@CanesBaseball Opens Season Friday Against Rutgers
| SERIES INFORMATION | |
| Friday: | February 19 | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday: | February 20 | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday: | February 21 | 12 p.m. |
| Site: | Mark Light Field |
| Tickets: | $8 – General Admission |
| Series Notes | 2015 Season Stats | |
| THE BROADCAST | |
| TV: | ESPN3: G1 | G2 | G3 |
| Flagship Radio: | 560 WQAM (Sunday Only) |
| Student Radio: | WVUM 90.5 FM (all games) |
| Live Stats: | HurricaneSports.com |
| PROJECTED STARTERS | ||
| Game | Miami | Rutgers |
| Friday: | LHP Thomas Woodrey | LHP Howie Brey |
| Saturday: | LHP Michael Mediavilla | RHP Kyle Driscoll |
| Sunday: | LHP Danny Garcia | RHP John O’Reilly |
PLAY BALL!
• The Miami Hurricanes open their 2016 season Friday night against visiting Rutgers at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field at 7 p.m.
• Miami has welcomed Rutgers to open its season six of the last seven years dating to 2009. Miami has a 17-2 advantage across those six weekend series against the Scarlet Knights, and is riding an 11-game winning streak over Rutgers heading into Friday.
• The Hurricanes swept a four-game series against Rutgers to open the 2015 season; the two teams played a Saturday doubleheader.
• Miami has not lost on Opening Day since falling 6-5 to Mercer in 2007; Jim Morris has a 19-3 record on Opening Day in his 22 seasons as head coach at Miami.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
• Miami was ranked in the top 10 in preseason polls from nearly every major college baseball outlet, including a No. 4 ranking from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and a No. 6 ranking from Baseball America, D1Baseball.com, NCBWA and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• The Hurricanes, who have won back-to-back ACC Coastal Division titles, were projected to once again win the division in 2016 in a preseason poll of ACC head coaches.
• Junior catcher Zack Collins was a unanimous Preseason All- America selection, and was one of 50 players named to the initial Watch List by USA Baseball for the 2016 Golden Spikes Award.
• Miami’s preseason ranking of No. 4 from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper is its highest from the publication since 2005; its No. 6 ranking from Baseball America is its highest from BA since 2007.
DESTINATION: OMAHA
• Miami made its return to the College World Series in 2015, marking the program’s first trip to Omaha, Neb., since 2008. Miami’s 24 College World Series trips are the second-most of any program in the country.
• The Hurricanes have won 48 games in the College World Series, the fourth-most of any program nationwide; Miami’s four national championships (1982, 1985, 1999, 2001) rank fifth-most.
• Since the NCAA began award national seeds prior to the 1999 season, Miami has been among the top eight six seasons: 1999 (#1), 2001 (#2), 2003 (#8), 2004 (#3), 2008 (#1) and 2015 (#5).
• Of the 41 teams that have been awarded national seeds since 1999, Miami is one of just 12 programs to have earned the distinction five or more seasons.
LOOKING FOR A THREE-PEAT
• Miami won its second straight ACC Coastal Division title in 2015, posting a 22-8 record in ACC play to earn the division crown.
• The Hurricanes, who were picked to win the ACC Coastal Division once again in 2016, have won 46 ACC games over the past two seasons – the second-best two-year stretch by any program since ACC expanded to a 30-game conference schedule prior to 2005.
• Miami has won the ACC Regular Season Championship twice, most recently in 2014 when the Canes finished 24-6; the Hurricanes won the ACC regular season crown & ACC Tournament in 2008.
• Miami received 13 out of a possible 14 first-place ACC Coastal votes in the coaches poll.
