CWS Tickets

List of CWS Teams Grows

Many of the Super Regional games were decided last night as the list of confirmed teams grew from fourto seven.  There is still one more spot available to the winner of the TCU vs. Texas game tonight at 6:00 PM Central.  Texas is heavily favored, and is the number one seed in the tournament, but the Horned Frogs dealt them a 3-2 loss last night on the Longhorn's home turf.

As we mentioned yesterday, there are some very familiar faces that we will see at this years College World Series.  CWS veterans ASU, Cal State Fullerton, and LSU will be back in Omaha this year, the three teams have won a combined 14 championships in the tournament's 62 year history.

Some newer faces will be seen this year for fans who make the trek to the famous Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.  Virginia and Southern Mississippi are both traveling the road to Omaha for the very first time.  Virginia knocked off Ole' Miss in the Super Regional tournament and look strong coming into Omaha.  Virginia's ace pitcher Matt Packer led the Cavaliers to a 5-1 victory to win the best of three series over Ole' Miss.  Virginia's head coach Brian O'Conner will feel right at home here in Omaha.  O'Conner grew up near Omaha and says he visits here once a year to see family.  I'm sure the whole O'Conner family will be happy to see him this year for a second time.

Southern Mississippi has a similarly intriguing story.  Coach Corky Palmer will retire after this season after a great run with the Golden Eagles who were not expected to make it to Regional play much less win the Regional and Super Regional.  Southern Miss knocked off a highly favored Florida Gators team who has looked shaky at best during the postseason.

North Carolina and Arkansas round out the other seven confirmed teams for the College World Series.  North Carolina has visited Rosenblatt Stadium the last three years but has yet to win a championship.  The Tar Heels were upset in 2006 and 2007 by the Oregon State Beavers who won the championship both times.  Arkansas has been building a strong program in the last few years and looks to make Omaha a regular stop for the end of their upcoming seasons.  The Razorbacks were last in Omaha in 2004.

Familiar CWS Teams Pack Their Bags for Omaha

Fans in Omaha will see familiar faces at the College World Series this year.  So far, four teams have secured spots in the eight team tournament that is set to start June 13th.  The remaining four teams will be decided tonight at Super Regionals across the country.

LSU, Cal State Fullerton, Arkansas, and North Carolina all won their Super Regionals and will make the trek to Omaha.  All four teams have made it to Omaha in the past with Cal State Fullerton making the CWS an amazing 15 times.

The action will begin in Omaha with the opening day celebration on Friday, June 12.  There will be activities for all ages including autograph signing from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM and Kid's Zone games and activities from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.  Disney channel star Mitchel Musso will perform before the opening ceremony in the southeast parking lot with the beautiful backdrop of Rosenblatt Stadium.  During the opening ceremony, fans will enjoy team introductions, a parachute team, and best of all, fireworks!  All of these activities are free to the public.

The College World Series will again be held at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.  This will be the second to last year that the series will be held there, the city of Omaha agreed to build a new stadium at the request of NCAA officials if they agreed to keep the CWS in Omaha for 25 more years.  The move to the new stadium is set for the 2011 College World Series.

CWS Day 1: Stanford, Georgia post upsets

Sunny skies greeted fans and teams as the 2008 College World Series got underway Saturday, and Stanford and Georgia pulled off upsets to highlight the first day of play at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Stanford explodes late for win

Florida State had battled back from a three-run deficit to tie the game at 5-5 going into the ninth, but Stanford exploded for a record-tying 11 runs in the ninth to send the Seminoles to the losers bracket with a 16-5 victory in Saturday's series opener.

A three-run homer by Brent Milleville highlighted the late outburst for the Cardinal (40-22-2), who moved into Monday night's winners' bracket game against Georgia. The 11-run outburst was the most since Cal State Fullerton scored 11 runs in the first inning of their 1994 CWS game against LSU. The game lasted four hours and 11 minutes, the third longest nine-inning game in CWS history.

