ESPN PLATFORMS TO BROADCAST INAUGURAL 'PUERTO RICO CHALLENGE,' A NEW COLLEGE BASEBALL SERIES FOR ELITE DIVISION I TEAMS

UConn, Michigan, Missouri, Penn State, Rice, Stetson, Villanova, and UVA will Play in Ponce and Caguas Stadiums, February 14 - 17, 2025.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, January 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For the first time in Puerto Rico’s history, this February the cities of Ponce and Caguas will welcome eight elite Division I collegiate baseball teams to play in the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge. Produced by JoGi Sports and MB Sports, the Puerto Rico Challenge is set to become one of the most anticipated early-season events in college baseball. The games will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms, with additional local coverage provided by WIPR, Puerto Rico’s Public Broadcasting Corporation.

Teams participating in this history-making series are the University of Connecticut, the University of Michigan, the University of Missouri, Penn State, Rice University, Stetson University, Villanova University, and the University of Virginia.

The series will be played in two professional-quality stadiums on tournament fields that are annually approved and inspected by the MLB Commissioner’s Office. Both fields will be equipped with TrackMan services for use by participating teams, and Rawlings has been selected as the official baseball.

In Ponce, games will be played at Francisco 'Paquito' Montaner Stadium, the home field for the Puerto Rico Winter Baseball League’s Leones de Ponce. This 8,000-seat stadium features newly installed artificial turf and will host several exciting matchups during the Puerto Rico Challenge. In Caguas, teams will play at Yldefonso Solá Morales Stadium. The home field for the Puerto Rico Winter Baseball League’s Criollos de Caguas, this 10,000-seat stadium recently underwent a complete renovation, including replacing artificial turf with natural grass, making it an ideal venue for collegiate baseball.

The Schedule of the Puerto Rico Challenge is as follows:

PONCE: FRANCISCO MONTANER STADIUM

Friday, February 14 / 2 PM: Virginia vs Michigan
Friday, February 14 / 8 PM: Villanova vs Rice
Saturday, February 15 / 2 PM: Rice vs Michigan
Saturday, February 15 / 8 PM: Villanova vs Virginia
Sunday, February 16 / 11 AM: Michigan vs Villanova
Sunday, February 16 / 5 PM: Rice vs Virginia

CAGUAS: YLDEFONSO SOLÁ MORALES STADIUM
Friday, February 14 / 11 AM: UConn vs Stetson
Friday, February 14 / 5 PM: Missouri vs Penn State
Saturday, February 15 / 11 AM: Stetson vs Penn State
Saturday, February 15 / 5 PM: UConn vs Missouri
Sunday, February 16 / 2 PM: Missouri vs Stetson
Sunday, February 16 / 8 PM: Penn State vs UConn
Monday, February 17 / 10 AM: Michigan vs Stetson

The Puerto Rico Challenge aims equally to underscore to the island’s young athletes that attending a US college is a legitimate option for them. On February 13th, veteran MLB player, coach, and ESPN Baseball Analyst Eduardo Pérez will moderate “The Process”, a seminar for local student-athletes and their parents in which he and a stand-out group of speakers from professional baseball and academia will discuss the exceptional opportunities colleges/universities can offer academically and through baseball.

Eduardo Perez, Edwin Rodríguez, Carlos Baerga (MLB: 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame), along with José Carballo (The University of Missouri, Director of Recruiting and Operations), Wanda Piñiero (Fordham Preparatory School, Teacher and Former Director of Diversity), Ernies Alemais (643 Recruit, Founder), and RJ Hopwood (Fordham Preparatory School, College Recruiting Director) will address the mindset and requirements of the recruiting process, as well as the kinds of academic and professional opportunities that can be developed through a college education.

Ponce and Caguas are ideal locations for the Puerto Rico Challenge. Featuring a climate perfect for year-round baseball, both cities are also home to an array of upscale hotels, dining attractions, and cultural experiences, and are accustomed to hosting large-scale events. Unlike other Caribbean destinations, no passport is required to travel from the US to Puerto Rico. No currency exchange is needed as Puerto Rico’s only currency is the US dollar. And, US cell phones require no international upgrades or special plans.

The Puerto Rico Challenge is owned and operated by JoGi Sports and MB Sports, sports marketing leaders committed to delivering world-class experiences for cities, teams, players, and fans. Headquartered in New York and Puerto Rico, their team of seasoned executives is deeply committed to baseball and to delivering exceptional experiences for their partner cities, teams, players, fans, sponsors, broadcasters, hospitality companies, and others.

For sponsorship inquiries or more information about the Puerto Rico Challenge, please visit www.PRBaseballChallenge.com or email info@jogisports.com.

Susan Mallory
Mission1 Public Relations
+1 551-404-3963
Susan@Mission1PR.com
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