HORNELL, N.Y. (WETM) – For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Hornell Dodgers will be no more.

On Thursday, the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) franchise announced they will dropping the Dodgers team name, a name they’ve had since 1994. Hornell will be announcing a brand new name in the coming weeks for the 2022 NYCBL season and beyond.

The Dodgers name has been a staple in the league as the longest running team in the NYCBL. Now, Hornell is officially retiring the name. Dodgers general manager Paul Welker says that it’s the right time to move forward and create a new identity.

“In conjunction with MLB and the NYCBL we decided it was the appropriate time to move away from the Dodgers nickname and start a new era with a new nickname, ” Welker said in a release.

“This is a bittersweet moment as we have loved the Dodger nickname but we are super excited to share our new nickname that has different roots in the Hornell community.”

18 Sports will keep you updated on the new name. Hornell opens the 2022 season on June 6th when they host Olean.