No. 2 seed WVU Baseball (37-13, 21-9) has a double bye and is automatically inserted into the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament in Surprise, Arizona. The Mountaineers only need three wins to secure their first conference tournament title since 1996 (Big East). Listed below is the full field, and how WVU fares against each opposing squad. Read more: Assessing the Big 12 Baseball Tournament field: WVU’s potential foes.
The single-tournament features 12 teams across five days. WVU finished the regular season with a combined record of 19-8 against teams in the tournament.
Immediate possibilities
There are three squads WVU could play in the quarterfinal round. No. 7 TCU awaits the first round winner between No. 10 Utah and No. 11 Kansas State.
No. TCU (33-20, 17-13)
WVU capped off its regular season campaign with a series win against the Horned Frogs mere days ago. The Mountaineers took the opening game, as well as the rubber match. TCU snagged a shutout win in Friday’s outing.
Related: WVU battles rain and TCU for gritty Senior Day victory
The Horned Frogs hold a winning record against WVU all-time, and have had the Mountaineers’ number in the tournament in the past as well (2016, 2018, 2024).
TCU is 1-2 in the Grand Canyon State this year, losing two of three on the road at Arizona State.
No. 10 Utah (26-24, 12-18)
WVU did not play the Utes in 2026, but swept the inaugural series this past year. The Mountaineers scored 6+ runs in all three games.
Utah struggled mightily in conference play this season, including the final series against Baylor. The Utes enter the tournament on a two-game skid.
Sixteen of Utah’s 24 losses came in true road games, but the team is 1-0 on neutral grounds.
No. 11 Kansas State (28-26, 11-19)
WVU showed its dominance when the Wildcats came to town at the start of the month. The Mountaineers returned to its ways after an uncharacteristic week beforehand that featured the 23-1 home loss to Pitt and a brutal series at Cincinnati.
The sweep completed a 4-0 week for WVU, as it followed up a midweek victory against Marshall.
The old gold and blue lead the all-time series dating back to 2013, 24-17. Kansas State has had the last laugh in both tournament meetings, though.
WVU’s sweep of KSU came at the heart of the Wildcats’ nine-game losing streak, which has since been broken.
The others
These are the squads which WVU could face at any other point beyond the quarterfinal round.
Texas Tech (27-27, 10-20)
- No. 12 seed (last team in)
- WVU won two of three at TTU this season, outscoring the Red Raiders 23-14
- TTU leads all-time series
BYU (27-27, 14-16)
- No. 9 seed
- WVU swept the season series, scoring 7+ runs in all three games
- WVU leads all-time series
Baylor (28-26, 14-16)
- No. 8 seed
- WVU took two of three against Baylor in the first series of conference play this year
- WVU leads all-time series
Cincinnati (37-19, 17-13)
- No. 6 seed
- UC took two of three at home against WVU, including a major comeback in the rubber match
- UC leads series since 2010
Oklahoma State (36-19, 18-12)
- No. 5 seed
- Did not play WVU in regular season
- WVU won lone game in 2025 (rest of series canceled due to severe weather in Stillwater, OK)
- Oklahoma State leads series since 2013
UCF (31-20, 19-11)
- No. 4 seed
- UCF dealt WVU its first series loss of the year
- WVU leads all-time series
Arizona State (36-18, 19-11)
- No. 3 seed
- WVU won two of three games at ASU this season (first-ever meeting)
Kansas (39-16, 22-8)
- Top seed (won regular season title with one game advantage over WVU)
- WVU swept the season series at Kansas
- WVU leads all-time series
What’s next
The 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament starts Tuesday, May 19. While WVU does not play until Thursday, staff writer Logan Powell is headed to Arizona to cover the entire tourney.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation throughout the tournament as Logan provides recaps, interviews, and human interest features from the Grand Canyon State. It will be available on the website or the new app under the same name.
Tune in to 100.9 FM The Torch or any of its nine affiliate stations across the John Fredericks Media Network for play-by-play coverage of the Mountaineers’ run for a Big 12 Tournament title.