Florida State trailed 5-2 in the eighth when Jason Stidham hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 5-5. Stanford's pitching, led by a strong starting effort from lefthander Jeremy Bleich, had kept the explosive Seminoles in check until late and held Florida State well under the 11 runs a game they have averaged during the NCAA tournament.

The loss puts the Seminoles (54-13) in a familiar position this postseason. They won four in a row to take their regional after losing the opener to Bucknell, then spotted WIchita State a game before winning two in a row to take the super regional and qualify for the CWS.

Late mistakes cost Miami

Miami has been untouchable when holding the lead in the ninth inning, but Georgia (42-23-1) found a way to come from behind to take a 7-4 win with four runs in the ninth inning.

Unfortunately for the top-seeded Hurricanes, the reason for their first blown save of the season was an untimely throwing error by relief pitcher Carlos Gutierrez, who tried to throw a runner out at first and wound up throwing wild, allowing two Georgia runs to cross the plate and break a 4-4 tie.

Bryce Massanari singled to lead off the ninth for the Bulldogs, and after pinch-runner Adam Fuller advanced on a sacrifice, Robbie O'Bryan reached on a wild third strike to give Georgia runners on the corners. Lyle Allen singled home the tying run and David Thoms followed with an infielder grounder that Gutierrez fielded and threw wildly past first.

Blake Tekotte hit a two-run homer in the third to give Miami a 3-1 advantage and withstood a Georgia rally in the seventh to hang on to a 4-3 lead going to the ninth. The Hurricanes (52-10) were 46-0 when leading going to the ninth inning, but suffered their first such setback this season to drop into the losers bracket against in-state rival Florida State.

Here's how the 2008 College World Series schedule looks so far:

Tournament Schedule

(NOTE: All times listed are Central)

Saturday, June 14
Game 1: Stanford 16, Florida State 5
Game 2: Georgia 7, Miami 4

Sunday, June 15
Game 3: Rice (47-13) vs. Fresno State (42-29), 1 p.m.
Game 4: North Carolina (51-12) vs. LSU (48-17-1), 6 p.m.

Monday, June 16
Game 5: Florida State (54-13) vs. Miami (52-10), 1 p.m.
Game 6: Stanford (40-22-2) vs. Georgia (42-23-1), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 17
Game 7: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 18
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 19
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Friday, June 20
Game 11: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 12: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10, 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 21
Game 13: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 11, 1 p.m.
Game 14: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 12, 6 p.m.

(NOTE: If only one game is played Saturday, it will be at 6 p.m.)

Championship Series

(NOTE: All start times are at 6 p.m.)

Monday, June 23
Game 1: Bracket winners

Tuesday, June 24
Game 2: Bracket winners

Wednesday, June 25
Game 3: Bracket winners (if necessary)

Order your College World Series tickets now at Ticket Express -- where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

CWS Tickets Race To Rosenblatt

The 2008 College World Series is just a few months away, and eight teams will earn a trip to Rosenblatt Stadium for a shot at a national title beginning Saturday, June 14.

Each week during the college baseball season, the CWS Tickets Race To Rosenblatt will list the eight teams who look to be the best bets to earn a trip to Rosenblatt Stadium. In our first installment, we'll highlight the eight teams that start the year as our favorites to make the trip to Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium.

1. Arizona State

The Sun Devils reached the College World Series last year and have all the ingredients to not only get back to Omaha, but win the whole thing in 2008.

The Sun Devils have three preseason All-Americans returning to the lineup, led by outstanding third baseman Brett Wallace. The junior won the Pac 10 Triple Crown in 2007, leading the conference in average (.404), homers (16) and RBIs (78). He will anchor a very strong lineup that also includes preseason All-Americans Ike Davis (.349, 8 HR, 61 RBI) at first base and catcher Petey Paramore (.379, 53 walks).

