2024 MVC Baseball Championship is coming to Evansville

UE partners with Evansville Regional Sports Commission

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – It was less than three months ago that the University of Evansville baseball team made a run to the deciding game of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.  Next year, the Purple Aces will have the opportunity to take the conference crown on their home field as the MVC announced German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium as the host of the 2024 championship.

Purple Aces Head Baseball Coach Wes Carroll and multiple supporters have put in countless hours of work to bring the MVC Championship onto the University of Evansville campus for the first time.  Evansville hosted the 1998 championship at Bosse Field.  The 2020 opening of German American Bank at Charles H. Braun Stadium was an important step taking the facility to the next level with a full Astroturf field and other renovations.  The recent renovations to the facility, the partnership with the City of Evansville and the Evansville Sports Commission (ERSC) put UE in a position to secure the bid.

“I would like to thank MVC Commissioner Jeff Jackson and the rest of the MVC Leadership team for their confidence in us putting on an excellent Championship for everyone. This announcement is the culmination of a complete group effort,” UE Director of Athletics Ziggy Siegfried said.  “Also, a special thank you to the Evansville Regional Sports Commission and Executive Director Brandon McClish for stepping up their partnership with us to help bring the MVC Championship to Evansville.”

“Coach Carroll and multiple supporters have worked tirelessly to put the program and facility in a position to host the tournament,” Siegfried added.  “This is an opportunity for our program to take a significant step forward.  We are grateful to the ERSC, Dunn Hospitality Group, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and everyone else who helped to make this a reality.  This accomplishment is also a testament to the baseball student-athletes and coaches over the years who have worked to establish our program as one of the best in the MVC.”

Eight of the league’s 10 teams qualify for the double-elimination tournament, which is set for May 21-25, 2024.

“Evansville Regional Sports Commission worked collectively with the University of Evansville and many of our community supporters to secure the bid to host the MVC Baseball Championship,” McClish exclaimed.  “The MVC is one of the premier baseball conferences in the country and this was a collaborative effort between ERSC, UE, and the City of Evansville to bring this high-profile event to our city.”

Bringing an event of this magnitude to the area provides benefits to city’s economy including increased occupancy hotels and additional revenue for restaurants.  Dunn Hospitality Group stepped up as the lead hotel partner and is preparing to welcome teams and fans next spring.  Those impacts were recognized by Mayor Winnecke.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the host city for the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship,” said Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.  “Evansville’s strong tradition of supporting collegiate sports makes us an ideal location for this event.”

Coach Carroll directed his team to 37 victories in the spring of 2023 and is set up to make another run to the tournament title.  The 37 victories were the most for Evansville since 2006 and the appearance in the MVC Tournament final was also the first since 2006.

“I want to thank the MVC for awarding us this great opportunity.  This has been many years in the making and I’m grateful to all the people who helped make this happen,” Carroll exclaimed.  “The MVC tournament is such a great event that our fans and community will enjoy.  Our student-athletes are fired up and we will be ready to showcase our program on this stage.”