University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
UNLV
Players Mentioned
Gophers Set to Host 2026 Cambria College Classic
3/5/2026 3:28:00 PM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The University of Minnesota baseball team gears up for the 2026 Cambria College Classic this weekend, facing off against UNLV, SDSU, and UNO in a round robin style tournament at U.S. Bank Stadium.
GAME INFORMATION
Game One
Minnesota (9-3, 0-0 B1G) vs. UNLV (10-4, 0-0 MW)
U.S. Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, Minn.
Friday, Mar. 6
7:00 PM
Game Two
Minnesota (9-3, 0-0 B1G) vs. SDSU (4-8, 0-0 SUMMIT)
U.S. Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, Minn.
Saturday, Mar. 7
7:00 PM
Game Three
Minnesota (9-3, 0-0 B1G) vs. UNO (4-7, 0-0 SUMMIT)
U.S. Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, Minn.
Sunday, Mar. 8
6:00 PM
2026 Cambria College Classic
The Cambria College Classic, one of the nation's premier early-season college baseball tournaments, returns to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis March 6–8 for its fourth year, bringing together six standout NCAA programs from across the Big Ten, Mountain West, Summit League, and Missouri Valley conferences. This year's tournament will feature the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, South Dakota State University, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and Southern Illinois University, offering fans a rare opportunity to watch high-level collegiate baseball inside one of the country's most distinctive stadium environments.
Title sponsor Cambria, the leading family-owned, American-made producer of natural quartz surfaces, hosts the tournament as part of its longstanding partnership with the University of Minnesota. Since launching the Cambria College Classic in 2020, the Minnesota-based company has helped elevate the event into one of the most unique early-season showcases in college baseball while reinforcing its continued support of Gopher Athletics and Minnesota sports through this event.
Throughout the weekend, Cambria will enhance the fan experience with a variety of family-friendly activities, including the Cambria Kid Zone, featuring interactive games such as cornhole and Plinko, special giveaways, and photo opportunities with Cambi, the Cambria mascot.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the championship team will receive the 2026 Cambria College Classic Trophy, a one-of-a-kind piece designed and handcrafted by Cambria using its Bentley™ and Blackpool Matte™ quartz designs. In addition, Cambria has created trophies for the Tournament MVP and the Outstanding Pitcher. These spectacular trophies reflect the company's dedication to craftsmanship, innovation, and celebrating excellence both on and off the field.
Head to Head History
-The 2026 Cambria College Classic will mark the first matchup in program history between Minnesota and UNLV
-The Gophers are 42-15 all time against the Jackrabbits, most recently taking them down last season 4-2 at Siebert Field
-Minnesota is an even 2-2 against Nebraska-Omaha, falling to the Mavericks 7-10 in the most recent matchup back in 2022
Scouting the Competition
-The UNLV Rebels are 10-4 overall to start the 2026 season, most recently falling in extra innings to Northern Colorado. The Rebels closed out 2025 with a 31-23 record, falling in the opening round of the Mountain West championship to San Diego State
-The SDSU Jackrabbits are 4-8 throughout 2026 so far, most recently falling to Nebraska 4-5. The Jackrabbits closed out 2025 with a 16-36 overall.
-The UNO Mavericks are 4-7 overall in 2026, also most recently falling to Nebraska 5-8. The Mavericks closed out 2025 with a 20-30 record, falling in the Summit League tournament to Oral Roberts.
Last Time Out
-Minnesota swept the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a pair of mid-week matchups, hitting the ten run rule in Tuesday's 14-4 win and taking them down 6-2 on Wednesday.
What's On Tap
-The Gophers will host two more mid-week matchups against Gonzaga University at U.S. Bank Stadium next week before opening Big Ten play on the road against the University of Illinois next weekend.
Neels Garners National Weekly Honors
-For his effort against Kansas last week, Weber Neels has been named to Baseball America's National Team of the Week and the NCBWA's National Co-Hitter of the Week after being named the Big Ten Player of the Week. The senior catcher slashed .714 batting average, .737 on base percentage, and 1.714 slugging percentage, while tallying nine runs batted in, four home runs, two stolen bases, and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage
Spanier Named to Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist
-Junior shortstop Jack Spanier has been named to the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award watchlist. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.
Stacking Up Against The Rest
-The Gophers currently stand at the top of the Big Ten Conference in total stolen bases with 34 and in triples hit with five. They also rank third for total home runs with 18.
-Michael Lippe and Ty Allen stand as leaders in the Big Ten for certain statistical categories. Lippe currently leads the conference in walks with 13 throughout the first ten games, while Allen is tied for most triples hit with three.