Arizona State has a very solid pitching staff with a pair of 10-game winners returning. Josh Satow (13-3, 2.76 ERA, 119 K) and Mike Leake (13-2, 3.69, 94 K) give the Sun Devils a solid 1-2 combination on the mound, and Jason Jarvis was solid in relief last year, posting 11 saves.

The Sun Devils will have a tough challenge this year, with in-state rival Arizona among the key contenders in the Pac 10 and national races. With their returning talent, though, they look to be the leaders out of the starting gate in 2008.

2. North Carolina

They've been bridesmaids the past two years, but North Carolina has all the makings of a team set to move up one spot and make a claim as national champions in 2008.

The Tar Heels have a number of standouts from last year's team back, including pitchers Adam Warren and Alex White. Warren was an outstanding 12-0 last year and won two games for the Hells at the CWS. White also was solid, going 6-4 with a 3.35 ERA. They will anchor a solid staff that has some youth, but should be stronger by season's end.

Dustin Ackley is one of the key offensive standouts returning for North Carolina, coming off an outstanding freshman campaign that saw him lead the nation with 119 hits and earn All-America honors. He batted .402 with 10 homers and 74 RBIs and will see time at first base and left field.

Junior Garrett Gore will move from second base to shortstop this year, making way for sophomore Kyle Seager, who hit .308 last year. Chad Flack will anchor the hot corner for a third straight year, and Kyle Shelton will split time with Ackley at first base when Ackley plays in the outfield.

Seth Williams and Tim Fedroff are back in the outfield for the Heels, and several younger players could also see time in the outfield for coach Mike Fox.

North Carolina will be at something of a disadvantage this spring, as their home field is undergoing renovations. They will play their home games 20 miles away at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

3. Arizona

The battle for baseball supremacy in Arizona should be interesting, as the Wildcats bring back a loaded lineup from last year that should make for an interesting season.

Almost all of the starting infield from last year is back. Third baseman Brad Glenn (.333, 10 HR, 62 RBI) and first baseman C.J. Ziegler (.355, 13 HR, 63 RBI) give Arizona a good 1-2 punch offensively, while Colt Sedbrook (.335) and Robert Abel (.264) will shore things up in the middle.

Dwight Childs returns behind the plate for the Wildcats after starting 52 of 59 games last year. In the outfield, T.J. Steele (.323, 21 SB), Jon Gaston (.319) and Diallo Fon (.300) are all back as well.

The Wildcats have a solid pitching staff returning, led by staff ace Preston Guilmet (12-2, 1.87 ERA, 146 K). The righthander allowed just 34 walks and had five complete games last year, giving the Wildcats a durable No. 1 arm. He'll be joined by Jason Stoffel (5-0, 1.87), Cory Burns, Mike Colla, Ryan Perry and lefties Daniel Schlereth (8 saves) and David Coulon.

4. Rice

One of the most successful programs of the past decade has been the Rice Owls, and they are a prime contender for a national title once again in 2008. Coach Wayne Graham is in his 17th year with the Owls, and he has a great nucleus to build around last year's team that finished in the final four at the College World Series last year.

The Owls have a great 1-2 combination on the mound with Matt Langwell (8-2, 2.35 ERA, 57 K) and Ryan Berry (11-3, 3.01, 125 K). They also have a good closer back in Cole St. Clair, who had nine saves last year and struck out 26 while holding down a 1.91 ERA.

Offensively, the Owls lost some pop from last year's bats, but still have some good wood returning, led by infielder Aaron Luna, who had a team-best 13 home runs and 66 RBIs last year. Jordan Dodson (.302) is back, as are infielders Diego Seastrunk (.304) and Jess Buenger (.306).

The Owls have some good talent that came in off the bench last year and should battle for a starting spot in 2008. Among those are Jared Gayhart, who batted .339 last year to lead all returning Rice players. Catcher Adam Zornes could step into the starting role as the Rice backstop this year.

