With a new cooperative leadership structure for the TCL in place, Wichita Falls Roughnecks prepare for next season.

Eight short months from now, Wichita Falls Roughnecks fans will again gather at Hoskins Field and cheer wildly at the sound of two familiar words: "Play ball!"

That much became certain today when it was announced that the Texas Collegiate League, through the Haddock Foundation, has entered into an agreement to turn over control of the league to four of its member franchises. The deal puts to rest an unsettled month and half since the Roughnecks finished first in the Rogers Hornsby division this past season. But the league’s new leadership structure promises a bright future for a league that has seen 158 of its former players drafted or signed to play professional baseball.

Team leaders added that league policy and direction will be decided jointly by all member teams. One of the first orders of business for the league will be recruiting additional teams for the 2008 season. Teams will also continue to assemble their team rosters; a process that began literally hours after Coppell was crowned TCL champions seven weeks ago.

Roughnecks’ general manager Karla Miller joined Roughnecks fans in expressing relief and optimism. “We are excited that our players and fans can enjoy another great summer of college baseball and watch the Roughnecks defend their title as Hornsby division champions.” Miller said that the Roughnecks staff has spent the last month preparing for the coming season regardless of the league’s circumstances. Promotions, contests, and events are already on the drawing board for 2008.

The Roughnecks are joined by the Brazos Valley Bombers, McKinney Marshals, and Coppell Copperheads in the TCL’s new leadership structure. The teams will operate the TCL cooperatively, together establishing rules and plotting for the league’s growth. The returning teams ensure that the TCL will remain one of the premier summer collegiate leagues. TCL will return its defending champion and only team to win two TCL titles (Coppell), the circuit’s record-breaking attendance leader (Brazos Valley), a team that has reached the playoffs in all four TCL seasons and captured a championship (McKinney), and a team that wowed a new market in 2007 (Wichita Falls).

About the Wichita Falls Roughnecks
The Roughnecks are members of the Texas Collegiate League, one of the nation’s premier summer collegiate leagues. Teams like the Roughnecks bring minor league baseball-style entertainment to communities throughout the country, giving some of the best college players a chance to further their careers in wood bat leagues in front of Major League scouts. The Roughnecks 48-game season begins in early June and runs through the beginning of August, followed by the TCL playoffs and a championship series. Season tickets for the 2008 season are now on sale. More information is available by calling the Roughnecks ticket office at (940) 687-4487, or logging on to the Roughnecks’ official web site at www.roughnecksbaseball.com.