2026 Great Salt Lake Champs Grows 15%

Aug. 1, 2026

By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report

     Thirty-seven teams from 10 states and Canada converged on the Salt Lake City area in July to compete in the second annual Great Salt Lake Championships.

     Unseasonably hot days, with temperatures climbing into the high 90s, greeted them.

     Only two teams – one from Nebraska and one from Nevada – emerged as unbeaten champions in an event that featured “great teams, good competition and close scores,” Tournament Director Linda Weber said.

Linda Weber (left) presenting an Appreciation award to Caryn Bradshaw of Utah Sports Commission at the 2026 Great Salt Lake Championships.

     Overall, 12 teams earned berths to the 2027 Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Fla. Three of those teams captured titles with one-run victories.

     Entries rose about 15 percent from the tournament’s inaugural season in 2025.

Bat Attitude 70 of Utah was one of the new teams to join the 2026 Great Salt Lake Championships and they won the Men's 70+ AAA division.

     “Team registration is increasing and this tournament has the potential to grow larger, and it should as it is (played at) a beautiful complex – with two, four-field pods with 300-foot fences and lots of shade trees,” Weber said.

     The tournament drew teams from a wide range of locales, including Oklahoma, Idaho and Colorado. Utah and Colorado each boasted three champions.

Results:

     Men's 40+ Major: Defending champion Chumps of Utah (photo below) lost their first seeding game then won five games in a row, including a 20-19 thriller over third-seeded ODB of Utah in the championship game. Second-seeded Project 57 of Idaho took third in the four-team division.

      Men's 50+ AAA: Top-seeded Heroes 50s of Nebraska capped a 6-0 tournament with a 21-13 title-game triumph over second-seeded and defending champion Band of Brothers 50 of Utah. Fourth-seeded Refurbished of Utah finished third in the four-team division.

      Men's 50/55+ Platinum: This division featured a 50+ Major team, a 55+ Major team and a 55+ Major Plus team. The 55+ Major team, CO Elite (photo below), came out on top after starting as the third seed. Elite won its bracket games 24-19, 24-23 and 33-28. Top-seeded Battleborn of Nevada finished second, while defending champion Damage of Nevada took third.

     Men's 55/60+ Gold: The final three games in this seven-team bracket were decided by one run, two runs, and one run. Top-seeded Team Imperial, a 55+ AAA team from Idaho (photo below), won all three of those close games, including 21-19 and 19-18 title-game triumphs over second-seeded Jayco 60 of Idaho. Defending champion West Coast Evolution of British Columbia, Canada, captured third.

     Men's 60+ AAA: The fourth-seeded OKC Angels of Oklahoma (photo below) got on a roll in bracket play, winning their first two games by 10 and 13 runs. The final game proved more difficult, with the Angels defeating the second-seeded Idaho Mashers/ICS 14-11 for the title. Top-seeded Top Gun Fury/ Written in Red of California finished third in the five-team division.

     Men's 65/70+ Gold: The 65+ Major team Vegas Elite/ Vault (photo below) got tested multiple times while going unbeaten in six games. One of those tests occurred in the title game, where Vegas Elite/Vault edged second-seeded defending 65+ AAA champion Scrap Iron Heavy Metal of Colorado 23-22. Both teams snagged TOC berths. Third-seeded Last Call 70 of Nevada finished third in the four-team division.

     Men's 70+ AAA: Second-seeded Bat Attitude 70s of Utah (photo below) came through the elimination bracket to upend the top-seeded Utah Coyotes 30-26 and 14-11 in the title games. The third-seeded Montana Cutthroats finished third in the three-team bracket.

     Men's 70+ AA: Playing a best-of-three format, the Scrap Iron 70s Rockies of Colorado (photo below) swept East-West Aircraft Sales 70 of Idaho 17-15 and 9-6. The Rockies finished 4-1 overall.

     Men's 75+ Gold: Third-seeded Speed Limit 75, a 75+ Major team (photo below), hit a speed bump in the first title game, which it lost 23-20 to the defending AAA champion 75 Scrap Iron Diamonds of Colorado. Speed Limit then raced to a 38-18 triumph in the if-needed title game. Both teams earned TOC berths. Last Call 75 of Nevada took third in the three-team division.

     Men's 75+ AA: Also playing a best-of-three bracket, the Scrap Iron Stampede 75 of Colorado (photo below) galloped past the Silver Wolves of Utah 17-13 and 16-14. Stampede finished 4-1 overall.