5. Vanderbilt

The Commodores had a breakout season last year and were ranked No. 1 in the country heading into the postseason. Although they fell in super-regionals, they look to be in good shape for a national title run in 2008.

Leading the way will be senior outfielder Dominic de la Osa, one of the leading candidates for top individual honors nationally this spring. He hit .378 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs and stole 20 bases last year for Vandy, and will be the anchor of the Commodores offensively.

de la Osa will be joined by senior David Macias, a defensive specialist, in a group of six returning starters on defense. Junior shortstop Ryan Flaherty earned All-American honors last year and brings a 35-game hitting streak into the season. He'll be joined by veteran infielders Brad French at first, Alex Feinberg at second and junior Pedro Alvarez at third, another All-American who led the team with a .386 average.

Vanderbilt will have a pretty solid staff returning, led by sophomore Mike Minor. Minor is coming off a 9-1 campaign and earned Freshman All-American honors last year, and he will be joined by juniors Brett Jacobson and Nick Christiani as the leaders of the Vandy staff. They will be directed by senior catcher Shea Robin, one of the top defensive backstops in the nation.

6. South Carolina

The Gamecocks lost a heartbreaking super-regional with eventual runner-up North Carolina last year, but should have a good enough nucleus returning to make a run at getting back to the CWS in 2008.

South Carolina has some great offensive talent coming back, led by junior first baseman Justin Smoak (22 HR, 72 RBI, .315). Smoak is one of three returning players with double digit home run numbers in 2007, making the Gamecocks a serious offensive threat.

Also coming back in the big-stick department are junior infielder James Darnell (.331, 19 HR, 63 RBI) and senior catcher Phil Disher (.328, 15, 63). Six of South Carolina's full-time starters on defense are back this season.

The Gamecocks lost some good arms in the pitching department, but still have a good nucleus returning. Blake Cooper (7-2, 4.48 ERA) and Mike Cosco (6-2, 3.84, 74 K) lead a group of three starters back, and Curtis Johnson should be solid in relief after striking out 54 in 42 innings of work.

7. San Diego

The Toreros were looking like a serious contender for the CWS last year, but saw their hopes derailed when they were upset in regional play.

Coach Rich Hill should get another opportunity to make a serious run in 2008 despite losing several key players from last year. The Toreros' strength will be in its pitching, which will be anchored by preseason All-American Brian Matusz. The senior was 10-3 last year with a school-record 163 strikeouts and was a Team USA member last year.

Also coming back to the USD pitching staff is Josh Romanski, another preseason All-American. A left-handed junior, he went 9-1 with a 3.05 ERA last year and also performed well at the plate, batting .335 with 30 RBI to earn second-team All-American and first team All-West Coast Conference honors.

The Toreros have a solid third starting arm in senior Matt Couch (9-2, 3.60), and a good closer in sophomore A.J. Griffin, who had an impressive 11 saves and a 6-2 record last year as a freshman.

San Diego should be solid defensively, led by returning catcher Logan Gelbrich. The infield is led by James Meador at first base, Kevin Hansen will move from third base to second base, Victor Sanchez is a hot recruit who will step in at third and standout shortstop Sean Nicol will be a force as well.

Romanski will play outfield when he's not pitching, leading things in center. Vanderbilt transfer Ryan Davis should step in at right field, and two freshmen -- Anthony Strazzara and Zach Walters -- appear to be in the hunt in left field.

8. Ole Miss

The Rebels look to have a solid lineup in 2008, led by preseason All-American pitchers Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite.

Lynn will anchor the Ole Miss starters after an 8-5 campaign and a team-leading 2.85 earned-run average. He struck out 146 and walked just 44 last year, giving the Rebels a solid No. 1 starter. Satterwhite, meanwhile, is capable of closing things out after recording four saves last year. They are among five pitchers returning for Ole Miss this spring.

Offensively, first baseman Justin Smoak and third baseman James Darnell also earned preseason All-American honors, and they will give Ole Miss a solid effort at each corner. Smoak hit .315 with 22 homers and 72 RBIs last year for South Carolina, while Darnell led the team last year with a .331 average, hitting 19 homers and 63 RBIs.

