The 1961 NCAA University Division baseball tournament was played at the end of the 1961 NCAA University Division baseball season to determine the national champion of college baseball. The tournament concluded with eight teams competing in the College World Series, a double-elimination tournament in its fifteenth year. Eight regional districts sent representatives to the College World Series with preliminary rounds within each district serving to determine each representative. These events would later become known as regionals. Each district had its own format for selecting teams, resulting in 25 teams participating in the tournament at the conclusion of their regular season, and in some cases, after a conference tournament. The College World Series was held in Omaha, NE from June 9 to June 14. The fifteenth tournament's champion was Southern California, coached by Rod Dedeaux. The Most Outstanding Player was Littleton Fowler of runner-up Oklahoma State.

Tournament

District 1 Games played at Springfield, Massachusetts.

District 2 Games played at Syracuse, New York.

District 3 Games played at Gastonia, North Carolina.

District 4 Games played at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

District 5 Games played at Stillwater, Oklahoma.

District 6 Games played at Austin, Texas.

District 7 Games played at Laramie, Wyoming.

District 8

College World Series

Participants School Conference Record (conference) Head coach CWS appearances CWS best finish CWS record Boston College Independent 16–4 Ed Peligrini 2(last: 1960) 4th(1953) 3–4 Colorado State College RMC 28–6 (14–0) Pete Butler 7(last: 1960) 5th(1955) 2–14 Duke ACC 15–9 (11–3) Ace Parker 2(last: 1953) 5th(1952, 1953) 2–4 Oklahoma State Big 8 24–1 (18–1) Toby Greene 4(last: 1960) 1st(1959) 12–7 Syracuse Independent 16–3 Ted Kleinhans 0(last: none) none 0–0 Texas SWC 22–4–2 (11–3) Bibb Falk 5(last: 1957) 1st(1949, 1950) 14–7 Southern California CIBA 31–7 (12–4) Rod Dedeaux 6(last: 1960) 1st(1948, 1958) 14–10 Western Michigan MAC 18–6 (11–0) Charlie Maher 4(last: 1959) 2nd(1955) 8–8

Results

Bracket

Game results

Date Game Winner Score Loser Notes June 9 Game 1 Oklahoma State 3–2 Duke June 10 Game 2 12–5 Game 3 Boston College 3–2 Western Michigan Game 4 Southern California 8–6 Texas June 11 Game 5 Duke 15–3 Colorado State College eliminated Game 6 Western Michigan 8–2 Texas Texas eliminated Game 7 Oklahoma State 12–9 Game 8 Southern California 10–3 Boston College June 12 Game 9 Boston College 4–3 (10 innings) Duke Duke eliminated Game 10 6–0 Western Michigan Western Michigan eliminated Game 11 Southern California 4–2 Oklahoma State June 13 Game 12 Oklahoma State 8–0 Syracuse eliminated Game 13 Southern California 4–3 Boston College Boston College eliminated June 14 Final Southern California 1–0 Oklahoma State Southern California wins CWS

All-Tournament Team The following players were members of the All-Tournament Team.

Position Player School P Littleton Fowler (MOP) Oklahoma State Larry Hankhammer USC Jim Withers USC C Larry Himes USC 1B William Ryan USC 2B Bruce Andrew Oklahoma State 3B Dave Sarette SS Don Wallace Oklahoma State OF Ron Davis Duke Art Ersepke USC Bill Tomb Western Michigan

Notable players Boston College: Duke: Ron Davis Colorado State College: Oklahoma State: Don Wallace Southern California: Dan Ardell, Mike Gillespie, Marcel Lachemann, Tom Satriano, Ron Stillwell, Wally Wolf : Bill Connors, Dave Giusti Texas: Bill Bethea Western Michigan: Roger Theder, Frank Quilici

Notes

See also 1961 NAIA World Series

References