The Central Illinois Collegiate League announced Monday that it will change its name to the Prospect League and will expand from five to 11 teams in 2009. The league will now stretch from Missouri to Pennsylvania.

The existing franchises (Danville, Dubois County, Dupage, Quincy and Springfield) will play in the West Division along with an expansion franchise based in Hannibal, Mo. The East Division will be composed of five expansion teams, based in Chillicothe, Ohio; Richmond, Ind.; Lorain, Ohio; Butler, Pa.; and Slippery Rock, Pa.

Similar to the MINK League’s expansion last month, which looked like a threat to the future of the Jayhawk League, the Prospect League’s expansion looks like a move into Great Lakes League territory. The Great Lakes League has 11 teams, all located in Ohio and Indiana. It will be interesting to see if the two leagues can co-exist in the same geographic footprint.

This is a bold move for the CICL, which was formed in 1963 and has plenty of tradition. Two years ago, the league actually scaled back its membership, eliminating teams in Galesburg, Ill., and Normal, Ill. But since then, the league has worked to put itself in position for a major expansion.

"The Prospect League’s mission is to create and maintain the best collegiate wooden bat summer league in the country," commissioner Frank Pergolizzi said in a statement. "Our ownership groups are committed to providing players a positive experience, quality instruction, and a high level of competition while offering our communities first-class, affordable family entertainment."