The tournament was divided into four regional brackets, Region A, Region B, Region C and Region D, with each region consisting of two teams playing a best-of-three-game series. The winner of each bracket advanced to the College World Series. This was the first and only year of this format.[2]
Field
As in previous years, each representative of the eight districts were determined by a mix of selection committees, conference champions, and district playoffs.[2]
Following financial losses in Kalamazoo, Michigan the previous year, the NCAA moved the tournament to Wichita for the 1949 edition. This would be the only year in Wichita, as the 1950 edition would take place in Omaha, Nebraska, as it has been every year since and will be through 2036.[2]