FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2011
Contact:  Jake Fehling – jakefehling@usabaseball.com, (919) 474-8721 x225

USA BASEBALL TO DEBUT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL INVITATIONAL IN 2012

Premier high school event to be organized and managed in partnership with Baseball America and the Town of Cary (N.C.)

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball will debut the National High School Invitational (NHSI) in 2012, the federation announced Tuesday, bringing together the best high school programs in the country for what will serve as the premier event on the prep baseball calendar.

The 16-team tournament will be held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., from March 28-31, 2012.  Top teams from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas have been invited to participate.  Among the programs that have accepted invitations are Sarasota High School (Fla.), Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas), Parkview High School (Lilburn, Ga.) and Brookwood High School (Snellville, Ga.).  The event will be sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations and will have a team from North Carolina compete in the tournament as the host.

“The National High School Invitational promises to be a unique event that will help identify the top high school baseball team in the U.S.,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO.  “With the help of Baseball America, we are confident that the event will be representative of the nation’s top teams and talent, and beginning in 2012, we look forward to bringing this one-of-a-kind tournament to baseball fans across the country each spring.”

Long-time USA Baseball partner Baseball America is assisting in the invitation process for the event.  Baseball America provides in-depth coverage of the high school baseball scene in its bi-weekly magazine and on its website, www.BaseballAmerica.com.  The NHSI will provide it with a unique opportunity to base its Top-25 rankings on the result of an event that pits the best teams in the country against one another.

"Baseball America has covered high school baseball from a scouting and player development point of view for 30 years and has seen interest at that level continue to grow,” said John Manuel, Baseball America Co-Editor in Chief.  “We're excited to be a partner with USA Baseball in beginning a new phase for prep baseball, with a true national tournament where the name on the front of the jersey means more than the name on the back.”

The NHSI will be a single-elimination championship tournament, with each participating team guaranteed to play four games.  In addition to featuring many of the premier teams, the event will also highlight some of the elite prep talent in the U.S., as well as future prospects for the MLB First-Year Player Draft.  Teams that have already committed are excited for the unique opportunity to showcase their programs.

"It's going to be a tremendous tournament, said Clyde Metcalf, head coach at Sarasota High School (Fla.).  “The competition is going to be great.  With USA Baseball and Baseball America involved, I know it'll be top notch for our players.  The USA Baseball National Training Complex is among the best in the nation.  It's something that will benefit our players in the future from an exposure standpoint.”

"This is a great way to see what we're made of," Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas) head coach Nick Day said.  "There's no way to find out if you're the best unless you play the best."

Future team commits and more NHSI details can be found online at www.USABaseball.com.  

About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the National Governing Body of amateur baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic Team and World Cup Team (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 16U and 14U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year.  USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country.  For more information, please visit www.USABaseball.com and www.GoldenSpikesAward.com.

About Baseball America
Baseball America is a full-service media company with in-depth coverage of every level of baseball, from high school and college to the minors all the way to the major leagues.  Baseball America magazine is published 25 times a year and is also available as a Digital Edition.  BaseballAmerica.com, the company’s website, features exclusive content updated daily. Baseball America also publishes several annual reference books such as its Almanac, Directory, Prospect Handbook, and Super Register.

About the Town of Cary (N.C.)
The Town of Cary is one of six cities across the United States to be designated a Championship City by the NCAA, and it serves as the home to the NTC. The Town of Cary has hosted numerous high profile events at the NTC in recent years, such as an NCAA Regional and Super Regional for the University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill in 2008, and the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship from 2009-2013. USA Baseball's various National Team programs utilize the NTC for training as well as competition, and the federation also hosts events like the 14U and 16U Cups, and the National Team Identification Series in Cary as well.