League History:
The Texas Collegiate League (TCL) launched its inaugural season in the summer of 2004, featuring eight teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Co-founded by Wayne Poage, former athletic director at Dallas Baptist University, and a company led by Gerald W. Haddock, former General Counsel of the Texas Rangers, TCL quickly established itself as a premier collegiate summer baseball league.
In 2007, the league faced challenges when seven of the original nine teams considered boycotting TCL. Despite this, TCL persisted, taking legal action against the dissenting teams and emerging stronger in 2008 with a reorganized structure.
The 2008 season saw TCL setting new attendance records, with the Brazos Valley Bombers ranking among the top 50 attendance lists for all summer collegiate teams.
Over the years, TCL expanded its reach to include teams from regions such as the Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana, and Greater Houston. While some franchises departed, others, like the McKinney Marshals (now Texas Marshals), continued to thrive under new names.
TCL remains committed to providing competitive collegiate baseball and engaging fan experiences, as evidenced by the addition of the Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators for the 2024 season, further solidifying its position as a pillar of sporting excellence in the Lone Star State.