Check back weekly throughout the season and see which teams move up and down the list. And don't forget to get your CWS tickets at Ticket Express, where no College World Series game is ever sold out.

Sun Devils lose two key hurlers

Arizona State's pitching staff was hit hard with the recent news that two key members have been declared academically ineligible.

In his Baseball America blog, Aaron Fitt said that righthanders Jason Jarvis and Devin Fuller are both out. Jarvis is lost for the season, and Fuller is out until further notice and possibly all of 2008, coach Pat Murphy said. The Sun Devils are also losing outfielder Hayden Moss to academic issues.

Jarvis was a key cog in the Sun Devils' run to the College World Series last year, setting a school freshman record with 11 saves in 2007. Fuller has a wicked fastball and a solid curveball that was also being counted on to help Arizona State in its quest for a national title.

Fitt said that Murphy may have to rely more on Ike Davis, a lefty who also plays first base and was considered ASU's "secret weapon" on the pitching staff, to shoulder more of the load in relief along with juco transfer Reyes Dorado.

CWS Tickets' Weekend Watch List

Each week, CWS Tickets will highlight some of the key college baseball matchups to watch during the 2008 season.

Here are some of the battles to keep an eye on during the opening weekend of the 2008 season as teams begin their quest for a trip to the College World Series.

Rice at Long Beach State

Two teams that are ranked in the preseason square off in a three-game set at Long Beach, Calif.

The Owls reached the CWS last year and look to be one of the early favorites to get back to Rosenblatt Stadium this summer. They have a very solid pitching staff, led by Ryan Berry, and will be one of the contenders for the national title this summer.

Long Beach is no slouch, though. They have a very solid set of arms and may be a little more solid offensively than the Owls right now. The teams play Friday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoon, so it should be a great start to the season for these two teams.

DeMarini Invitational

The only weekend invitational that features three ranked teams, this one should be a doozy with the defending national champions, their chief conference and national rivals and an SEC powerhouse all scheduled to compete at Tempe, Ariz.

Arizona State will play host to two-time defending national champion Oregon State, Vanderbilt and Miami of Ohio in this weekend round-robin event. Vanderbilt will play Oregon State on Friday and Arizona State on Saturday, and the marquee game will be the Sunday afternoon finale between the Beavers and Sun Devils.

Arizona at Georgia

This should be an interesting cross-country battle as the Wildcats head east to face a talented Georgia squad.

Arizona is top-ranked in some polls and will be led by returning All-American Preston Guilmet and should have an offensive edge.

Georgia looks to be an up-and-coming squad and could make an early statement if they can win two out of three from the visiting Wildcats.

Cal State Fullerton at TCU

New coach Dave Serrano leads a very talented Titans squad into Texas, where a young, talented Horned Frogs team awaits.

The Titans will look to senior Jeff Kaplan to get them off on the right foot, while Texas Christian's Seth Garrison will be called upon to lead the hosts.

Oklahoma at UCLA

How good are the Bruins? This weekend's opening series against an improving Oklahoma team should give an early indicator.

UCLA is something of an enigma if you look at the preseason polls. They are ranked anywhere from No. 1 to the middle of the top 25, so this weekend should give pundits an early indiciation of where the Bruins stand.

Oklahoma will go without No. 1 starter Stephen Porlier this weekend, who is having some early shoulder problems. It will be an opportunity for a young Sooners staff to step up big on the road.

Current, former Omaha mayors clash over stadium

The two men who have most recently represented Omaha as mayor are at odds over where a proposed downtown baseball stadium should be built to host the College World Series, according to a story in Monday's Omaha World-Herald.

Current mayor Mike Fahey is favoring a site where two parking lots northwest of the Qwest Center Omaha are now in use. Former mayor Hal Daub -- who was ousted by Fahey in the city's 2001 mayoral election -- wants to see property currently owned by Union Pacific located north of the parking area favored by Fahey.

