The University of Florida baseball team learned on Monday afternoon that it was awarded the eighth national seed for the 2009 NCAA Baseball Tournament that begins on Friday at McKethan Stadium. Making their 25th Regional appearance, the top-seeded Gators (39-20) will face fourth-seeded Bethune-Cookman (32-26) at 6:30 p.m. Second-seeded Miami (Fla.) (36-20) will meet third-seeded Jacksonville (36-20) earlier in the day at 1 p.m.

 

"We are very excited for the start of Regional play," second-year head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "Playing at home should be a good opportunity for our fans to come and support us. It will be a challenging field and we are looking forward to facing a talented Bethune-Cookman team on Friday."

 

The Regional continues through Sunday, with a final game to be played Monday night, if necessary. The Gainesville Regional winner will face the winner of the Atlanta Regional in a Super Regional series next weekend. The eight Super Regional winners advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

 

UF is 64-51 (.557) all-time in NCAA Tournament action and has reached the CWS five times: 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998 and 2005. The Gators are 3-0 against Bethune-Cookman in NCAA play, most recently defeating the Wildcats at the 2003 Coral Gables Regional. Florida has not encountered Jacksonville in the postseason since posting a 3-0 win at the 1991 NCAA East Regional at McKethan Stadium.

 

The Gators have faced Miami (Fla.) three times this season and suffered a three-game sweep during its second series of the campaign. The Sunshine State rivals last met in the postseason at the 2004 Coral Gables Super Regional won by the hosts in two games.

 

2009 NCAA Gainesville Regional Schedule

Friday, May 29

Game 2: 1 p.m. - No. 2 Miami (Fla.) (36-20) vs. No. 3 Jacksonville (36-20)

Game 1: 6:30 p.m. - No. 1 FLORIDA (39-20) vs. No. 4 Bethune-Cookman (32-26)

Saturday, May 30

Game 3: 1 p.m. - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

Game 4: 6:30 p.m. - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Sunday, May 31

Game 5: 1 p.m. - Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4

Game 6: 6:30 p.m. - Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5

Monday, June 1

Game 7: (if necessary) – 6:30 p.m. - Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6

 

The national top eight seeds are Texas (41-13-1), Cal State Fullerton (42-14), LSU (46-16), North Carolina (42-16), Arizona State (44-12), UC Irvine (43-13), Oklahoma (41-18) and the Gators.

 

The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference lead all conferences in the number of teams in the championship field with eight, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with seven. The Big Ten, Big West, Conference USA and Pacific-10 each have three teams each.

 

Twenty-nine of the 64 teams were not in the field last year. Binghamton (AQ), Cal Poly (at-large), Georgia State (AQ), Kansas State (at-large) and Xavier (AQ), all are making the championship for the first time. Utah last was in the field in 1960, Boston College last made it in 1967.

           

Miami (Fla.) is in the field for the 37th consecutive year, extending its own record. Florida State is making its 32nd straight appearance, second all-time. Other long consecutive streaks: Cal State Fullerton (18), Rice (15) and Oral Roberts (12).

           

Of the 288 championship eligible Division I institutions that sponsor baseball, Coastal Carolina and LSU have the most Division I wins with 46. Twenty-five other teams won at least 40 Division I contests, and all of which but New Mexico State and San Jose State, are in the field.

 

Each of the 16 NCAA Regionals features four teams, playing a double-elimination format. The Regionals are scheduled to be conducted from Friday, May 29, to Monday, June 1 (if necessary). Selection of the eight Super Regional hosts will be announced on www.ncaa.com, Monday, June 1, at approximately 11 p.m. The best two-of-three Super Regionals will be played from Friday, June 5, to Monday, June 8. The 63rd College World Series begins play Saturday, June 13, at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

 

FIELD BY CONFERENCE (30)

Big 12: 8 (Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M)

Southeastern: 8 (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi, South Carolina, Vanderbilt)

Atlantic Coast: 7 (Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Virginia)

Big Ten: 3 (Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State)

Big West: 3 (Cal Poly, UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton)

Conference USA: 3 (East Carolina, Rice, Southern Miss)

Mountain West: 3 (San Diego State, TCU, Utah)

Pacific-10: 3 (Arizona St., Oregon State, Washington State)

Colonial: 2 (George Mason, Georgia State)

Southern: 2 (Elon, Georgia Southern)

Southland: 2 (Sam Houston State, Texas State)

Sun Belt: 2 (Middle Tennessee, Western Ky.)

America East: 1 (Binghamton)

Atlantic Sun: 1 (Jacksonville)

Atlantic 10: 1 (Xavier)

Big East: 1 (Louisville)

Big South: 1 (Coastal Carolina)

Horizon: 1 (Wright State)

Ivy: 1 (Dartmouth)

Metro Atlantic: 1 (Marist)

Mid-American: 1 (Kent State)

Mid-Eastern: 1 (Bethune-Cookman)

Missouri Valley: 1 (Wichita State)

Northeast: 1 (Monmouth)

Ohio Valley: 1 (Tennessee Tech)

Patriot: 1 (Army)

Southwestern: 1 (Southern)

Summit : 1 (Oral Roberts)

West Coast: 1 (Gonzaga)

Western Athletic: 1 (Fresno State)

 

FIELD BY STATE (27)
Texas: 7 (Baylor, Rice, Sam Houston State, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas State)

California: 5 (UC Irvine, Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Fresno State, San Diego State)

Florida: 5 (Bethune-Cookman, Florida, Florida State, Jacksonville, Miami [FL])

Georgia: 4 (Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech)

Ohio: 4 (Kent State, Ohio State, Wright State, Xavier)

Kansas: 3 (Kansas, Kansas State, Wichita State)

New York: 3 (Army, Binghamton, Marist)

North Carolina: 3 (East Carolina, Elon, North Carolina)

Oklahoma: 3 (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts)

South Carolina: 3 (Clemson, Coastal Carolina, South Carolina)

Tennessee: 3 (Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, Vanderbilt)

Kentucky: 2 (Louisville, Western Kentucky)

Louisiana: 2 (LSU, Southern)

Mississippi: 2 (Mississippi, Southern Miss)

Virginia: 2 (George Mason, Virginia)

Washington: 2 (Gonzaga, Washington State)

Alabama: 1 (Alabama)

Arizona: 1 (Arizona State)

Arkansas: 1 (Arkansas)

Indiana: 1 (Indiana)

Massachusetts: 1 (Boston College)

Minnesota: 1 (Minnesota)

Missouri: 1 (Missouri)

New Hampshire: 1 (Dartmouth)

New Jersey: 1 (Monmouth)

Oregon: 1 (Oregon State)

Utah: 1 (Utah)

 

--UF--