The 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship is set to take place in Murray, Kentucky, from May 20 through May 23, bringing together the league’s top collegiate programs for a high‑stakes tournament.
Murray State Leads the Host Effort
Murray State will serve as the tournament’s host, partnering with Credit Union 1 and the Murray Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to present the event. The collaboration underscores the city’s commitment to showcasing collegiate baseball on a national stage.
UIC enters the championship as the top seed after capturing its first Missouri Valley regular‑season title since 2017, while Indiana State secures the No. 2 seed following a dominant stretch that saw the team win seven of eight conference series this year.
The draw places No. 3 seed Murray State against No. 6 Illinois State at 3 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, and No. 4 Southern Illinois will meet No. 5 Evansville at 11 a.m. Central Time later that same day. The competition will follow a double‑elimination format, with three games scheduled for each of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
All contests will be streamed live on The Valley on ESPN, giving fans across the country access to the action. Admission to every game is free, allowing families and enthusiasts alike to experience the tournament in person.