This post was updated June 12 at 4:07 a.m.

No. 15 seed UCLA baseball heads to the Men’s College World Series after a bit of an Omaha drought – and it’s not alone. In fact, it’s the first time since 1957 that none of the eight teams in the MCWS were in the tournament last year. The Bruins aren’t even the only team that won a national title the last time they were in the MCWS. With a diverse field of blue bloods, power teams, mid-majors and a Cinderella in the tournament, Daily Bruin senior staff Kai Dizon, who’s hoping to make his way out to Omaha after the quarter ends, breaks down each of the eight teams in Omaha.

No. 3 seed Arkansas (48-13, 20-10 SEC)
RPI: 1
Quad 1 record: 17-9
Team slash line: .313/.422/.558
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 3.91, 1.21, 11.14
X-Factor: SS Wehiwa Aloy

After supposed favorites in No. 1 seed Vanderbilt, No. 2 seed Texas, No. 4 seed Auburn and No. 5 seed North Carolina collapsed in the regionals or super regionals, No. 3 seed Arkansas became the runaway favorite, sweeping its regional and defending champion No. 14 seed Tennessee in its super regional.

And the Razorbacks are led by SEC Player of the Year shortstop Wehiwa Aloy. Slashing .348/.433/.668 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs, Aloy is one of just three players to beat out Bruin sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky as a Golden Spikes Award finalist.

Left-hander Zach Root – an All-SEC First Team honoree – leads Arkansas on the mound with a 3.59 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 11.56 K/9 over 92.2 innings pitched, considerably better marks than any UCLA starter.

No. 13 seed Coastal Carolina (53-11, 26-4 Sun Belt)
RPI: 4
Quad 1 record: 10-6
Team slash line: .290/.409/.450
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 3.23, 1.19 and 9.45
X-Factor: SP Jacob Morrison

The last time they were in Omaha – in 2016 – the Chanticleers ran the table.

And they could do it again.

Coastal Carolina was the Sun Belt regular season champion, conference tournament champion, swept its regional and swept No. 4 seed Auburn in Auburn, Alabama.

Baseball is often said to favor whoever’s hot – and while all eight teams in Omaha are steaming along, no one is on fire quite like the Chanticleers, who’ve won 23 straight heading into the MCWS.

Right-hander Jacob Morrison, who boasts a 2.15 ERA and 0.93 WHIP, was named the Sun Belt’s Pitcher of the Year and headlines a Chanticleers staff that owns the second best ERA in the nation at 3.21.

And catcher Caden Bodine – the team’s lone position player to make the All-Sun Belt First Team – commands the lineup, slashing .332/.466/.487.

No. 8 seed Oregon State (47-14-1)
RPI: 5
Quad 1 record: 16-12
Team slash line: .292/.409/.506
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 4.30, 1.33 and 10.64
X-Factor: SS Aiva Arquette

The Beavers may not have had a conference slate or conference tournament – playing as an independent this season – but they’re undeniably battle-tested.

After losing its first game in the Corvallis Regional, Oregon State rallied off four straight wins from the loser’s bracket to make it to a super regional. There, it edged out No. 9 seed Florida State in three games.

Aiva Arquette, a projected top-five pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, may be the most recognizable name playing in Omaha. The shortstop is slashing .354/.466/.658 with 18 homers, 17 doubles and 65 RBIs.

Not to be overlooked, outfielder Gavin Turley, with his 1.119 OPS, is also probably hoping to hear his name called this summer.

On the mound, right-hander Dax Whitney, a true freshman, has reached double digit strikeouts in five starts this season – including a 12-punchout performance against TCU in the regional and an 11-strikeout showing against Florida State.

No. 15 seed UCLA (47-16, 22-8 Big Ten)
RPI: 9
Quad 1 record: 7-7
Team slash line: .298/.414/.471
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 4.41, 1.35 and 8.04
X-Factor: SS Roch Cholowsky

Coach John Savage took the Bruins to Omaha three times in four years from 2010 to 2013, even winning a national title.

But they haven’t been back since.

There were good teams – UCLA was the No. 1 overall seed in the 2015 and 2019 NCAA tournaments.

But they could never get there.

And things seemed to hit rock bottom in 2024 when UCLA finished 19-33, missing the national tournament for the second straight season.

Then things clicked.

Led by a sophomore core that was once the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, UCLA was the co-conference regular season champion, runner-up in the Big Ten tournament and swept the Los Angeles Regional and Super Regional.

While Savage’s previous elite teams were built on pitching, it’s the offense that stands out in 2025. Sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky, who could be the first overall pick in 2026’s MLB Draft, is slashing .367/.494/.742 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs, earning him Big Ten Player of the Year and Perfect Game College Player of the Year – honors on top of being named a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.

No. 6 seed LSU (48-15, 19-11 SEC)
RPI: 11
Quad 1 record: 14-11
Team slash line: .299/.414/.515
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 3.82, 1.29 and 11.84
X-Factor: SP Kade Anderson

Looking for their second title in three years, the Tigers have the most recent Omaha success out any of the eight MCWS teams. And after dropping the first regional final game to Little Rock, LSU scored double digit runs in each of its next three games – sweeping West Virginia in the super regional 16-9 and 12-5.

Only two pitchers in the country have tossed more collegiate innings than left-hander Kader Anderson. And he hasn’t just eaten innings, he’s been effective to the tune of a 3.58 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. And with right-hander Anthony Eyanson, who has a 2.74 ERA over 98.2 innings pitched, the Tigers have an imposing one-two punch in their rotation.

And with three qualified hitters with an OPS north of 1.000 – and four more above .900 – LSU’s lineup can dominate in Omaha just like it did in Baton Rouge this past weekend.

Arizona (44-19, 18-12 Big 12)
RPI: 19
Quad 1 record: 13-8
Team slash line: .285/.377/.486
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 4.82, 1.41 and 9.27
X-Factor: SS Mason White

After a relatively quiet regular season where the Wildcats finished fourth in their inaugural Big 12 campaign, they ran the table in the conference tournament for an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. And besides a 18-2 loss to No. 5 seed North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, Arizona cruised its way to Omaha.

Shortstop Mason White alongside outfielders Aaron Walton and Brendan Summerhill have done the heavy lifting for the offense, posting OPSs of 1.106, 1.029 and 1.062, respectively.

Right-hander Smith Bailey leads the rotation as a freshman with a 4.01 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Meanwhile, veteran right-hander Tony Pluta holds down the bullpen with a 1.26 ERA, .82 WHIP and 14 saves – a program record.

Louisville (40-22, 15-15 ACC)
RPI: 28
Quad 1 record: 13-15
Team slash line: .305/.402/.503
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 5.35, 1.60 and 9.24
X-Factor: CF Lucas Moore

Despite finishing 10th in the ACC and losing seven of their 10 games heading into the tournament – including a one-and-done showing in the conference tournament – the Cardinals still earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Looks like they deserved it.

Louisville went 3-0 in the Nashville Regional – eliminating No. 1 seed Vanderbilt – and took two of three against Miami in the Louisville Super Regional.

Outfielders Lucas Moore – who’s stolen 51 bags on 52 attempts – and Zion Rose were the only Cardinals to make the All-ACC First Team and neither of them are even top two on the team in OPS – that honor goes to outfielder Eddie King Jr. and third baseman Jake Munroe with marks of 1.207 and 1.054, respectively.

However, the Louisville pitching staff appears to be a weak link with the worst ERA and WHIP of MCWS teams and only one qualified starter, right-hander Patrick Forbes, who boasts a 4.36 ERA in 66 innings.

Murray State (44-15, 17-8 Missouri Valley)
RPI: 59
Quad 1 record: 5-3
Team slash line: .307/.421/.508
Team ERA, WHIP and K/9: 5.19, 1.53 and 8.35
X-Factor: CF Jonathan Hogart

The Racers are just the fourth team to go from a No. 4 seed in their regional to Omaha.

But that doesn’t mean they’re dead men walking – Fresno State, the first team to go from No. 4 regional seed to MCWS, hoisted the national title in 2008.

Murray State took down Georgia Tech, which won the ACC regular season crown, and No. 10 seed Ole Miss – twice – to advance out of the Oxford Regional before winning back-to-back games against Duke after dropping game one of the super regional.

Outfielder Jonathan Hogart has powered the Racers with his 1.162 OPS and 22 homers – six coming in the NCAA tournament – alongside a supporting case of four other qualified batters with an OPS north of .900.

Right-handed starters Nic Schutte and Isaac Silva struggled in the super regional, giving up five and six runs in their respective starts, but the Racers persevered nonetheless.