The NJCAA Board of Regents approved new postseason formats for Division I and Division II baseball and softball during its April 2026 convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
The changes are set to take effect on August 1, 2027, with the updated structure debuting in the Spring 2028 postseason. The new format introduces a Super Regional round and expands participation to 32 teams per sport and division. Teams will progress from regional competition to Super Regionals before advancing to the NJCAA World Series.
Dr. Brett Monaghan, Vice President of Championships, Membership and Sports Governance, said, “When this idea was presented to Mike (Saddler) and Ron (Riggle) last spring, both jumped at the thought of creating an opportunity that we’ve not seen in the history of the NJCAA with our post season model. With direction from the Championships and Alignment Committee, we added in the Division I and II Softball Committee chairs, Katie Willingham and Chris Robinson, and got to work. While there is still much to be done, I’m excited to see what is to come in 2028.”
Under this alignment, each Super Regional field will have automatic qualifiers as well as at-large selections for a total bracket of 32 teams per sport per division. These teams will be divided into eight four-team brackets; each bracket winner advances to their respective World Series events. Site selection for Super Regionals will consider geographic distribution across regions.
Mike Saddler, Chair for NJCAA Division I Baseball as well as Championships & Alignment Committee Chair said: “This is a truly exciting moment for NJCAA baseball and softball. Thanks to the dedication and collaboration of our sports chairs and committee members, we have a new format that closely aligns with other national collegiate organizations. This new format expands opportunities for student-athletes and programs to experience national tournament competition while strengthening and elevating each World Series. I’m grateful to have been part of this effort and look forward to seeing the results of our work come to life in the spring of 2028.” For baseball specifically: regional play concludes by May 9; qualifier notifications go out May 10; brackets are revealed May 11; Super Regionals run May 16-19; World Series takes place May 27-June 3.
For softball: regionals end by May 7; qualifiers notified on May 8; brackets announced on May 9; Super Regionals held from May 13-15; World Series runs from May 23-27 featuring two four-team pods whose winners meet in a best-of-three championship series.
Chris Robinson, NJCAA Division II Softball Chair said: “It has been a privilege to collaborate with fellow committee chairs throughout the development process. We are confident this new format will create meaningful opportunities for growth and advancement within the sport, and we look forward to its positive impact on our coaches, administrators and all those connected to NJCAA Baseball and Softball.” The models also align sports poll criteria with at-large selection standards for greater consistency between rankings or seeding decisions.
The revised structure aims at improving student-athlete experiences while aligning with national best practices—ensuring fair geographic representation along predictable timelines—and maintaining fiscal responsibility.
