Texas Collegiate League
Encyclopedia
The Texas Collegiate League (TCL) is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of the top college players from North America and beyond. The TCL is based in Coppell, Texas
, and shares its headquarters with the Coppell Copperheads, the DFW Metroplex-area team. The current league President is Uri Geva
from the Brazos Valley Bombers
.
All players in the league must have NCAA
eligibility remaining in order to participate. Players are not paid so as to maintain their college eligibility.
Teams are run similar to a professional minor league team, providing players an opportunity to play under the same conditions as the minor leagues. Games are played most days during the week (as opposed to college teams which often play on weekends only), and wooden bats and major league
specification baseballs are used (as opposed to college spec balls and the metal bats used at the college level). Season play occurs in early June through late July, culminating in a best-of-three series featuring the top two teams from each division. The winners of the division series advance to a best-of-three championship series in early August.
(*) The Aces were formed in 1994 as a member of the Continental Baseball League, and moved to the TCL in 2009.
(**) Tomcats played only the 2010 season
as the league president. With the addition of one new teams, the East Texas Pump Jacks, the league played the 2008 season with 4 teams.
2008 Season included new attendance records for the league and the Brazos Valley Bombers
made the top 50 attendance list of all summer collegiate teams.
With the McKinney Marshals disbanding after 2010, the Copperheads are the only remaining franchise to have played in every TCL season.
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
, and shares its headquarters with the Coppell Copperheads, the DFW Metroplex-area team. The current league President is Uri Geva
Uri Geva
Uri Geva is the CEO of Infinity Pro Sports, and the Owner of the Brazos Valley Bombers and serves as the President of the Texas Collegiate League As the owner of the Bombers he has led an effort towards fun press coverage including an offer for Manny Ramirez and the latest offer to help Conan...
from the Brazos Valley Bombers
Brazos Valley Bombers
The Brazos Valley Bombers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in the Bryan, Texas, in the United States. The Bombers are owned by Uri Geva and are members of the Texas Collegiate League...
.
All players in the league must have NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
eligibility remaining in order to participate. Players are not paid so as to maintain their college eligibility.
Teams are run similar to a professional minor league team, providing players an opportunity to play under the same conditions as the minor leagues. Games are played most days during the week (as opposed to college teams which often play on weekends only), and wooden bats and major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
specification baseballs are used (as opposed to college spec balls and the metal bats used at the college level). Season play occurs in early June through late July, culminating in a best-of-three series featuring the top two teams from each division. The winners of the division series advance to a best-of-three championship series in early August.
Current Teams
| Texas Collegiate League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity | |
| Acadiana Cane Cutters | 2011 | Lafayette Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census... , Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... |
Fabacher Field | 1,400 | |
| Alexandria Aces Alexandria Aces This article is about the Alexandria Aces of the Texas Collegiate League, who are based in Alexandria, LA. For the Alexandria Aces of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League, see Alexandria Aces ... |
1994 (*) | Alexandria Alexandria, Louisiana Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes.... , Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... |
Bringhurst Field Bringhurst Field Bringhurst Field is a baseball stadium in Alexandria, Louisiana. Owned by the city of Alexandria, it is the home field of the Alexandria Aces collegiate summer baseball team and also hosts local high school games. Built in 1933 and renovated extensively in 1994, it holds 3,500 people. It is also... |
3,500 | |
| Brazos Valley Bombers Brazos Valley Bombers The Brazos Valley Bombers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in the Bryan, Texas, in the United States. The Bombers are owned by Uri Geva and are members of the Texas Collegiate League... |
2007 | Bryan-College Station Bryan, Texas Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark | 2,121 | |
| Coppell Copperheads | 2004 | Coppell Coppell, Texas -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Coppell ISD Baseball Complex | ||
| East Texas Pump Jacks | 2008 | Kilgore Kilgore, Texas Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk Counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the home of Kilgore College, and was also the childhood home of famous classical pianist Van Cliburn... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Driller Park | 3,000 | |
| Victoria Generals | 2009 | Victoria Victoria, Texas Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
River Side Stadium Riverside Stadium (Victoria) Riverside Stadium is a ballpark located in Victoria, Texas which is the current home of the UHV Jaguars baseball team and the Victoria Generals of the Texas Collegiate League. It is the former home of the Victoria Rosebuds, who played in the AA classification Texas League from 1958 to 1961. The... |
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(*) The Aces were formed in 1994 as a member of the Continental Baseball League, and moved to the TCL in 2009.
