UM Tabbed Fifth by Baseball America
Jan. 4, 2000
Coral Gables, FL – The defending National Champion University of Miami Hurricanes are among the preseason favorites to win the 2000 College World Series, according to Baseball America’s annual pre-season poll. The Hurricanes are ranked fifth in the poll behind Stanford, Cal State Fullerton, Alabama, and UCLA.
This is the second preseason poll to tab the Hurricanes fifth along with Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, which polls the NCAA Division I Coaches. Each of the two polls had the same top five teams. Collegiate Baseball also named senior pitcher David Gil a preseason first-team All-American, while the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association tabbed sophomore pitcher Vince Vazquez a third-team All-American.
The Hurricanes, under the direction of 1999 National Coach of the Year Jim Morris, return five position starters from last season’s College World Series championship team and 18 letterwinners overall. In 1999, UM recorded a 50-13 overall record while marching through the postseason with a perfect 9-0 record. The season culminated with No. 1-seeded Miami’s 6-5 victory over No. 2 Florida State for the national title at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE.
Miami begins defense of its 1999 crown on Wednesday, Jan. 26 against Lynn University at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium. Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season ticket information. Miami will hold its preseason “First Pitch” Banquet, with keynote speaker Roy Firestone, on Thursday, Jan. 20 at the Biscayne Bay Marriott. For reservations to the “First Pitch” Banquet, call the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6699. In addition to the preseason festivities, UM will host its annual Alumni Baseball Game on Friday, Jan. 20 at Mark Light at 7 p.m.
Baseball America’s NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll(As of Jan. 3, 2000)
No. School (’99 Record) 1999Rnk1. Stanford (50-15) 32. Cal State Fullerton (50-14) 63. Alabama (53-16) 44. UCLA (31-31) NR5. MIAMI (50-13) 16. Houston (40-24) 247. Florida State (57-14) 28. Louisiana State (41-24) 169. Georgia Tech (38-20) NR10. Baylor (50-15) 811. Southern California (36-26) 1012. Auburn (46-19) 1313. Wichita State (59-14) 1414. Rice (59-15) 515. Texas (36-26) NR16. Tulane (48-17) 1517. Loyola Marymount (33-28) NR18. Florida (31-25) NR19. Arizona (33-23) NR20. Notre Dame (43-18) NR21. Wake Forest (46-16) 1122. Arizona State (39-21) NR23. Central Florida (38-21) NR24. Clemson (42-27) 1725. South Carolina (35-23) NR
