Wilson: UBC to have Canadian College Baseball Conference team in 2026

Photo: CCBC

*This article originally appeared on Alberta Dugout Stories on November 5, 2025. You can read it here.

November 5, 2025

By Ian Wilson

Alberta Dugout Stories

The Canadian College Baseball Conference is adding a ninth team to the league for the 2026 season.

The CCBC made the announcement on Nov. 1 that the University of British Columbia (UBC) is joining the circuit.

“We are excited to bring another fantastic athletic and academic opportunity to the Canadian College Baseball Conference,” said CCBC President Kevin Kvame in a press release.

“The CCBC continues to grow and strengthen with some of the best academic opportunities in the country, coupled with competitive collegiate baseball programs. These programs provide a viable option for athletes to continue to progress with baseball and pursue their academic endeavours in Canada.”

The expansion was approved by the CCBC board of governors and the new team will have a roster of UBC student athletes and officially be called the “University Baseball Club.”

Barrhead native Devery Van De Keere will be the head coach of the Vancouver-based program and his coaching staff will include Lichel Hirakawa-Kao, Shawn Schaefer, Lucciano Letteri, Eric Hegadoren and Ty Penner.

“What excites me most about this coaching opportunity is the chance to help athletes compete at a high level while pursuing an exceptional education. Our players are driven — both academically and athletically — and being part of their journey is rewarding,” said Van De Keere, a Kansas City Royals draft pick who has been with the UBC Thunderbirds program since 2020.

“I’m also thrilled that the athletic department has approved a second baseball team here at UBC. Having coached this group for the past three years, I know the potential within the program, and joining the CCBC brings an entirely new level of competition and professionalism. Personally, I’m motivated by the opportunity to work with true high-performance athletes and to help them continue growing in all aspects of the game.”

The UBC Thunderbirds also have a collegiate baseball team that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Added Van De Keere: “Giving back to the game of baseball in Western Canada is both an honour and a responsibility. My entire baseball journey has been shaped by coaches and mentors who believed in me and gave their time to help me grow. Their commitment to giving back allowed me to stay connected to the greatest game in the world, and I love doing the same. Sharing my experience and knowledge with the next generation of players is incredibly meaningful — I take that responsibility seriously and genuinely love it.”

Van De Keere was a corner infielder who played collegiately at Phoenix College and with the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He suited up as a professional in the Pioneer League with the Idaho Falls Chukars in 2007 and 2008.

In addition to the expansion news, some other changes are also in store for the CCBC this coming season.

The number of games for each team on the conference schedule is increasing from 32 to 36 games. To allow for the expansion of the schedule, the Canadian College World Series has been pushed back a weekend. It will take place at Spitz Stadium in Lethbridge from May 22-25.

The CCBC is also moving to a playoff format that will see six teams participate in the World Series championship tournament. Three squads will be eliminated following the regular season. In previous years, all eight teams qualified for the postseason.

“There are some big changes for the conference for 2026 and beyond,” said Kvame.

“With the expanded schedule, extra week of conference play, and now eliminating teams after the regular season, the board of governors is excited to see the CCBC continue to be a very competitive conference. We are trying to provide the best college baseball experience whilst managing geographical, weather and financial challenges in Canada.”

UBC brings the total number of CCBC clubs in British Columbia to six. Other teams in Canada’s westernmost province include the University of Fraser Valley, Okanagan College, Thompson Rivers University, Victoria Collegiate and Vancouver Island University.

The Okanagan College Coyotes are the defending Canadian College World Series champs.

Alberta has three teams in the league: the University of Calgary, Prairie Baseball Academy and Edmonton Collegiate.

The CCBC 2026 regular season gets underway on March 20 with action in B.C. in Kelowna, Vancouver, Abbotsford and Kamloops.