Daub is a member of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority board that oversees Qwest Center Omaha, and he opposes any use of the parking lots in and around the arena for a new stadium, noting that it would limit the arena's future expansion opportunities and create traffic problems in the area.

Fahey, on the other hand, claims that acquisition of the Union Pacific property and adjacent property would add $25 million to the cost. He also said it would restrict future potential tax revenue for the city that would come from private development in that area.

In addition, Daub is calling for the stadium to be financed with general obligation bonds that require a public vote. Fahey is against such a measure, as those bonds would be paid for with property tax dollars that would require an increase in property taxes. He is pushing for a financing plan that does not require property taxes.

Daub also suggested that if a downtown stadium is built, the Rosenblatt Stadium facility could be redeveloped to aid in the expansion of Henry Doorly Zoo and a destination hotel, creating several hundred additional jobs that would boost the Omaha economy.

Fahey's committee that is looking into potential downtown sites and renovation of the current Rosenblatt Stadium facility is meeting with the Omaha City Council this week, as well as with the MECA board. It will be interesting to see how this ongoing struggle plays out and what effect it has on the future of the College World Series, which will be in Omaha through 2011.

College baseball's "free agency" to end in 2008

For years, smaller programs in college baseball have had to deal with the problem of talented players leaving for the greener pastures of the big-time college game.

Players from schools like Longwood or Winthrop have seen some of their better players skip town for opportunities to play for some of the big-name schools like Arizona State or Texas. In the past, these kids could leave at the end of one school year, transfer to another school the following fall and play for that team the next season.

Those days will soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a recent rule passed by the NCAA that treats baseball transfers the same as those who transfer from one football or basketball team to another: they have to sit out a year before they can play.

Rivals.com listed a "transfer tracker" compilation of players who left one Div. I school after the 2007 season and transferred to another Div. I program. The list includes an astonishing 149 players, and Rivals.com included a disclaimer saying "This is not a complete list of every player transferring from a Division I school" -- meaning that the list could be much longer.

Most coaches, including Rice's Wayne Graham -- who took the Owls to the College World Series last year -- have both benefitted and been bitten by this kind of free agency. And Graham is one of a number of coaches with CWS experience who are in favor of the new rule.

A number of the key teams competing for a national title this year have benefitted from the current system, as evidenced by the Rivals.com list of transfers. Texas had five players transfer from other schools this past year, the most of any Div. I program. Virginia Tech and Wright State each had four players come into their programs, and Coastal Carolina, Sam Houston State and USC each added three Div. I transfers to their rosters.

Other teams have made what could be called "key acquisitions" over the summer. Both Arizona State and Texas A&M got quality pitchers from Winthrop. Jason Franzblau (8-4, 3.13 ERA, 90 K) transfered from Winthrop to Arizona State, allowing the Sun Devils to further bolster an already-strong pitching staff. Alex Wilson also left Winthrop for Texas A&M, and when he recovers from an arm injury he will give the Aggies a good arm to help improve their young staff.

But this will be the last year players like Franzblau, Wilson and others will be able to leave without paying a price. The possibility of losing a year will likely discourage players from being as quick to seek out greener pastures and bring a little more stability to college baseball. It will also force coaches to rely more on their recruiting and development skills to bolster their programs, rather than going out and finding players to fill a need that might be looking to transfer.

Baseball America Preseason All-Americans named

Baseball America announced its 2008 Preseason All-America teams recently, and Miami dominates the first team with three selections.

Texas is the only other school with multiple selections, placing two outfielders on the first team. Arizona State and North Carolina, teams that reached the College World Series in 2007, have players nominated on the second and third teams.

