What Is 2013 Big Ten Baseball Tournament

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2013 Big Ten Baseball Tournament was held from May 22 to May 26, 2013, at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Indiana defeating Nebraska 3–1 in the final to claim their first conference tournament title.

Key Facts

Tournament dates: May 22–26, 2013
Champion: Indiana University
Runner-up: University of Nebraska
Venue: Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Indiana won their first Big Ten tournament title

Overview

The 2013 Big Ten Baseball Tournament marked a significant moment in conference baseball history, serving as the postseason championship to determine the Big Ten's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Held for the first time at a neutral site—Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins—the event brought together the top six teams from the regular season standings based on conference winning percentage.

This tournament format emphasized competitive balance and exposure, leveraging a neutral, professional ballpark to elevate the profile of collegiate baseball. The shift to Target Field was part of a broader effort by the Big Ten to increase visibility and fan engagement, drawing over 30,000 attendees across the five-day event. Below are key details about the structure and outcomes of the 2013 tournament.

Format: The tournament featured a six-team, double-elimination bracket, with teams seeded 1 through 6 based on regular-season conference records.
Participating teams: Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Michigan earned berths based on their Big Ten standings.
Championship game: Indiana defeated Nebraska 3–1 on May 26, 2013, securing their first-ever Big Ten Baseball Tournament title.
Venue significance: Target Field hosted the event for the first time, marking the first time the tournament was held at a Major League Baseball stadium.
Attendance: Total attendance reached 30,654, with over 11,000 fans attending the final day, setting a single-day record for the event.

How It Works

The Big Ten Baseball Tournament follows a structured postseason format designed to reward regular-season performance while allowing for dramatic, single-elimination-style drama in a double-elimination setup. Seeding is determined strictly by conference winning percentage, with tiebreakers applied as needed. Below are key components that defined the 2013 edition.

Seeding: Teams were seeded 1 to 6 based on conference records; Indiana earned the top seed with a 18–7 Big Ten record.
Double elimination: A team must lose twice to be eliminated, increasing opportunities for comebacks and extended runs.
Game scheduling: The tournament spanned five days, with multiple games played daily to accommodate the bracket format.
Neutral site: For the first time, the event was held at Target Field in Minneapolis, enhancing exposure and fan access.
NCAA bid: The tournament champion received the Big Ten’s automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament.
Individual awards: Indiana’s Sam Travis was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player after batting .478 with two home runs.

Comparison at a Glance

How the 2013 tournament compared to previous and subsequent editions in terms of format, location, and performance:

Category	2013 Tournament	Prior Year (2012)	Subsequent Year (2014)
Champion	Indiana	Michigan	Nebraska
Runner-up	Nebraska	Ohio State	Minnesota
Location	Target Field, Minneapolis	Les Miller Field, Chicago	Target Field, Minneapolis
Format	6-team double elimination	6-team double elimination	6-team double elimination
Total Attendance	30,654	17,342	27,451

The move to Target Field in 2013 significantly boosted attendance and media coverage compared to the 2012 event held in Chicago. The professional setting provided better facilities and greater accessibility, contributing to a 77% increase in total attendance. This model proved successful enough that the Big Ten continued using Target Field through 2014 and beyond, cementing a new standard for conference tournaments.

Why It Matters

The 2013 Big Ten Baseball Tournament had lasting implications for collegiate baseball in the conference, both competitively and in terms of visibility. It demonstrated the value of neutral-site events in growing fan interest and elevating the sport’s profile within a football-dominated conference.

Historic win: Indiana claimed its first-ever Big Ten tournament title, marking a milestone for the program.
NCAA success: As tournament champions, Indiana earned an automatic bid and advanced to the Lubbock Regional in the NCAA tournament.
Exposure boost: Hosting at Target Field brought national attention and higher TV viewership via the Big Ten Network.
Recruiting impact: Success in 2013 helped Indiana attract higher-ranked recruits in subsequent years.
Conference growth: The event signaled the Big Ten’s commitment to investing in baseball as a premier sport.
Attendance trend: The 30,654 total set a benchmark, encouraging future neutral-site hosting decisions.

Overall, the 2013 tournament served as a turning point, blending competitive excitement with strategic branding, and helping reshape how the Big Ten approaches its baseball postseason.