Northwoods League
ROCHESTER, MN (WSAU) — The Northwoods League has announced another expansion team for the 2024 season.
The Royal Oak Leprechauns will move from the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League to the NWL after receiving approval from the league’s board of governors. They will be the 4th club in Michigan, and the league’s first team in the Detroit metro area.
“For the past three seasons in Royal Oak, the Leprechaun organization has grown, and our fan base continues to expand. By joining and competing in the Northwoods League, we’ll have more games for our fans, more opportunities to partner with businesses and non-profits and create new rivalries with well-established Michigan and surrounding Midwest teams,” Sackett said.
The club has the backing of New York Yankees Catcher D.J. LeMahieu, who will serve as President of the organization.
Royal Oak is the latest established summer collegiate club to join the Northwoods League this off-season. Last month it was announced that the Badlands Big Sticks, based in Dickinson, ND, would join the league as well. They have spent the last few seasons bouncing between the Expedition League and Independence League, both of which had financial troubles.
With the addition of the Leprechauns the Great Lakes East Division now has seven teams (Traverse City, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Rockford, Kokomo, and Kenosha.) Unclear is whether the division will be balanced out with a travel-only team, or if further expansion is on the way.
For the past three seasons, the Great Plains Division has featured the travel-only Minnesota Mud Puppies. The addition of the Big Sticks gives that division an even number of teams.
RELATED: Northwoods League to Launch Summer College Softball Program
The league has also confirmed the first two softball markets for the 2024 season. La Crosse and Mankato will be part of the inaugural NWL Softball season next year, with more announcements to come.
Wausau Woodchuck’s ownership has expressed interest in joining the softball circuit as well, though Mark MacDonald has said he would like to complete renovations to Athletic Park including the installation of field turf and a new clubhouse first.
Comments