FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Triple Crown Sports, Pathway Baseball, and Iowa Western Community College are proud to announce a 10-year partnership, creating Pathway Omaha, a one-of-a-kind College Baseball Experience during the Men's Division I College Baseball Championships in Omaha for June 2021.
Hosted by legendary Iowa Western baseball coach Marc Rardin, the event will offer two sessions – one for Underclass (15u/16u) and one for Upperclass (17u/18u).
"Iowa Western Baseball and I have had a long and great relationship with Triple Crown," said Rardin. "I can't tell you how excited we are for this partnership to start. Triple Crown has been nothing but first class to me and my staff through the years."
The idea is to create a fully-immersive college baseball experience. Players and coaches will stay on campus in suites and dorms and dine from a buffet menu prepared by the Iowa Western culinary arts program with a helpful hand from a few professional chefs.
"We're excited to partner with Iowa Western Community College and Hall of Fame head baseball coach Marc Rardin, bringing a new opportunity and experience to many inspiring young athletes from around the country during the College World Series," said Omaha Pathway and SlumpBuster director Brandon Hardy.
"Coach Rardin brings a wealth of knowledge, success, and inspiration to Omaha, and we look forward to working with him, his staff and his colleagues over the next 10 years. His reputation within the baseball community at every level is unprecedented, and the Pathway team is ecstatic to have him and Iowa Western as a focal point of this exciting new event."
Coinciding with the College World Series, the entire package will include a plethora of options for players to create the perfect baseball experience. Of the five guaranteed games, three pool play games will be coached by college coaches from every level, each team will receive 20 general admission CWS tickets, and special guest speakers include college coaches and notable former MLB names.
Individual evaluations, unsigned games for college prospects, and specialized camps and clinics are among the many options available to athletes.
The partnership between Triple Crown, Pathway Omaha, and Iowa Western begins next summer during the 2021 College World Series.
"We are excited to continue the growth of Pathway in Omaha. Brandon did a great job building this partnership with Iowa Western which will create a unique experience for all teams, players, and coaches," said Pathway Director Gino Grasso.
Learn more about Pathway Omaha here - https://pathwaybaseball.com/sports/pathwayomaha
About Iowa Western and Coach Rardin
Coach Rardin is in his 19th season as the head baseball coach at Iowa Western Community College and has tremendous baseball experience and knowledge. During Rardin's tenure, the Reivers baseball program has rewritten the record books in every facet and made junior college baseball history by winning the Junior College World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Across 18 seasons at the helm of Iowa Western, Rardin's Reivers have participated in 12 Junior College World Series, won 14 regional titles and 12 Northern District titles. Totaling 26 postseason titles, Iowa Western outpaces any other Division I junior college program in the country across the past 15 years.
About Pathway Baseball
Pathway Baseball is a division of Triple Crown Sports and focuses on college exposure events for players ages 15-18. Our events are anchored by collegiate coaches representing all ranks of the game (JUCO, NAIA, DI, DII and DIII) and designed to connect student-athletes with the best-fitting program in terms of five core concerns – academic profile, financial impact, athletic environment, distance from home and personal connection.
Our events fulfill what college coaches desire – live games, workouts and player assessment opportunities at stellar facilities that clarify their recruiting process. Athletes get what they need with competitive game action, seminars, shoulder-to-shoulder instructional insight, and a place where questions are answered. Pathway Baseball always protects and preserves relationships with the 95% of coaches and players who thrive outside the world of the Power 5.
About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing college and youth events for more than 35 years. Specializing in must-attend, experience-centered events, TCS' portfolio includes over 200 tournaments from coast to coast.
About the Omaha SlumpBuster
Triple Crown's SlumpBuster® has become a fixture on the youth circuit, entering its 19th year as a tournament dedicated to building memories and bringing families together around the great game of baseball. More than 40 states from coast to coast send teams to Omaha in June for the opportunity to play unique competition and sharpen their skills for the summer campaign.
