JACKSON, Tenn. – The scheduled fifth Black College Baseball World Series for leading national NCAA Division II and NAIA members May 7-10 at Rockabilly’s Stadium here has been cancelled due to the passing of founder and executive director Michael Coker on April 22.
The BCBWS Board of Directors and committee issued the following joint statement this week:
“Due to the untimely passing of Black College Championships executive director Michael Coker, the 2025 Black College Baseball World Series has been cancelled. The board would like to express its deepest appreciation to Rockabilly’s president and CEO Dennis Bastien and the City of Jackson for their tremendous support for the World Series since we first proposed the move to Jackson, Tenn., in June 2024. We already are making plans for the renewal of the World Series with an outstanding field of teams in May 2026. The board also offers its deepest sympathy and appreciation to Michael Coker for his tireless promotion of the World Series, in particular, and both HBCU and national collegiate baseball as a whole.”
Dennis Bastien of the Rockabilly’s issued this statement:
“Everyone associated with the Jackson Rockabillys is deeply and truly saddened by the passing of Michael Coker. We had numerous deep conversations with him and knew and felt he was an amazing and remarkable man. His dedication and perseverance to the Black College World Series was paramount and it is with great sadness the event will be cancelled for 2025 out of respect for him and his legacy. Our prayers and well wishes are with his family and dearest friends at this time. It is our hope that we will be able to honor his name by hosting the tournament in 2026.”
Visit Jackson via Beth Bolton also issued a statement:
“We at Visit Jackson are deeply saddened by the passing of Michael Coker, the founder of the Black college World Series. His vision and dedication to celebrating and uplifting students through the power of sports created a lasting legacy that touched countless lives. We are honored to have worked alongside him, and our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all of the Board. Michael Coker’s legacy will continue to inspire us, and he will be greatly missed. ”
The BCBWS, conceived by Coker in 2011 and first played in 2021, has featured a number of nationally known HBCU programs with previous champions Bluefield State (2021 and ‘24), Edward Waters in 2022 and Florida Memorial in 2023. Previous competitors also have included the likes of 2024 NAIA Championships invitee Tuskegee, Kentucky State, Albany State, Savannah State, Rust, Wiley, and Miles, among others.
Tyson Foods of Springdale, Ark., provided corporate sponsorship from 2022-24 on a three-year contract, and the Montgomery Biscuits Southern League baseball franchise supplied Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala., as the tournament from 2021-24 before the series was scheduled to go to Jackson.
Please access BlackCollegeChampionships.com, Rockabillysbaseball.com, BlackCollegeNines.com and NCBWA.com for additional details and potential sponsorship opportunities for future World Series.