 | |
| Formerly | Astros College Classic (2001-02) Minute Maid Park College Classic (2003-07) Houston College Classic (2008-15) |
|---|---|
| Sport | College baseball |
| Founded | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Venue | Minute Maid Park |
| Broadcasters | AT&T SportsNet SW MLB Network |
| Official website | http://www.astros.com/collegeclassic |
TheShriners Hospitals for Children College Classic is an annual six-teamcollege baseball tournament held inHouston and hosted by theAstros Foundation. The 15th annual tournament was held atMinute Maid Park in March 2015.[1][2] It was initially calledAstros College Classic from 2001 through 2002, theMinute Maid Park College Classic from 2003 through 2007,[3] and theHouston College Classic from 2008 through 2015. In December 2015, the Astros Foundation andShriners Hospitals for Children announced a multi-year naming rights agreement for the tournament,[4] rebranding the event the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic.
As part of the agreement with Shriners Hospitals for Children, the Astros Foundation announced that the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic would be nationally televised for the first time in history onMLB Network.
The College Classic is seen as the start of the college baseball season in Texas.[5] At the end of the tournament, aMost Outstanding Player and an All-Tournament Team are announced.[6][7]
The event is normally held in early March.
The 2020 edition of the event happened before the breakout of the COVID-19.
TheHouston Cougars of theBig 12 and theRice Owls ofThe American, who hold arivalry, compete in the tournament annually.[8] The other four teams invited to the tournament alternate by year.
"The intensity level is higher in practice because you know you're going to play quality people. I don't have to do much motivation to get the guys up to play three teams like this and in Minute Maid Park -- it's a major league park and guys are excited."
Often, teams competing in the Classic are highly ranked. In 2002, the Classic involved three teams that ended the preceding season ranked in the top 25 of theBaseball Weekly/ESPN,Baseball America, andCollegiate Baseball year-end polls: the Rice Owls,Texas Tech Red Raiders, andBaylor Bears.[9] The 2005 Classic included four top ranked teams: the #11Baylor Bears, #13Texas A&M Aggies, #19 Rice Owls, and #23Oklahoma State Cowboys.[5]Collegiate Baseball ranked all six teams competing in the 2007 Classic: they ranked the Rice Owls the top team in college baseball, and also ranked the #8Vanderbilt Commodores, #14Arizona State Sun Devils, #21 Baylor Bears, and #33 Houston Cougars.[10][11] TheTexas Longhorns and Rice Owls participated in the Classic when they won theCollege World Series championship in 2002 and 2003, respectively.[5] TheTexas Tech Red Raiders have appeared in the Houston College Classic seven times: in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.[12]
For the 2018 classic, threeSEC teams,Kentucky,Mississippi State, andVanderbilt will be matched against three local universities:Houston,Sam Houston State andLouisiana.[13] The three SEC teams played each of the three local teams once.
| Year | Teams |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Baylor, Houston, Rice, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2002 | Baylor, Houston, Louisiana, Rice, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2003 | Alabama, Baylor, Houston, Louisiana, Rice, Texas A&M |
| 2004 | Houston, Kansas State, Ohio State, Rice, Texas, Texas Tech |
| 2005 | Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma State, Rice, Tennessee, Texas A&M |
| 2006 | Houston, Rice, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Tulane |
| 2007 | Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, Rice, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt |
| 2008 | Houston, Oklahoma, Rice, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech |
| 2009 | Baylor, Houston, Rice, Texas A&M, UC Irvine, UCLA |
| 2010 | Houston, Missouri, Rice, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2011 | Baylor, Houston, Kansas State, Rice, Texas A&M, Utah |
| 2012 | Arkansas, Houston, Rice, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech |
| 2013 | Baylor, California, Houston, North Carolina, Rice, Texas A&M |
| 2014 | Houston, Rice, Sam Houston State, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2015 | Baylor, Hawaii, Houston, LSU, Nebraska, Texas A&M |
| 2016 | Arkansas, Houston, Louisiana, Rice, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2017 | Baylor, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2018 | Houston, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi State, Sam Houston State, Vanderbilt |
| 2019 | Baylor, Houston, Rice, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas State |
| 2020 | Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas |
| 2021 | Rice, Sam Houston State, Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech |
| 2022 | Baylor, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA |
| 2023 | Louisville, Michigan, Rice, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas Tech |
| 2024 | Houston, Louisiana, LSU, Texas, Texas State, Vanderbilt |
| 2025 | Texas A&M, Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, Rice |
| Team | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | 19 | 2024, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 |
| Rice | 19 | 2025, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 |
| Baylor | 13 | 2022, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001 |
| Texas Tech | 12 | 2023, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2001 |
| Texas A&M | 12 | 2025, 2023, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2002 |
| Texas | 11 | 2024, 2022, 2020, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2001 |
| TCU | 10 | 2023, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002, 2001 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 2024, 2018, 2016, 2003, 2002 |
| LSU | 5 | 2024, 2022, 2020, 2017, 2015 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 2025, 2022, 2012, 2008, 2005 |
| Arkansas | 3 | 2020, 2016, 2012 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 2022, 2020, 2008 |
| Sam Houston State | 3 | 2021, 2018, 2014 |
| Texas State | 3 | 2024, 2021, 2019 |
| Vanderbilt | 3 | 2024, 2018, 2007 |
| Kentucky | 2 | 2018, 2011 |
| Missouri | 2 | 2020, 2010 |
| UCLA | 2 | 2022, 2009 |
| Mississippi State | 2 | 2025, 2018 |
| Oklahoma State | 2 | 2025, 2005 |
| Alabama | 1 | 2003 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 2007 |
| California | 1 | 2013 |
| Hawaii | 1 | 2015 |
| Kansas State | 1 | 2004 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 2015 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 2013 |
| Ohio State | 1 | 2004 |
| Ole Miss | 1 | 2017 |
| Tulane | 1 | 2006 |
| UC Irvine | 1 | 2009 |
| Utah | 1 | 2011 |
| Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 1 | 2021 |
| Louisville | 1 | 2023 |
| Michigan | 1 | 2023 |
| Arizona | 1 | 2025 |
