Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images A view of the Jello Shot Room at Rocco's Pizza and Cantina before the game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field in June 2025.

OMAHA, Nebraska – West Virginia baseball fans traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, for the College World Series can support their team in more ways than just going to the games as the Mountaineers battle to advance in the 2026 championship series.

In fact, they can do it by doing something they’ll (more than likely) already be doing. Something Mountaineer fans everywhere are known for, and are pretty good at doing as well.

Rocco’s Pizza & Cantina, located just across the street from Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, is home to the College World Series Jello Shot Challenge, a fundraiser that supports food insecurity through donations toward each participating school’s student food pantries.

Pat McEvoy, manager at Rocco’s, says the origin of the Jello Shot Challenge dates back to 2011, when Charles Schwab Field was opened, and the CWS moved to its new home from the original site at Rosenblatt Stadium.

“They opened the new ball field, and the first series played there was between South Carolina and Florida,” McEvoy said. “The Florida fans were down, and they needed some rally shots, so we decided to make their own signature shot to lift their spirits a little. Well, South Carolina found out about that and then needed their own. We sent them back and forth, and it became a fun thing.”

The very next year, McEvoy says he decided to do the signature shots for all eight teams advancing to Omaha, and the tradition eventually grew into a friendly competition.

“We started tracking the numbers in 2018, and Arkansas set the original mark at 864,” he said. “We changed from traditional shots to jello shots in 2019, and with all the growth it’s had, we wanted to do something more impactful, and donating proceeds to each university for food pantries is a perfect way.”

The all-time record for amount sold by one fanbase is 68,888 by LSU in 2023.

Each jello shot is color-themed to the corresponding team. Fans can purchase one shot for $5. $1 of each shot sold goes directly to the university’s food pantry, and 50 cents goes to a local food pantry in Omaha.

Rocco’s has raised over $500,000 to address food insecurity through the Jello Shot Challenge since it began donating.

“We’ve seen some of the budgets for some of these schools triple when it comes to their food pantries through the fundraiser,” McEvoy said. “LSU sold over 68,000 one year, and we had the opportunity to go to the campus and meet the students and see what they had going on there. It’s great to be able to actually see what your philanthropy is doing with your own eyes and how you’re making a difference.”

Every year since the Jello Shot Challenge began in 2019, the team that has sold the most has won the National Championship.

History could bode well for the Mountaineers, as the ability of WVU fans to “throw them back” is legendary.

“We root for every team of course, but once we heard West Virginia had advanced to Omaha, we were pretty excited,” McEvoy said. “We know WVU will come in full force, and we are happy to have them.”