Though Kentucky is primarily known as a basketball school (though its football coach might argue that that label), it boasts one of the best teams in college baseball this season.
In 2024, the Wildcats completed perhaps the best season in team history with a 43-14 record and a No. 2 seed nationally in the NCAA Tournament.
Last week, Coach Nick Mingione’s Kentucky defeated Western Michigan, Illinois and Indiana State to win the Lexington Regional. It was the third time in program history that Kentucky has won a regional championship, and the first time since 2017.
The super regional round, also in Lexington, begins this week with the Wildcats facing three-time national champion Oregon State for a spot in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
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The CWS is the pinnacle of college baseball, an annual eight-team tournament that teams across the country begin the season dreaming of competing in and, depending on how high their expectations are, winning. Making it to Omaha means a program is of undeniable importance, regardless of whether it leaves Omaha with an NCAA championship trophy. It’s the shining standard by which programs are measured, judged and ultimately remembered.
With what’s at stake for Kentucky over the next few days, let’s take a look at the program’s CWS and NCAA Tournament history.
How many times has Kentucky appeared in the College World Series?
At least part of the reason the Super Regional series against Oregon State is so important for Kentucky is because a win in the best-of-three series would earn the Wildcats a spot in the CWS for the first time.
Kentucky has come close to making it to Omaha before, reaching the Super Regional in 2017 and 2023, but has never actually made it that far.
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Kentucky World Series Records
The Wildcats have never played in the CWS and are 0-0 in the event, but that could change later this month.
Kentucky Baseball NCAA Tournament Record
The Super Regional, being held this week at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, will mark Kentucky’s third time competing in the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have lost their last two Super Regional appearances, to arch rival Louisville in 2017 and LSU in 2023. In both cases, Kentucky played the Super Regional on the road.
Here’s a look at the teams with the longest NCAA Tournament runs in Kentucky baseball history prior to this season.
2017 NCAA Tournament
Lexington RegionalKentucky 6, Ohio 4NC State 5, Kentucky 4Kentucky 14, Indiana 9Kentucky 8, NC State 6Louisville Super RegionalLouisville 5, Kentucky 2Louisville 6, Kentucky 2
2023 NCAA Tournament
Lexington RegionalKentucky 4, Ball State 0Indiana 5, Kentucky 3Kentucky 10, West Virginia 0Kentucky 16, Indiana 6Kentucky 4, Indiana 2Baton Rouge Super RegionalLSU 14, Kentucky 0LSU 8, Kentucky 3
Kentucky Baseball NCAA Tournament Record
Kentucky is reaching its 11th NCAA Tournament appearance this season. The Wildcats have a 25-21 record in their nearly a dozen previous appearances heading into this year’s Super Regional tournament.
