ACC Takes Three of Top Four National Seeds in 2008 NCAA Baseball Tournament :: Miami, North Carolina and Florida State garner national seeds and serve as regional hosts.

May 26, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference led all conferences with three teams earning a national seed in the 2008 NCAA Baseball Tournament, as announced by the NCAA Committee Monday afternoon. A total of six ACC teams will be heading to the national postseason event with league champion Miami tabbed as the top overall seed. North Carolina picked up the No. 2 seed, while Florida State received the nod for No. 4.

In addition, it marked the fifth consecutive year the ACC placed six or more teams in the NCAA Tournament. The league tied with the Big 12 Conference with the same number of selections, while rounding out the top five were the Pacific-10 and Conference USA with five placements each.

Five of the six ACC teams competing in the national postseason event last year are back in 2008, with Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia battling for a spot in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Georgia Tech returns to the NCAA after missing the 2007 tournament for the first time in seven years.

On Sunday, the NCAA announced the 16 regional sites as the ACC led all conferences with four teams serving as hosts in Florida State, Miami, North Carolina and NC State beginning Friday, May 30 through Monday, June 2. Each of the 16 regionals will play a double-elimination format.

Capturing its first ACC championship crown 24 hours ago, Miami took top billing in this year's national postseason event. The No. 1 seed Hurricanes, who are participating in the NCAA for the 36th consecutive year, will host Bethune-Cookman, the Mid-Eastern Conference champion. Also playing in the Coral Gables Regional will be Missouri (Big 12) and Mississippi (SEC), which both received an at-large bid.

Hosting an NCAA Regional for the third year in a row and the fourth time in school history, the two-time national runner-up North Carolina Tar Heels will be facing Mt. St. Mary's - one of four teams this year that made their first-ever trip to NCAA. UNC will be playing in the national postseason tournament for the seventh straight year and 23rd all-time. Competing at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., will also include at-large recipient UNC Wilmington and Southern Conference champion Elon.

Florida State was selected as an NCAA host for the 26th time in school history. The Seminoles, who are making their 17th consecutive NCAA appearance and 46th all-time, will play Patriot League champion Bucknell. Rounding out the field in Tallahassee, Fla., will be at-large representatives Florida (SEC) and Tulane (Conference USA).

Two ACC teams will hit the road to begin NCAA action, while NC State remains at home to host. The Wolfpack, who takes on James Madison from the CAA in the first round, also entertains South Carolina (SEC) and Atlantic 10 champion Charlotte.

Georgia Tech landed the No. 2 seed in the Athens Regional, while Virginia picked up the No. 3 seed in the Fullerton Regional. Making their ninth NCAA appearance in the last 10 years, the Yellow Jackets remain in their home state but will travel to Athens, Ga., for a first-round meeting with Big East Champion Louisville.

Heading to the West coast, the Virginia Cavaliers take on second-seed UCLA from the Pacific-10 Conference in Fullerton, Calif. It marks the fifth straight year and eighth all-time showing for the Cavaliers in the NCAA.

Thirty-eight of the 64 teams from a year ago return to the 2008 national tournament with four teams (UC Davis, Dallas Baptist, Lipscomb and Mt. St. Mary's) making the field for the first time in the program's history.

Selection of the eight super regional hosts will be announced Monday, June 2, on www.NCAASports.com, at approximately 11 p.m. (ET).

The 62nd College World Series begins play Saturday, June 14, at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

Game times listed below are Eastern Time.

2008 NCAA Baseball Regionals
Friday-Monday, May 30-June 2, 2008

Athens Regional - Athens, Ga.
#1 Georgia (35-21-1) vs. #4 Lipscomb (32-28) - 3 p.m.
#2 Georgia Tech (39-19) vs. #3 Louisville (41-19) - 7 p.m.

Cary Regional - Cary, N.C. (USA Baseball National Training Complex)
#2 UNC Wilmington (42-15-1) vs. #3 Elon (43-16) - 2 p.m.
#1 North Carolina (46-12) vs. #4 Mt. St. Mary's (21-32) - 6 p.m.

Coral Gables Regional - Coral Gables, Fla.
#2 Missouri (38-19) vs. #3 Ole Miss (37-24) - 12 p.m.
#1 Miami (47-8) vs. #4 Bethune-Cookman (36-20) - 4 p.m.

Fullerton Regional - Fullerton, Calif.
#2 UCLA (31-25) vs. #3 Virginia (38-21) - 7 p.m.
#1 Cal St. Fullerton (37-19) vs. #4 Rider (29-26) - 11 p.m.

Raleigh Regional - at Raleigh, N.C.
#2 South Carolina (38-21) vs. #3 Charlotte (43-14) - 2 p.m.
#1 NC State (38-20) vs. #4 James Madison (38-17) - 7 p.m.

Tallahassee Regional - at Tallahassee, Fla.
#2 Florida (34-22) vs. #3 Tulane (37-20-1) - 1 p.m.
#1 Florida State (48-10) vs. Bucknell (29-22-2) - 7 p.m.

-ACC-