The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers and Atrium Health Ballpark are proud to announce the release of the 2026 Collegiate Series schedule of games to be played throughout the month of March.
Three Division I games, a Division II game and the annual D3 Showcase made up of nine games make up the slate of action for fans to enjoy as a kickoff to baseball season.
Following the D3 Showcase, the Charlotte 49ers kick off the schedule of Division I games with a game against the Virginia Cavaliers on Wednesday, March 4 with a scheduled 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Charlotte earned a variety of preseason All-Conference selections, including having INF Dawson Bryce named as Preseason Player of the Year. Last season, the 49ers, led by head coach Robert Woodard, put up an impressive 36-22 record. Virginia, led by head coach Chris Pollard, entered 2025 as the number 4 ranked team in the nation, seeking to avenge a first-round exit in the ACC Tournament with their upcoming 2026 season.
Later that week, on Saturday, March 7, the Davidson Wildcats return to Towel City for their annual game in Kannapolis, hosting the Lehigh Mountain Hawks for 2:00 p.m. first pitch matchup. Davidson faced a tough opponent in their game last season at Atrium Health Ballpark, falling, 13-0, in seven innings to the NC State Wolfpack. The Wildcats, led by head coach Rucker Taylor, have never played Lehigh in a ballpark other than Davidson. On the other side, the Mountain Hawks, captained by head coach Sean Leary, pay their first visit to Kannapolis on the heels of a season that finished with a tough three-game stretch in tournament play against the top team from the Patriot League, the Holy Cross Crusaders.
Queens travels up the road to Charlotte for the third consecutive season to play in the city of Kannapolis, still searching for their first victory. The Royals play a perennial powerhouse in Notre Dame on Tuesday, March 10 for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch game. Queens, who is led by third-year head coach Jake Hendrick, has fallen in games against West Virginia, Appalachian State and East Carolina in Kannapolis. Notre Dame, led by head coach Shawn Stiffler take their first trip from South Bend after a season that saw the Fighting Irish finish with a 32-21 record.
Wrapping up the slate of college matchups in Kannapolis is the lone Division II matchup of the schedule. The Catawba Indians make the short trek down the road from Salisbury to host the visiting Francis Marion Patriots on Tuesday, March 24, with a scheduled 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Catawba, who went 46-14 last season under head coach Jim Gantt, won the SAC championship with an impressive stretch of wins, making it to the NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional, where they fell to foe Lenoir-Rhyne in three games. Francis Marion, who makes their first appearance at Atrium Health Ballpark, put up an impressive 40-13 record last season under head coach Jeff Jefferson, was selected as a co-leader in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Preseason Poll alongside North Greenville University.
Baseball returns to Kannapolis February 20-22 at Atrium Health Ballpark with the annual D3 Showcase. Admission is free for all guests, with concessions available throughout the three-day event. The complete 2026 D3 Showcase schedule is listed below:
Friday, February 20:
12:00 p.m. - Washington & Lee University vs. Piedmont University
2:30 p.m. – Susquehanna University vs. Pfeiffer University
5:00 p.m. – Swarthmore College vs. Berry College
Saturday, February 21:
12:00 p.m. – Piedmont University vs. Susquehanna University
2:30 p.m. – Berry College vs. Washington & Lee University
5:00 p.m. – Pfeiffer University vs. Swarthmore College
Sunday, February 22:
10:00 a.m. – Swarthmore College vs. Washington & Lee University
1:30 p.m. – Berry College vs. Susquehanna University
4:00 p.m. – Pfeiffer University vs. Piedmont University
Tickets for all 2026 Collegiate Series matchups at Atrium Health Ballpark are on sale NOW at kcballers.com and at the F&M Bank Box Office located right outside of Gate 1 at Atrium Health Ballpark. Tickets start at just $10, with Cannon Ballers season ticket holders receiving complimentary tickets to each collegiate game hosted at Atrium Health Ballpark this spring.
The 2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers season is right around the corner! Single-game tickets for the 2026 season will be announced soon. Season ticket packages, group experiences and 10-game mini plans are available for purchase now. Call the Cannon Ballers ticket office at (704) 932-3267 or visitkcballers.com for more information.