KWU, Salina, Dean Evans Stadium selected as one of 10 sites for NAIA Baseball Opening Round

Story courtesy of KWUCoyotes.com

National Championship baseball is coming to Salina. Salina, Kansas Wesleyan University and Dean Evans Stadium has been selected as one of 10 sites around the country host a Baseball Opening Round as announced by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics on Friday.

The NAIA Opening Round Tournaments will be held May 11 through 14 at 10 sites around the country, with the winners comprising the field for the AVISTA NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

This is the first time that Salina and KWU have hosted a NAIA Opening Round since the NAIA changed to the format, beginning with the 2009 season. KWU had previously hosted NAIA Region IV tournaments when the NAIA used that format prior to 2009.

"This is an unbelievable opportunity not only for KWU, but the entire Salina community," Miguel Paredes, Kansas Wesleyan Athletic Director said. "We are beyond excited for this chance to showcase everything that is great about Salina."

Dean Evans Stadium, which opened in 1992, underwent extensive renovations prior to the start of the 2021 baseball season. A new artificial turf surface was installed, as well as a patio area for spectators to get up and close to the action directly behind the backstop.

Most recently, renovations were completed to restrooms and other areas in the complex.

The stadium is part of the Berkley Family Recreation Area on the east side of Salina, which features several softball fields, Evans Stadium, James Matson Field and the brand new Pestinger Family Stadium which sits adjacent to Evans and provides Salina with two championship sized, fully-turfed baseball stadiums.

Evans Stadium plays host to Kansas State High School Activities Association state championship tournaments, and has hosted National Junior College Athletic Association regional tournaments, along with the Kansas Grand Slam Tournament every summer.

"Salina has a long history of being a community that is very supportive of baseball and sports overall," Paredes said. "Our centralized location, plenty of amenities and access to a regional airport right here in town makes Salina a perfect for a NAIA Opening Round Tournament."

Before the action begins on the field, the full 46-team national championship field will be unveiled live on the PlayNAIA YouTube channel at 4 p.m. CT on May 6, giving teams and fans their first look at the road to the title.

Once play begins, 46 teams will start their championship journey across 10 campus sites nationwide, all with one goal in mind, a trip to the NAIA Baseball World Series.

Each Opening Round will feature a double-elimination format, with six sites hosting five-team brackets and four sites hosting four-team brackets. When the dust settles, 10 teams will punch the historic Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho, for the 2026 NAIA Baseball World Series, beginning May 22.

Host sites were selected by the NAIA National Office in consultation with the National Selection Committee. Selections were based on a combination of geography, facility quality, and host readiness, with institutions submitting bids by the April 15 deadline.

Four days of Opening Round play across the country marks the beginning of each team's championship pursuit, with every game streaming free on the Urban Edge Network.