Four Hurricanes Nominated for CWS Legends Team
March 11, 2010
`INDIANAPOLIS – University of Miami head coach Jim Morris and former Hurricanes Pat Burrell, Danny Matienzo and Alex Cora have been nominated for potential selection to the CWS Legends Team, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday.
With the 2010 Men’s College World Series to be the last played in Omaha’s Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, the NCAA is asking fans to help select a CWS Legends Team that will represent student-athletes and coaches who had the best CWS performances in the 60 years the event has been held at the stadium.
The team will include two student-athletes per fielding position, four pitchers, two designated hitters, three head coaches and two “utility players”. The utility players will be determined by fan voting and represent those student-athletes deserving of recognition who may not have been selected by fans, media and coaches at a particular position.
Morris, who has won two College World Series titles at Miami (1999 and 2001) and led the `Canes to Omaha in 11 of his 16 seasons at UM, headlines Miami’s group of nominees. Burrell (1996-98) has been nominated as a third baseman, Matienzo (2001) as a designated hitter and Cora (1994-96) as a shortstop. All three players earned All-CWS honors during their careers, including Cora – who earned the distinction on two occasions – and Burrell, who was named tournament MVP in 2006.
Fans can vote on who they think should be selected as members of the CWS Legends Team on the NCAA website at www.ncaa.com/cws. Representatives from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and all NCAA Division I head baseball coaches will be encouraged to vote as well. The NCAA will take all voting into consideration prior to making its announcement on the final CWS Legends Team roster.
Voting for the CWS Legends Team begins Thursday, March 11, and will run until Noon on Friday, April 16.
The CWS Legends Team members will be invited to attend the final College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium and will be formally honored during the CWS Opening Ceremonies at the stadium on Friday, June 18.
