TicketsOct. 26, 2005
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CINCINNATI, Ohio---Three NCAA Tournament participants, including national runner-up Florida highlight the University of Cincinnati's 2006 baseball schedule. The Bearcats' docket also includes the program's first-ever BIG EAST Conference slate.
UC will open the 2006 season with a trip to Gainesville, Fla. to take on the Gators, who fell in the finals of the College World Series to Texas in June. The three-game series will take place Feb. 10-12.
Like the rest of the Cincinnati athletic programs, the Bearcats will also take part in their first season as members of the BIG EAST. The first conference series will feature a match-up of former Conference USA members, as South Florida visits the UC Baseball Stadium, March 31-April 2.
"We are anxious for our first trip through the BIG EAST," said Bearcat head coach Brian Cleary. "We are looking forward to facing new opponents and figuring out how to be competitive in a new league. Again this year, we have tried to take advantage of our great stadium to play as many home games as possible. We are also excited to be opening with Florida who is clearly one of the nation's elite teams."
The Bearcats' home docket is packed with games for the second straight season, as a total of 31 contests are scheduled for the UC Baseball Stadium. The home slate opens March 3-5, when Niagara, runners-up in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament last season, come to town. Other home non-conference highlights include two visits by crosstown rival Xavier (March 21, April 25) and one each by Mid-American Conference Champion and local rival Miami (May 19) and MAC West Division titlists Ball State (March 20). UC will also renew its rivalry with Dayton for the first time in two years on April 19.
The big draw of the BIG EAST home schedule is the conference's reigning regular season champions, St. John's, on the last weekend of the season, May 19-21. Other BIG EAST foes coming to Cincinnati include Rutgers (April 13-15), Georgetown (April 21-23) and West Virginia (May 12-14).
Joining Miami (Ohio) and St. John's on the list of NCAA Tournament participants is Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Champion North Carolina A&T which will host UC, Feb. 17-19. The list of opponents the Bearcats have never faced on the 2006 schedule is lengthy and includes Florida, High Point, Niagara, North Carolina A&T, and Oakland, along with BIG EAST rivals Connecticut, Georgetown, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Villanova.
Collectively, the Bearcats' 2006 opponents combined for three NCAA Tournament appearances, five conference championships and an overall record of 654-624-3 (.512).
The Bearcats will also be attempting to qualify for the BIG EAST Tournament, which takes eight of the 12 baseball-playing schools. The tournament, scheduled for May 24-28, 2006, will be played at a venue to be announced.