The Pacific-12 Conference, the self-proclaimed Conference of Champions, has produced 29 College World Series winners—14 more than the Southeastern Conference.
The conference is well-represented in Cooperstown with Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Randy Johnson of Southern California, Reggie Jackson of Arizona State, Trevor Hoffman of Arizona and Mike Mussina of Stanford.
Hall of Fame executive Pat Gillick pitched for the 1958 CWS-champion Trojans.
From a talent standpoint, the Pac-12 still holds its own. More than 100 active major leaguers come from the conference’s 11 schools that play baseball. Four of the last 12 players drafted No. 1 overall were drafted from Pac-12 schools.
Yet, there’s a thick cloud of sadness hovering over the West Coast because the Pac-12 will break up its classic lineup following the 2024 CWS in Omaha.
“I can sit here all day and tell you it’s really sad to think with that much history, that much success that has gone into the sport of baseball within this conference, and for it to go
