MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois Baseball has officially released its 2026 competition slate, featuring a balanced mix of early marquee road trips, neutral-site action, regional rivalries, and a full Ohio Valley Conference campaign. The Leathernecks will open the season with four consecutive road or neutral weekends before returning to Macomb for a home-heavy March and April stretch.
Western Illinois begins the year February 13–15 with a trip to the West Coast to face San Francisco, marking the program's first meeting with the Dons in more than a decade. The Leathernecks then travel to Millington, Tennessee, for a neutral-site series against Akron from February 20–22, before returning home to host St. Ambrose on February 24. WIU closes out February with a challenging road series at Louisiana Monroe from February 27–March 1.
March is highlighted by Midwest matchups and regional rivalries. The Leathernecks will travel to Saint Louis (Mar. 3), VMI (Mar. 6–8), and Illinois (Mar. 10) before a four-game home-and-home series with Illinois State, hosting the Redbirds March 12–13 and visiting Normal March 14–15. WIU then welcomes Milwaukee on March 17, travels to Southern Indiana (Mar. 20–22), hosts Bradley (Mar. 24), and caps the month with a home OVC series against SEMO from March 27–29.
April continues conference action as the Leathernecks host Little Rock (April 2–4) and SIUE (April 17–19), while hitting the road for weekend series at Lindenwood (April 10–12) and Tennessee Tech (April 24–26). The month also features key midweek contests, including a road trip to Bradley (April 15), a matchup at Iowa (April 21), and a home meeting with Saint Louis (April 22).
Western Illinois rounds out the regular season with a May slate built around OVC competition. WIU hosts UT Martin (May 1–3) before midweek travel to Indiana State (May 5). The Leathernecks then visit Morehead State from May 8–10 before returning home for their final conference series against Eastern Illinois from May 14–16.
The postseason begins May 19–23, when the Leathernecks travel to compete in the OVC Conference Tournament, aiming to secure the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since joining the league.
The full schedule positions Western Illinois for a competitive 2026 campaign under a mix of regional challenges and high-level non-conference opportunities. Game times and promotional information will be announced at a later date.
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