ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The Big South Conference and Explore Asheville are set to host the Big South Baseball Championship at Asheville's renovated historic McCormick Field in 2026 and 2027. The six-team double-elimination tournament to determine the Big South's automatic bid recipient to the NCAA Championship will be held next spring from Wednesday-Saturday, May 20-23.
The event will deliver nearly 275 student-athletes and their families and fans to the Blue Ridge mountain city. Those visitors will generate more than $750,000 in direct spending throughout the Asheville area.
"We are thrilled the Big South has chosen Asheville as the stage for its championship events," said Vic Isley, President and CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.
"These competitions highlight the talent and dedication of student-athletes while also creating opportunities for fans to experience all our community has to offer. Sporting events like this shine a spotlight on Asheville's mountain setting and cultural vibrancy, while providing an economic boost to local businesses. We look forward to welcoming the Big South community and celebrating moments of athletic excellence together."
The Big South will have a neutral site location for its Baseball Championship within the league's footprint of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia for the sixth consecutive season and ninth time in the past 10 years. It will also mark the second time the event will be played in Asheville, as McCormick Field was the host venue of the 2009 tournament.
"We are absolutely thrilled to bring the 2026 and 2027 Big South Baseball Championships to Asheville," added Sherika A. Montgomery, Commissioner of the Big South Conference. "The combination of a revitalized McCormick Field, the incredible hospitality of Explore Asheville, and the support of UNC Asheville and local partners ensures a first-class experience that showcases our student-athletes and celebrates the spirit of collegiate baseball."
Opened in 1924, McCormick Field is the home of the South Atlantic League's Asheville Tourists, a Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. The City of Asheville is leading a centennial restoration of McCormick Field, supported by a landmark $23 million Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) investment from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority as part of a $55.6 million overall project.
Set for completion in spring 2026, the renovation is the largest TPDF award in the fund's 20-year history and will transform the historic ballpark into a modern, year-round venue.
The upgrades are expected to more than double annual visitation, from 179,500 today to an estimated 376,200 by 2029, while preserving Asheville's baseball legacy and expanding opportunities for community and visitor experiences, including hosting this championship event. The results of the restoration project will include bringing the facility up to current Major League Baseball Player Development League (minor leagues) Standards.
Throughout its 100-year history, Asheville's McCormick Field has marked a rich timeline of events. From seeing Ty Cobb hit a home run in the inaugural game, to appearances from Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and 11-year-old Cal Ripken Jr., there has been no shortage of top-level talent to take the field in Asheville. In addition, McCormick Field hosted Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936, and even gained Hollywood exposure as the park where Crash Davis "hit his dinger" in the movie Bull Durham.
The Big South Baseball Championship has been hosted at a neutral ballpark every year since 2016, with the exception of 2018. The 2026 postseason tournament will feature three games a day for the first three days, May 20-22, leading up to Saturday's Championship round of one-or-two games.
All games will air on ESPN platforms, with exact distribution to be determined in the coming months. Ticket pricing and seating availability will be announced in February.
The Big South's rich baseball history boasts the 2016 NCAA College World Series National Champion, 163 All-Americans, and 313 MLB Draft selections -- including Mason Miller, a 2024 American League All-Star, and Zach Neto, the 13th overall pick in 2022.
Additional Big South baseball alums currently in Major League Baseball are former UNC Asheville baseball player and current San Diego Padres Manager Mike Shildt, active players Cedric Mullins (Mets), Spencer Horwitz (Pirates), Ryan Thompson (Diamondbacks) and Will Wagner (Padres), and assistant coaches Chris Apecechea (Padres) and Will Remillard (Reds).
Big South teams have won at least one NCAA Regional game in 17 of the last 20 national tournaments, with three advancing to the NCAA Super Regional during that span. In 2024, the conference set a record with nine student-athletes selected in the first 18 rounds of the MLB Draft, while it secured back-to-back Top 20 RPI finishes, including a 15th-place ranking among 31 Division I conferences in 2023.