The Baseball America Preseason All-America teams are as follows:

First Team

Catcher -- Buster Posey, Florida State

Corner Infield -- Yonder Alonso, Miami; Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt; Justin Smoak, South Carolina

Middle Infield -- Gordon Beckham, Georgia; Jemile Weeks, Miami

Outfield -- Jordan Danks, Texas; Dennis Raben, Miami; Kyle Russell, Texas

Utility -- Zach Putnam, Michigan

Pitchers -- Aaron Crow, Missouri; Christian Friedrich, Eastern Kentucky; Brett Hunter, Pepperdine; Brian Matusz, San Diego; Ryan Perry, Arizona

Second Team

Catcher -- Petey Paramore, Arizona State

First Base -- Allen Dykstra, Wake Forest

Second Base -- David Adams, Virginia

Third Base -- Conor Gillaspie, Wichita State

Shortstop -- Brandon Crawford, UCLA

Outfield -- Ike Davis, Arizona State; Dominic de la Osa, Vanderbilt; Roger Kieschnick, Texas Tech

Designated Hitter -- Brett Wallace, Arizona State

Utility -- Josh Romanski, San Diego

Pitchers -- Luke Burnett, Louisiana Tech; Shooter Hunt, Tulane; Lance Lynn, Ole Miss; Cody Satterwhite, Ole Miss; Jacob Thompson, Virginia

Third Team

Catcher -- Tim Federowicz, North Carolina

First Base -- David Cooper, Cal

Second Base -- Blake Stouffer, Texas A&M

Third Base -- James Darnell, South Carolina

Shortstop -- Ryan Flaherty, Vanderbilt

Outfield -- Mike Bianucci, Auburn; T.J. Steele, Arizona; Blake Tekotte, Miami

Designated Hitter -- Dustin Ackley, North Carolina

Utility -- Jordy Mercer, Oklahoma State

Pitchers -- Joshua Fields, Georgia; Preston Guilmet, Arizona; Tyson Ross, Cal; Tanner Scheppers, Fresno State; Alex White, North Carolina

Practice begins today for all D-1 teams

In previous years, there was a built-in advantage for college baseball teams playing in the warmer climates of California, Arizona, Texas, Florida and other southern states.

By the time schools in the northern half of the United States got weather a little more conducive to bats and balls, schools like Mississippi State, Florida State, Southern Cal and others were not only past the practice stage, but were already playing games.

That changed this year when the NCAA adopted a uniform starting time for practices and first games for all Div. I baseball programs. Friday, Feb. 1 is the first day teams can begin formal preseason activities in preparation for the first day of action, which will be three weeks later on Friday, Feb. 22.

Some northern schools and leagues, such as the Ivy League, are delaying the first practice for a week. But now the Arizona States, Mississippi States and Rices of the sport will now be on an even field, when it comes to preparation time, as schools like Ohio State, Nebraska and Oregon State.

The uniform start date is among some of the big changes coming down the pipe for NCAA Div. I baseball. Many of the changes concern scholarship limits and allocations, as well as academic performance within the baseball community.

Beginning next school year, baseball coaches will be required to limit their roster size to 35 players, and a 27 of those players must receive at least one-third of the 11.7 full scholarships available to baseball coaches.

Baseball coaches will be required to be more cognizant of their players' performance in the classroom as well. Baseball teams must meet and maintain minimum NCAA Academic Performance Rate (APR) standards or risk having not only their scholarship numbers, but the number of games they can schedule, reduced.

Another change coming will be one that should benefit both programs and players. Currently, a player can transfer from one school to another without penalty. This free-agent mentality will come to a halt next year, as transfers will have to sit out one full year. This rule is similar to one currently in place for football and basketball, and it is hoped this will curtail the numerous transfers that seem to take place annually within college baseball circles.

As it stands now, everybody in Div. I will be able to start dragging fields, oiling up the gloves and break out the batting cages in preparation for what should be an exciting year of college baseball. It all comes together this June when 64 teams enter the NCAA tournament with the hope of being one of the eight teams to qualify for the College World Series, set to begin Saturday, June 14 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.