Seven of the Eight teams have been decided for the 2009 College World Series. The last team will be confirmed tonight after the 6:00 PM game between the Texas Long Horns and the TCU Horned Frogs.
There is a nice mix of old and new teams this year for the CWS in Omaha. Stalwarts ASU, Cal State Fullerton, and LSU all made the tournament again and will be a dominant force against some fairly new teams. North Carolina and Arkansas have some experience in the history of the CWS, with the Tar Heels making their fourth consecutive trip to Rosenblatt Stadium this year. The last time the Razorbacks were in Omaha was in 2004, but they look strong enough to win the whole Series this year.
The newcomers to the group are the Virginia Cavaliers and the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. Not only do the Golden Eagles have possibly the coolest mascot name but their team is the likely choice for local fans who like to root for the underdog. The Golden Eagles have never competed in the College World Series and were not even expected to make it to Regional tournament play. After knocking off Florida in the Super Regional, Coach Corky Palmer and his boys have gained some well deserved respect from everyone. This is Palmer's last year as a coach, he will retire after the College World Series.
Although Texas is the number one seed and is highly favored to win the tournament, they have yet to secure a spot in Omaha. Cal State Fullerton, the number two seed, will look to clench their fifth championship this year. The Titans won the CWS in 2004 and have visited Omaha 16 times in the school's history. Head Coach Dave Serrano, who famously coached UC Irvine to the College World Series in a Cinderella run, is now the active coach for the Titans. He took them to the CWS a year after he started coaching for them and is looking for his first championship.
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