‘It’s Disneyland.’ Troy makes MCWS history, but don’t call them Cinderella

Statistically, Troy belongs anywhere but Omaha. Out of 416 teams that have entered the NCAA baseball tournament as a No. 3 regional seed, only 18 have ever reached the Men’s College World Series. Now, the Trojans are one of them.

As the SEC dominates the conversation with a record five teams in the field, Troy is ready to make its own noise. The Trojans open their MCWS debut at 1 p.m. CT Friday against No. 16 national seed West Virginia (45-15).

While the "Cinderella" label is being thrown around, the players in the Troy clubhouse aren't interested in being called cute. They know the depth and talent they possess. "You look on paper, man, like, we got a lot of talent, we got a lot of depth," said pitcher Zach Crotchfelt.

That talent is bolstered by a high-caliber transfer strategy. The team's 15-member transfer class from last season ranked No. 19 overall and No. 2 among mid-majors, according to 64Analytics.com. Players like Crotchfelt, who spent time at Auburn and Texas Tech, bring power-conference experience to the roster. This is a battle-tested group that claimed midweek wins against fellow MCWS participants Georgia and Alabama during the 2026 season.

The Trojans enter the series with a 38-30 record, but they are playing their best baseball at the right time. They arrive on a six-game winning streak in NCAA tournament play, including two wins over Florida to escape the Gainesville Regional before sweeping Little Rock by a combined score of 19-4 in the super regional.

"It’s probably the biggest moment in Troy history," said third baseman Blake Cavill. "It’s Disneyland at the end of the day for kids our age."

More than just a visit

Troy has no intention of being a one-and-done participant. They are looking to defy expectations, much like Coastal Carolina did in 2016, rather than just enjoying the trip like the Murray State squad that arrived in Omaha a year ago.

"We love teams doubting us," Cavill said. "We keep proving ourselves time after time."

For coach Skylar Meade, who experienced the MCWS as a player at Louisville, the program's location in the heart of SEC country offers a unique advantage for recruiting transfers looking for a second chance. Meade noted that players who might have lacked opportunity elsewhere often come to Troy and thrive.

That includes pitcher Hayden Smith, who is back in Omaha after being part of the Kentucky program earlier in his career. "I didn’t have a big role on that team from a pitching perspective," Smith said. "Now that I’m here, I have a bigger role on this squad and being expected to perform on this stage, it’s a dream come true."