The 2026 NCAA Tournament begins on Friday, May 29. Here is World Baseball Network’s preview of the Morgantown regional.
Morgantown Regional – Kendrick Family Ballpark
No. 1 – West Virginia Mountaineers (34-19, 21-9 Big 12) – Number 16 National Seed
The West Virginia Mountaineers are back in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season. For the first time during that streak, they are hosting a regional in Morgantown at their home ballpark, Kendrick Family Ballpark. The Mountaineers made it to a super regional in 2024 and 2025. West Virginia is chasing down its first-ever College World Series appearance.
A key player who will help West Virginia make a run during the NCAA Tournament is Gavin Kelly. The Mountaineers’ offensive leader has a .379 batting average in 2026. He also has 16 doubles, 13 home runs, and 48 RBIs. Kelly was named first-team All-Big 12.
West Virginia also has the 2026 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in their staff. Maxx Yehl has a 2.16 ERA in 79 1/3 innings of work. Over that same stretch, he has 95 strikeouts compared to just 23 walks. Yehl is arguably the most formidable arm in the Morgantown regional and will pose a problem to the Mountaineers’ three opponents.
West Virginia is coming into the Morgantown regional after being shut out in the Big 12 Tournament title game by the Kansas Jayhawks. Before that, they had won 11 of their last 12 games, which included series wins over TCU, Kansas, and Kansas State.
No. 2 – Wake Forest Demon Deacons (38-19, 16-14 ACC)
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons enter the Morgantown regional as the two seed after losing their only game of the ACC Tournament to West Virginia’s rival, the Pittsburgh Panthers.
The Demon Deacons are led by two power hitters, Dalton Wentz and Luke Costello. Both players have 17 home runs apiece during the 2026 college baseball season. Both players were also third-team All-ACC.
The Wake Forest pitching staff is anchored by Chris Levonas. The first-team All-ACC starting pitcher had a 2.90 ERA in 68 1/3 innings of work this season. He also had 110 strikeouts and allowed an opposing batting average of .175. He is third in the ACC in strikeouts this season.
The Demon Deacons have the star power and talent to win the Morgantown regional. If they do so, they would make it to a super regional for the first time since 2023.
No. 3 – Kentucky Wildcats (31-21, 13-17 SEC)
The Kentucky Wildcats have built a reputation for being a perennial NCAA Tournament team. Nick Mingione’s team made the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.
A lot of Kentucky’s success in Morgantown will come from starting pitcher Jaxon Jelkin. The right-hander has a 3.77 ERA in 88 1/3 innings of work with 98 strikeouts. With an 8-3 record, the Wildcats win a lot when Jelkin is on the mound. It is safe to say he will open the regional for Kentucky when they take on Wake Forest’s tough lineup.
Just two years removed from a College World Series run, the Wildcats will look to shock the field after being one of the last four teams in the field of 64.
No. 4 – Binghamton Bearcats (31-20, 17-7 America East)
The Binghamton Bearcats are making their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance. It is also their second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament after back-to-back America East Conference Tournament titles. With a 17-7 record in conference play, the Bearcats also won the conference’s regular season title for the first time this decade.
2026 Morgantown Regional Schedule
Fri. May 29 – Kentucky vs Wake Forest – noon ET – ESPN2
Fri. May 29 – Binghamton vs West Virginia – 5 p.m. ET – ESPN+
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: West Virginia’s Maxx Yehl #15 throws a pitch against Xavier during an NCAA baseball game on Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Morgantown, W. Va. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
