwinnett defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 14-0
• 2025 Game 13 — Southeastern defeated Georgia Gwinnett, 2-1
• 2025 Game 14 — Georgia Gwinnett defeated Tennessee Wesleyan, 5-3
• 2025 Game 16 — Southeastern defeated Georgia Gwinnett, 16-6

Team Tidbits

Doane (Neb.)

Doane Tigers baseball heads to the Avista NAIA World Series for the first final-site appearance in program history after compiling a 47-9 record and capturing the Lincoln Opening Round bracket. The Tigers enter Lewiston with one of the NAIA’s most productive offenses and a unique piece of program tradition making the trip as well. Former head coach Jeremy Jorgensen introduced “Spudz,” a Mr. Potato Head that sat in the baseball press box with the goal of one day returning “home” to Idaho for the NAIA World Series. Current head coach Garrett Oltmans, previously an assistant under Jorgensen, continued the tradition, and with Doane’s breakthrough season, Spudz has officially made the trip to Lewiston.

Doane is batting .351 as a team with 75 home runs and 457 RBIs this season. Carter Roth has led the charge with a .449 batting average, 105 hits, 12 home runs and 73 RBIs, while Tanner Nelson is hitting .441 on the year. Grant Sommers has added 15 home runs and 62 RBIs, and Sam Kwapnioski has posted a .459 on-base percentage with 11 home runs as the Tigers continue their historic postseason run.

Georgia Gwinnett

Georgia Gwinnett returns to the Avista NAIA World Series for the eighth consecutive season and ninth time in program history after capturing the Lawrenceville Opening Round bracket with a 3-0 record. Led by first-year head coach Tommy Goodale, the No. 2-seeded Grizzlies enter Lewiston with a 49-6 record after outscoring opponents 35-11 during Opening Round play. Georgia Gwinnett has advanced to the semifinal round in each of the past two seasons and won the NAIA national title in 2021.

The Grizzlies once again feature one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, ranking second nationally with a .357 team batting average while also sitting near the top of the NAIA in doubles, on-base percentage, stolen bases, runs scored and slugging percentage. Peyton Watts leads the lineup with a .426 average, while Payton Fort earned Continental Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors after driving in 61 runs. Trey Smith has added 10 home runs and 70 RBIs, and freshman Vick Gann is hitting .411 with 49 runs scored. On the mound, Georgia Gwinnett ranks among the NAIA leaders in ERA, strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings behind a deep staff led by Shane Anderson, Gavin LeBlanc and Peyton Castellow.

IU Southeast (Ind.)

IU Southeast enters the Avista NAIA World Series after winning the Bellevue Opening Round bracket, marking its third World Series appearance in the last six years (2021, 2024, 2026). The Grenadiers went 3-0 in Bellevue, highlighted by a 17-7 run-rule win over Huntington, a 6-3 extra-inning victory over Nelson, and a 3-1 championship win over Bellevue on a walk-off three-run home run by Kasen Parks.

IU Southeast enters Lewiston on a 10-game winning streak, including seven straight tournament wins, and closed the season 35-14 after capturing both the River States Conference regular-season and tournament titles. The Grenadiers bring a balanced lineup led by Coulter Hamilton, Trevor Goodwin, and Bryson Arnette, along with a pitching staff anchored by Brendan Whalen, as they look to build on their recent run of postseason success in Lewiston.

Johnson (Tenn.)

Johnson Royals baseball is headed to the Avista NAIA World Series for the first time in program history after capturing the NAIA Opening Round title with a 9–8 win over No. 2 seed Kansas Wesleyan, the tournament host.

The Royals set a new single-season program record with their 40th win in the process, marking a breakthrough moment in just the third year under head coach Dave Serrano. Johnson built an early cushion in the championship game behind a three-run home run from Mitchell Birdsall and a grand slam from Travis Hobbensiefken, then held off a late Kansas Wesleyan rally to secure the win. Tyler Barfield delivered seven strong innings on the mound, and Kaleb Townsend closed it out as the Royals punched their ticket to Lewiston.

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)

The Warriors earned their return to Lewiston for the first time since 2023 after a 3–2 extra-inning walk-off win over Hope International, sealed by Cade Westerlund’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th.

LC State enters the World Series with one of the NAIA’s top pitching staffs, leading the nation in ERA and WHIP (1.20), while also pacing the Cascade Conference in key offensive categories including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging. Jeremiah Robbins was named CCC Coach of the Year, while several Warriors earned all-conference honors and Gold Glove recognition, highlighting both the team’s depth and defensive strength.

