June 15, 2012

College World Series Capsules

College World Series Schedule

College World Series Notes

CWS First-time Appearances

NCAA Interactive Bracket

Florida Favored by Coaches

By Phil Stanton and Sean Ryan

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founders

OMAHA, Neb. – When the last pitch is thrown at TD Ameritrade Park at the College World Series, college baseball coaches believe Florida will walk away with its first national title. Yet, underdogs Stony Brook and Kent State also will be in the mix.

In a survey of 66 Division I coaches – 22 percent of the coaches around the country – the Gators received 25 votes (38 percent) when asked which of the eight teams in Omaha would win the national championship. In-state rival Florida State, which is trying to become the first ACC team since Wake Forest in 1955 to win the national title, was second with 11 votes (17 percent).

Rounding out the list were: Arizona (8), Stony Brook (7), two-time defending champion South Carolina (6), UCLA (6) and Kent State (3).

Arkansas was the only team not to receive a vote.

Coaches from 30 of the 31 conferences and one independent school participated.

(photo by Craig Jackson, LeftfieldLounge.com, @leftfieldlounge)