Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Pat McMahon, the University of Florida baseball team will hold its first preseason practice tomorrow as preparations continue for the upcoming campaign. Batting practice will begin at 12:05 p.m. at McKethan Stadium, with the full team workout scheduled to start between 1:15-1:30 p.m.

 

The Gators will begin the 2006 regular season on Friday, Feb. 10, by hosting Cincinnati at 6:30 p.m. McMahon directed the Orange and Blue to a 48-23 record last spring and the squad's first NCAA College World Series appearance and Southeastern Conference title since 1998. Florida advanced to the CWS Championship Series and was the national runner-up for the squad's best finish in school history. He welcomes back 23 letterwinners, including seven position starters, and added 15 newcomers to complete the 45-man roster. UF will open the season ranked second by Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America (NCBWA) and third by Baseball America.

 

"All of us are excited to have our team on the field in one group," said assistant coach Tim Parenton. "With the start of the season right around the corner, the weather has been outstanding for our guys to continue developing their games individually and in our 4-on-1 workouts. Everyone has completed a solid off-season of conditioning and the players are ready to become a team again for the challenges that lie ahead."

 

2005 achievements by the University of Florida baseball team:

• Advanced to the NCAA College World Series for the first time since 1998 (fifth time overall) and became the first Southeastern Conference team to qualify for the best-of-three championship series.
• UF became the only school in the last 10 years in Division I-A to play for the national championship in football, men’s basketball and baseball. The Gators were one of only three schools to play for the national championship in football, men’s basketball and baseball in a 10-year period all-time and are the only SEC program to accomplish this task.
• Earned the program's best-ever finish nationally with a runner-up performance to Texas at the CWS and was ranked second in the four major polls: Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America (NCBWA) and Sports Weekly/ESPN.
• Completed the season with a record of 48-23, tying for the third-most victories in a campaign. UF won 40 or more games for the 17th time in school history and for the seventh time in the last 10 years. Florida has now won 30 or more games for 15-straight seasons.
• Advanced to NCAA Regional play for the 23rd time in school history and for the ninth time in the last 10 years. UF was awarded the No. 7 national seed in the 64-team field and was selected to host a Regional for the seventh time.
• UF swept through the NCAA Gainesville Regional with wins versus Stetson (8-3), North Carolina (5-2) and Notre Dame (23-3). The Regional triumph advanced Florida to the Super Regional for the second year in a row.
• Clinched its first trip to Omaha in seven years by sweeping archrival Florida State in the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional, 8-1 and 8-5. A record crowd of 5,698 fans at McKethan Stadium watched the Orange and Blue take game two.
• With a 20-10 mark in league play, UF brought home its 10th SEC regular-season crown and 18th Eastern Division title after being picked third in the East by the coaches. Seeded first, the Gators also made their SEC-leading 26th tournament appearance and reached the semifinal round in Hoover, Ala.
• Following a 6-4 decision over league foe Tennessee to begin the College World Series, the Gators knocked off No. 2 Nebraska, 7-4, in front of 26,813 spectators at Rosenblatt Stadium, the majority clad in red for the Huskers.
• The Gators went 32-11 (.744) at home in McKethan Stadium, winning 25 or more games at home for the seventh-straight season.
• The club's final 16 games were aired live on television, including the last 11 nationally on CSTV, ESPN and ESPN2.

 

2006 Preseason Honors

Bryan Ball, Sr., RHP

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC Second Team

 

Adam Davis, Jr., IF

Baseball America Preseason First-Team All-America

NCBWA Preseason First-Team All-America

RosenblattReport.com Preseason Third-Team All-America

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC First Team

 

Brian Jeroloman, Jr., C

Baseball America Preseason Second-Team All-America

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC First Team

 

Matt LaPorta, Jr., C/INF

Named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List (National College Baseball Player of the Year)

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC Hitter of the Year

Baseball America Preseason First-Team All-America

Louisville Slugger Preseason First-Team All-America

NCBWA Preseason First-Team All-America

RosenblattReport.com Preseason First-Team All-America

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC First Team

 

Brian Leclerc, Jr., OF

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC Second Team

 

Darren O'Day, Sr., RHP

Named to the Roger Clemens Award Watch List

Louisville Slugger Preseason Third-Team All-America

SEBaseball.com Preseason SEC First Team

 

--UF--