Four teams, including No. 1-ranked San Jacinto (Texas) JC, have punched their ticket to this year's Junior College World Series, scheduled for May 29-June 5 in Grand Junction, Colo. The Gators (48-10) became the latest team to qualify by winning four straight games at the Region 14 championship, which wrapped up Tuesday night. Other teams already in the 10-team field are No. 3-ranked State College of Florida/Manatee, the Florida state champion; No. 11 Faulkner State, the Alabama champion; and No. 22 Hutchinson, the Kansas champion.
The remaining six berths will be determined in district championships this weekend. Possibly the most intriguing matchup is the Western District Tournament, which pits No. 2 Southern Nevada (and projected No. 1 draft pick Bryce Harper) against No. 6 Central Arizona and No. 7 Lamar(Colo.).
Southern Nevada and San Jacinto, which began the 2010 season ranked 1-2 in the joint Perfect Game/National Junior College Athletic Association top 50, are both expected to have a profound impact on the 2010 draft, with the possibility of up to 10 selections apiece.
Competition at the NJCAA Division II level is also coming to a head, with three teams in and seven more berths in the D-II World Series (May 29-June 5 in Enid, Okla.) on the line. The team to watch is Western Oklahoma, which moved up to No. 8 in this week's Top 50, supplanting LSU-Eunice as the highest-ranked D-II club.
California schools are included in PG's ranking of the Top 50 junior-college teams, though they are not affiliated with the NJCAA. The four-team state final is set for this weekend, with No. 9 Ohlone considered a slight favorite.
TOP 50 JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAMS