CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the schedule for the 2022 Collegiate National Team, highlighted by the red, white, and blue’s return to Honkbalweek Haarlem from July 8-15 at Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, Netherlands, where the U.S. will compete for the first time since 2014. The Collegiate team’s summer tour will also include a five-game series against an opponent to be named later from June 30-July 4 in Cary, Durham, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
“We are thrilled to return to international competition with the Collegiate National Team in 2022,” USA Baseball Collegiate National Team General Manager Eric Campbell said. “Prior to that, we are excited to continue the tradition of Team USA taking the field in both Durham and Charlotte. The Durham Bulls Athletic Park and Truist Field are each outstanding venues and we are looking forward to an unforgettable experience for the fans and our athletes.”
To kickstart its 2022 summer schedule, the Collegiate National Team will compete in a five-game series from June 30-July 4. The first game of the series is set to take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, at 7 p.m. ET before the squad travels to compete in games two, three, and four of the series at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) in Durham, North Carolina. First pitch of games two and four is set for 6:35 p.m. ET on July 1 and 3, respectively, and game three is scheduled for a 5:05 p.m. ET first pitch. Fireworks will follow the contests on July 1 and 3 while kids and fans will be able to run the bases at the conclusion of game three on July 2.
2022 marks the Collegiate National Team’s 17th year playing at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Collegiate team has collected a 52-10-1 record against both domestic and international opponents dating back to its opening in 1995, most recently going head-to-head with the Olympic Team in a training contest prior to the U.S. claiming the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. USA Baseball alumni that have played at the DBAP include former MLB MVPs Dustin Pedroia and Justin Verlander, as well as 32 MLB All-Stars, and nine past World Series champions.
“The long-standing partnership we have enjoyed with USA Baseball has been incredible, and we’re very excited the DBAP will once again host some of the country’s most talented players,” said Mike Birling, Durham Bulls Vice President of Baseball Operations. “We look forward to seeing the future stars join the 32 MLB All-Stars who participated in past games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.”
Team USA will conclude its domestic tour on July 4 at Truist Field, the home of the Charlotte Knights, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game will begin at 6:05 p.m. ET and will be followed by the return of the annual WBT SkyShow. This year will be the sixth time Team USA has played at Truist Field, most recently defeating Cuba 4-2 on July 3, 2019, in game two of the 8th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series.
To round out its 2022 campaign, the Collegiate National Team will compete at the Honkbalweek Haarlem tournament. The U.S. will begin the event against Japan on July 9 at 8 a.m. ET (1 p.m. local time) before taking on Italy, Cuba, the Netherlands, and Chinese Taipei to close out group stage play. The second round of the tournament will then be played on July 14 ahead of the championship on July 15.
The U.S. has competed at Honkbalweek Haarlem five times since 2000 and has earned three gold medals in that time, including winning the championship in its most recent appearance at the event in 2014. The Collegiate National Team dropped its first contest of the tournament that summer to Japan, 1-0, but then did not lose another game, finishing with a 7-1 record and outscoring opponents 34-5 in its final six games to claim the gold. Team USA also won gold in the 2000, 2002, and 2008 editions of the event and earned a bronze medal in 2012.
The Collegiate National Team will be led in 2022 by Ole Miss’ Mike Bianco, who will make his USA Baseball managerial debut and second appearance overall in the red, white, and blue this summer. The 2020 National Coach of the Year served as the pitching coach for the 2013 Collegiate National Team and led the U.S. pitching staff to a collective 1.87 ERA, a 20-3 record, and 222 strikeouts during that summer’s campaign.
Bianco is the winningest coach in Ole Miss history since taking over the program in 2000. Prior to leading Ole Miss to a No. 1 ranking and 15-4 record this season, he posted an 812-462-1 (.637) record in 21 seasons at the helm and has guided the Rebels to 17 postseason appearances, seven Super Regionals, and a College World Series berth in 2014. He also earned both his 900th career victory and his 800th win in an Ole Miss uniform with a defeat of Texas A&M on May 8, 2021, becoming one of just 16 active head coaches to reach the 900 mark and one of just two in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) alongside Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn.
The rest of the 2022 Collegiate National Team staff, as well as Team USA’s final roster, will be announced at a later date.
For the most up-to-date information on the Collegiate National Team, follow @USABaseballCNT and @USABaseball on Twitter.
The full 2022 Collegiate National Team schedule is as follows:
(Date; Matchup; Location; Time)
2022 Team USA Domestic Dates
- Thursday, June 30; USA vs. TBD; Cary, North Carolina; 7 p.m. ET
- Friday, July 1; USA vs. TBD; Durham, North Carolina; 6:35 p.m. ET
- Saturday, July 2; USA vs. TBD; Durham, North Carolina; 5:05 p.m. ET
- Sunday, July 3; USA vs. TBD; Durham, North Carolina; 6:35 p.m. ET
- Monday, July 4; USA vs. TBD; Charlotte, North Carolina; 6:05 p.m. ET
2022 Honkbalweek Haarlem
- Saturday, July 9; USA vs. Japan; Haarlem, the Netherlands; 8 a.m. ET
- Sunday, July 10; USA vs. Italy; Haarlem, the Netherlands; 7 a.m. ET
- Monday, July 11; USA vs. Cuba; Haarlem, the Netherlands; 2:30 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, July 12; USA vs. the Netherlands; Haarlem, the Netherlands; 2:30 p.m. ET
- Wednesday, July 13; USA vs. Chinese Taipei; Haarlem, the Netherlands; 10:30 a.m. ET
- Thursday, July 14; Second round games
- Friday, July 15; Championship game