Former Teams (all disbanded)
- Colleyville-Grapevine Lonestars - ColleyvilleColleyville, TexasColleyville is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census. Emerging from a number of small, rural settlements along the Cotton Belt Route, Colleyville was established in the...
-GrapevineGrapevine, TexasGrapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
(later the Euless LoneStars and Colleyville LoneStars) - Denton OutlawsDenton OutlawsThe Denton Outlaws were a collegiate summer baseball team based in Denton, Texas; they played their home games at Falcon Field in Corinth, Texas. The team was quite competitive during their short time in the Texas Collegiate League. In 2005, they were the TCL Champions...
- DentonDenton, TexasThe city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
(http://www.thedentonoutlaws.com/) - Duncanville Deputies - DuncanvilleDuncanville, TexasDuncanville is a city in Dallas County, Texas . Duncanville's population was 36,081 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 42,500 in 2008. Duncanville is a suburb of Dallas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Duncanville, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Lancaster.-Geography:Duncanville is...
- Granbury Generals - GranburyGranbury, TexasGranbury is a city in Hood County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,718. It is the county seat of Hood County and the principal city of the Micropolitan Statistical Area....
(replaced by the Denton Outlaws) - Highland Park Blue Sox - Highland ParkHighland Park, TexasHighland Park is a town in central Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,842 at the 2000 census. Located between the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Route 75 , four miles north of downtown Dallas....
(later the Plano Blue Sox) - Mineral Wells Steam - Mineral WellsMineral Wells, TexasMineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,946 at the 2000 census. The city is named for mineral springs in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s...
- Weatherford Wranglers - WeatherfordWeatherford, TexasWeatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
- Wichita Falls Roughnecks - Wichita FallsWichita Falls, TexasWichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
; formerly of GrahamGraham, TexasGraham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:... - Mckinney Marshals-MckinneyMcKinney, TexasMcKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States, and the second in population to Plano. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 131,117 The Census Bureau listed McKinney as the nation's fastest growing city from 2000 to 2003 and again in...
- Texas Tomcats-WeimarWeimar, TexasWeimar is a city in Colorado County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,981 at the 2000 census.In 1873 the town was founded as Jackson, but subsequently called Weimar in tribute to the German city of Weimar....
**
(**) Tomcats played only the 2010 season
League Champions
- 2010 - Victoria Generals
- 2009 - Coppell Copperheads
- 2008 - McKinney Marshals
- 2007 - Coppell Copperheads
- 2006 - McKinney Marshals
- 2005 - Denton Outlaws
- 2004 - Coppell Copperheads
Noted alumni
- Hunter PenceHunter PenceHunter Andrew Pence is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies. Pence stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life:...
- Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - Clay BuchholzClay BuchholzClay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox of major league baseball. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start...
- Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Chris DavisChris Davis (baseball)Christopher Lyn Davis is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles.-Professional career:...
- Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have... - Adam MooreAdam MooreAdam Ross Moore is an American Major League Baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners. Moore was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft...
- Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
Reorganization
In the face of steep financial difficulty, the owners of the teams attempted to change the league's management in 2007. In September, 2007, the Texas Collegiate League filed a lawsuit against several team owners, claiming that the owners and others "conspired to take over the league". The league re-organized under new management. With the exception of the McKinney Marshalls, Coppell Copperheads and Brazos Valley Bombers, all other league teams were dissolved. The league voted Uri GevaUri Geva
Uri Geva is the CEO of Infinity Pro Sports, and the Owner of the Brazos Valley Bombers and serves as the President of the Texas Collegiate League As the owner of the Bombers he has led an effort towards fun press coverage including an offer for Manny Ramirez and the latest offer to help Conan...
as the league president. With the addition of one new teams, the East Texas Pump Jacks, the league played the 2008 season with 4 teams.
2008 Season included new attendance records for the league and the Brazos Valley Bombers
Brazos Valley Bombers
The Brazos Valley Bombers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in the Bryan, Texas, in the United States. The Bombers are owned by Uri Geva and are members of the Texas Collegiate League...
made the top 50 attendance list of all summer collegiate teams.
With the McKinney Marshals disbanding after 2010, the Copperheads are the only remaining franchise to have played in every TCL season.