The Jayhawk Collegiate League is a collegiate summer baseball league consisting of eight teams from

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

. The league was formed in

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

and was a "Premier League" within the

National Baseball Congress National Baseball Congress World Series or NBC World Series is an annual collegiate and semi-pro baseball tournament held in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The next series will happen on July 24 to August 2, 2025. It will be held at Eck Stad ...

History

The original league included the following teams:

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

Twins,

Dodge City Dodge City is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. It was named after nearby Fort Dodge, which was named in honor of Grenville Dodge. The city ...

A's,

El Dorado El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions � ...

Broncos A bucking horse is any breed of horse, male or female, with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock. The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for ro ...

Great Bend Great Bend is a city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is named for its location at the point where the course of the Arkansas River bends east then southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ci ...

Bat Cats,

Hays Larks The Hays Larks are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Hays, Kansas. The Larks evolved from Hays during the 1946 season. From 1869 to 1945, the team went by the name of The Hays Town Team and was sponsored by various organizations and busin ...

, Haysville Aviators, Liberal Bee Jays, and the Mannsville Oklahomans ("Munsee") in Ardmore. The Dodge City A's returned to the league in 2011 after leaving in 1981. In 2019, The Derby Twins, Great Bend Bat Cats, Haysville Aviators, and El Dorado (formerly Wichita) Broncos went to the Sunflower Collegiate League, leaving four teams behind: the Dodge City A's, Hays Larks, Liberal Bee Jays, and The City OK's (former Oklahoma City Indians and Oklahoma A's). The Sunflower Collegiate League also has the Wellington Heat in Kansas and Woodward Winds in Oklahoma (former Jayhawk League teams in the 2000s).

2025 Season

Team Information

NBC World Series Championships

The National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series is an annual summer baseball tournament held in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...

since 1935. It features 16 top-tier amateur and collegiate-level teams from across the U.S., competing in a double-elimination format over about 16 days. Originally founded by Hap Dumont as a “Little World Series” showcasing town and industrial teams—including

Satchel Paige Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB). His career spanned five decades and culminated with his induction in ...

’s legendary performance in the inaugural tournament—the event evolved into a platform for future Major League players. More than 800 alumni have gone on to

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

careers, among them legends like

Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and also played ...

Ozzie Smith Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National ...

Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and the San Francisco Giants f ...

Albert Pujols José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (, ; born December 11, 1985) is a Dominicans, Dominican professional baseball Manager (baseball), manager and former first baseman and designated hitter who is the manager of the Leones del Escogido of the Domin ...

, and

Tony Gwynn Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hi ...

. Today, games are played at

Eck Stadium Eck Stadium is a baseball stadium in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is located on the south side of 21st Street between Hillside and Oliver on the campus of Wichita State University in northeast Wichita. The stadium is home of the Wichi ...

and

Equity Bank Park Equity Bank Park, previously known as Riverfront Stadium, is a baseball park in downtown Wichita, Kansas, United States. It serves as the home ballpark of the Wichita Wind Surge of the Texas League. The team relocated from the New Orleans suburb ...

in Wichita. *Clarinda A's 1981 * El Dorado Broncos 2009, 1998, 1996 *Liberal BeeJays 2010, 2000, 1985, 1979, 1968 *Wichita Broncos 1989, 1990 *Wellington Heat 2007 *Hutchinson Monarchs 2023

Notable Alumni

(Hays Larks 1999) *

Heath Bell Heath Justin Bell (born September 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. As a closer (baseball), closer with the San Diego Padres from 2009 to 2011, Bell was a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-St ...

(El Dorado Broncos 1997) *

(Hutchinson Broncos 1984) *

Lance Berkman William Lance Berkman (born February 10, 1976), nicknamed "Fat Elvis" and "Big Puma", is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman, who is the former head baseball coach of the Houston Christian Hu ...

(Hays Larks 1995) *

Andy Benes Andrew Charles Benes (born August 20, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most prominently as a member of the San Diego Padres, who selected Benes as the first overall p ...

(Clarinda A’s 1987) *

(Hutchinson Broncos 1982) *

Ian Kinsler Ian Michael Kinsler (; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles A ...

(Liberal BeeJays 2001) *

Trevor Hoffman Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, ...

(Nevada Griffons 1987) *

Doug Drabek Douglas Dean Drabek (born July 25, 1962) is a retired American professional baseball pitcher, and a current minor league baseball coach. He is the pitching coach for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major Le ...

(Liberal BeeJays 1982) *

Nate Robertson Nathan Daniel Robertson, (born September 3, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Career Florida Marlins Robertson atten ...

(El Dorado Broncos 1996 & 1998) * Brett Butler (Hutchinson Broncos 1978) *

Rafael Palmeiro Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964) is a Cuban-American former baseball first baseman and left fielder. He played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three teams. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State Univer ...

(Hutchinson Broncos 1984) * B. J. Ryan (Hays Larks 1996) *

Ron Guidry Ronald Ames Guidry (; born August 28, 1950), nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Guidry was also the pitch ...

(Liberal BeeJays 1970) *

Chuck Knoblauch Edward Charles Knoblauch (; born July 7, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1991 through 2002, for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. He playe ...

(Clarinda A’s 1987) * Jack Wilson (Hays Larks 1996) *

Pete Incaviglia Peter Joseph Incaviglia (born April 2, 1964) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is currently the manager for the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association of Professional Baseball. He played in Major L ...

(Hutchinson Broncos 1984) *

Hunter Pence Hunter Andrew Pence (born April 13, 1983), nicknamed "The Reverend", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Fra ...

(Liberal BeeJays 2003) *

Adam LaRoche David Adam LaRoche (born November 6, 1979) is an American professional baseball coach and former player who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondb ...

(Derby Twins 1998) *

Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969) is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. He is currently the manager of the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League. During a 14-year basebal ...

(Liberal BeeJays 1989) *

Mike Hargrove Dudley Michael Hargrove (born October 26, 1949) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and Manager (baseball), manager. He is currently employed as an advisor with the Cleveland Guardians in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hargrov ...

(Liberal BeeJays 1972) *

Greg Swindell Forest Gregory Swindell (born January 2, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player. He had a 17-year career in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from to . He played for the Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins and Bost ...

(Liberal BeeJays 1985) * Jake Sabol (El Dorado Broncos 2009) * Tim Anderson (Dodge City A's 2012)

References

External links

Hays LarksEl Dorado BroncosLiberal BeeJaysDerby Twins
{{College Summer Baseball Summer baseball leagues College sports in Kansas Baseball leagues in Kansas College baseball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1976 1976 establishments in the United States