9 Worst College World Series Champions

Coastal Carolina and LSU are set to square off for a national championship at the College World Series. Each squad owns at least 50 wins on the season, with both boasting spotless 3-0 marks in Omaha.

Neither of these squads would be considered undeserving. Both earned Top 16 seeds prior to making their postseason runs. They offer a stark contrast to some of the worst teams to win it all.

“Worst” is a term that can be construed in a number of different ways. In this case, it refers to overall record. More specifically, we’re looking at win percentage.

There are nine past winners that got hot in the NCAA Tournament despite losing at least 30% of their games. Below is a list of College World Series champions with the worst win percentages.

1953 Michigan Wolverines (21-9)

The Michigan Wolverines won exactly 70% of their games after going 21-9 in 1953. That was good enough to secure the program’s first ever college baseball title.

Michigan went 4-1 in Omaha, besting Texas in the championship game following a loss. The Wolverines also picked up wins over Stanford and Boston College.

1962 Michigan Wolverines (34-15)

The Wolverines are the only program to appear on this list twice. In 1962, the team went 34-15, with a winning percentage just over 69%.

Michigan did not win the Big Ten title that season, but it picked up a national championship with a 4-1 run in the College World Series. The squad beat Texas, Holy Cross, Florida State, and Santa Clara in Omaha.

2004 Cal State Fullerton Titans (47-22)

The 2004 Cal State Fullerton team went 47-22, posting a win percentage of 68.1%. It remains the last of the Titans’ four national titles.

The group won the Big West Conference before entering NCAA Tournament play, where it rolled to an 11-2 postseason record. That included a 5-1 mark in Omaha as it beat Texas twice to win a championship.

1951 Oklahoma Sooners (19-9)

The 1951 Oklahoma team became the program’s first national title winner after posting a 19-9 overall record. The Sooners won the Big 7 with a 10-1 mark in conference play before starting the NCAA Tournament.

OU had a winning percentage of 67.8%. They went a perfect 4-0 in Omaha by beating Ohio State, Springfield, Southern Cal, and Tennessee.

1980 Arizona Wildcats (45-21-1)

The 1980 Arizona Wildcats went 45-21-1, winning 67.2% of their matchups. They picked up 17 victories in the PAC 10 before moving onto the NCAA Tournament.

Despite losing Game 1 in Omaha, Arizona emerged from the loser’s bracket to claim a national championship. The Wildcats took down Florida State, Michigan, Hawaii, and Cal to hoist the trophy.

1988 Stanford Cardinals (46-23)

The 1988 Stanford team went 46-23 to win exactly two-thirds of its contests. Despite not winning the PAC 10, they were able to get hot in the postseason.

The Cardinal went 5-1 after reaching the College World Series, beating other West Coast powers Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State, and Fresno State in Omaha.

2015 Virginia Cavaliers (44-24)

The 2015 Virginia baseball team was an unlikely winner after finishing .500 in ACC play. Though the Cavaliers ranked sixth in the league standings, they went on a run in the postseason.

UVA was a three-seed in the UC Santa Barbara Regional, but rolled through USC and San Diego State to advance. They then beat three SEC powers in Florida, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt to win the program’s first title. The Cavs ended the year at 44-24, winning 64.7% of their games.

2022 Ole Miss Rebels (42-23)

The 2022 Ole Miss Rebels had a losing record in SEC play, going 14-16 in the regular season. They were given a three-seed in the Miami Regional where they upset the Hurricanes and Arizona.

Ole Miss then beat Southern Miss in the Supers before going 5-1 in Omaha. The Rebels beat Oklahoma in the finals to post a 43-23 overall record (64.6%)

2008 Fresno State Bulldogs (47-31)

The 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs take the cake on this list by a wide margin. They remain the only national champion to lose more than 30 games. The Bulldogs landed a four-seed in the Long Beach Regional after winning the WAC Conference Tournament.

They then rolled through Arizona State in the Supers before beating Rice, North Carolina, and Georgia in Omaha. Fresno State is still the only four-seed to ever win a college baseball title. It finished 47-31 for a winning percentage just over 60%.