The Warriors also bring strong recent World Series familiarity into Lewiston, including a 4-0 all-time record against Tennessee Wesleyan and multiple postseason wins over conference and national-level opponents.

Mid-America Christian (Okla.)

Mid-America Christian makes its first-ever appearance in the Avista NAIA World Series after winning the Shreveport Opening Round bracket with a 7-4 championship victory over LSU Shreveport. The No. 7 seed Evangels enter Lewiston with a 42-13 record and will open the tournament Friday against No. 10 seed Doane.

Mid-America Christian earned its first Opening Round title by navigating a difficult path, including a 3-2 win over Loyola (La.), a statement 8-2 victory over LSU Shreveport, and a 7-4 comeback win in the championship game. The Evangels were especially strong on the mound throughout the run, with all three starters delivering quality outings and the pitching staff combining for a 2.67 ERA in the tournament.

Offensively, MACU is led by Nick Hill, who ranks among the NAIA leaders with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs, while also posting a strong Opening Round performance at the plate. Jalen King and Sammy Hallada provide additional production and speed at the top of the lineup, as the Evangels bring both power and consistency into their historic World Series debut.

Southeastern (Fla.)

The Fire returns to the Avista NAIA World Series for the ninth consecutive season after winning both the Sun Conference Tournament and the Lakeland Opening Round, entering Lewiston with a 43-16 record as the No. 5 seed. The Fire opened their Opening Round run with three straight elimination-game victories, including back-to-back wins over British Columbia, to secure another trip to Harris Field.

Southeastern enters the World Series playing its best baseball of the season, going 7-1 in the postseason with three shutouts and continuing a recent stretch of national success that includes a 2025 national runner-up finish and championships in 2018 and 2022. The Fire bring a balanced lineup and deep pitching staff into Lewiston, led by key offensive contributors such as Armani Cozza, Nathaniel Hopkins, Cooper Ciesielski, and Cade Parry, along with a pitching staff anchored by Byler Reither and a bullpen that has been effective throughout the postseason run.

Taylor (Ind.)

Top-seeded Taylor Trojans baseball enters the Avista NAIA World Series as the NAIA’s lone 50-win team, bringing a 52-5 record into Lewiston for the program’s second World Series appearance in the last four seasons. The Trojans have held the No. 1 spot in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll since April 1 and have rewritten the program record book this season, setting new marks for wins, home runs and runs scored. Taylor swept through the Upland Opening Round with a 3-0 record, totaling 47 runs, 47 hits and 12 home runs across the three games.

The Trojans enter the national championship with one of the most explosive offenses in the country, leading World Series qualifiers in slugging percentage, runs per game, hits and home runs. Senior Brayden Manning heads into Lewiston on a 16-game hitting streak, while Jordan Malott leads the NAIA with 92 RBIs and has continued to surge during postseason play. On the mound, Taylor ranks second among World Series teams in strikeouts per nine innings as the Trojans look to continue their historic season at Harris Field.

Tennessee Wesleyan

Tennessee Wesleyan is making its ninth all-time appearance in the Avista NAIA World Series and third straight trip to Lewiston after winning the Kingsport Opening Round bracket, its ninth Opening Round championship. The Bulldogs enter as the No. 8 seed and are coming off a 2025 run that ended in the final five, continuing one of the NAIA’s most consistent postseason resumes.

Tennessee Wesleyan is a two-time national champion (2012, 2019) and has remained a steady presence on the sport’s biggest stage under longtime postseason success in Lewiston. This year’s team arrives after an 8-0 Opening Round win and another dominant bracket showing, carrying momentum and recent championship experience into Harris Field as it looks to add a third national title to its history.

William Carey (Miss.)

William Carey is making its sixth appearance in the Avista NAIA World Series after winning the Williamsburg Opening Round bracket with a dramatic 13–11 comeback victory over Cumberlands (Ky.) to secure a 38–18 season record and punch its ticket to Lewiston.

The Crusaders carry a strong postseason pedigree into Harris Field, highlighted by a national championship in 1969, two third-place finishes, and a 9–9 all-time World Series record. William Carey’s most recent appearance came in 2024, and the program returns to Lewiston looking to build on that history after one of its most explosive Opening Round wins, where a 10-run inning powered a comeback from an eight-run deficit to stay alive and clinch the bracket title.