The 2012 College World Series field is set and two Cinderellas are heading to the dance. The defending champions (South Carolina) also found their way back to Omaha. Two of the participants in this year’s CWS are making their first ever appearance and are from “mid-major” conferences. The top three national seeds are heading to Omaha.
The College World Series is split into two brackets (Bracket One & Bracket Two) and play will begin on Friday. Each bracket uses a double elimination format with the winners of each brackets will meet in the best of three Championship Series starting on Sunday June 24.
(1) Florida Gators (47-18)
Conference: SEC
Head Coach: Kevin O’Sullivan
NCAA tournament bid: At Large
CWS appearance: 8th (Last: 2011)
How they got here: Won Gainesville Regional and Super Regional
(2) UCLA Bruins (47-14)
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: John Savage
NCAA tournament bid: Automatic Bid (Pac-12 conference champion)
CWS appearance: 4th (Last: 2010)
How they got here: Won Los Angeles Regional and Super Regional
(3) Florida State Seminoles (48-15)
Conference: ACC
Head Coach: Mike Martin
NCAA tournament bid: At Large
CWS appearance: 21st (Last: 2010)
How they got here: Won Tallahassee Regional and Super Regional
(8) South Carolina Gamecocks (45-17)
Conference: SEC
Head Coach: Ray Tanner
NCAA tournament bid: At Large
CWS appearance: 11th (Last: 2011 – Won the National Championship)
How they got here: Won Columbia Regional and Super Regional
Arizona Wildcats (43-17)
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Andy Lopez
NCAA tournament bid: At Large
CWS appearance: 16th (Last: 2004)
How they got here: Won Tucson Regional and Super Regional
Arkansas Razorbacks (44-20)
Conference: SEC
Head Coach: Dave van Horn
NCAA tournament bid: At Large
CWS appearance: 7th
How they got here: Won Houston Regional and Waco Super Regional
Kent State Golden Flashes (46-18)
Conference: MAC
Head Coach: Scott Stricklin
NCAA tournament bid: Automatic Bid (MAC tournament champions)
CWS appearance: 1st
How they got here: Won Gary Regional and Eugene Super Regional
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Stony Brook Seawolves (52-13)
Conference: America East
Head Coach: Matt Senk
NCAA tournament bid: Automatic Bid (America East tournament champions)
CWS appearance: 1st
How they got here: Won Coral Gables Regional and Baton Rouge Super Regional
Opening Matchups:
BRACKET 1: Stony Brook vs #2 UCLA
Friday June 15 – 5pm EST ESPN2
Stony Brook’s improbable run to Omaha goes through the number two team in the tournament. The Seawolves’ offense has been their strength all year long and continued through the first two rounds of the tournament. UCLA’s strong pitching depth has carried them all year, but it’s the Bruins offense that has outscored their opponents in the tournament 33-9 in five postseason games. PREDICTION: UCLA
BRACKET 1: Arizona vs #3 Florida State
Friday June 15 – 9pm EST ESPN2
Both schools have been top 25 teams for a majority of the season. Florida State head coach Mike Martin is brigning the Seminoles to their 15th trip to Omaha but has yet to bring home a National Championship. Florida State has two runner-up finishes under Martin (1986 & 1999). Arizona has the second most appearances at the College World Series behind FSU but has won the championship only three times (1976, 1980 & 1986). PREDICTION: Florida State
BRACKET 2: Kent State vs Arkansas
Saturday June 16 – 5pm EST ESPN
Can Kent State handle the pressure of being on the big stage? Kent State has defeated some quality teams such as Purdue, Kentucky and Oregon on their way to Omaha. The Golden Flashes have two 11 game winners on their pitching staff. Arkansas has been through a grueling SEC schedule and have been tested. The Razorbacks had high expectations this season and have had their ups and downs (including a four game losing streak). PREDICTION: Kent State
BRACKET 2: #8 South Carolina vs #1 Florida
Saturday June 16 – 9pm EST ESPN
No easy road back to the Championship Series as defending champs, South Carolina, will meet fellow SEC foe, Florida in the opening round. The two SEC schools met three times this season (including in the SEC tournament) with Florida winning three of the four meetings. PREDICTION: Florida
2012 College World Series Facts
- Number of Schools by conference: SEC (3), Pac-12 (2), ACC (1), America East (1), & MAC (1).
- South Carolina becomes the first team since the ’96, ’97, ’98 LSU to return to Omaha with a chance to defend their back-to-back Championships.
- This is the 20th consecutive year that the SEC has fielded at least one team in the College World Series.
- First time since 2006 that one conference had three teams in one bracket (ACC – Clemson, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina)
- Stony Brook is the second team since 1999 to be seeded fourth in a regional and advance to the College World Series (Fresno State won 2008 CWS).
- Florida is making a third consecutive appearance in the College World Series for the first time in team history. Fellow 2012 CWS participants Florida State (’94,’95,’96 & ’98,99,’00), Arizona (’58,’59,’60) and South Carolina (’02,’03,’04 & ’10,’11,’12) have all made three consecutive appearances.
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