DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced on Thursday the 16 teams that will compete in the 2017 USA Baseball National High School Invitational (NHSI) presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.

The sixth annual event will take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex (NTC) in Cary, North Carolina, from March 29 - April 1, and feature top prep baseball teams and individual talents from across the country.

"As the National Governing Body for baseball in the United States, we are proud to put the spotlight on the high school game with the 2017 NHSI," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's Executive Director/CEO. "We are excited to welcome sixteen of the top high school programs to the National Training Complex for what is truly a one-of-a-kind competitive and developmental experience for these players and programs."

Three-time defending MECKA 4A Conference champion Hough High School (Cornelius, N.C.) will serve as the host of this year's tournament. The Huskies finished its 2016 season with a 22-6 record and advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA AAAA state playoffs.

Highlighting the 2017 field is defending NHSI champion Huntington Beach High School (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who defeated Chaminade College Preparatory School, 7-2, to win its first NHSI championship in 2016. Past participants American Heritage High School (Plantation, Fla.), Hamilton High School (Chandler, Ariz.), Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.) and Rocky Mountain High School (Fort Collins, Colo.) all also return to the event, vying for their first title.

Florida and California are well represented with half of the 16-team field hailing from their states. Joining Huntington Beach High School and Orange High School out of the state of California are Dana Hills High School (Dana Point, Calif.) and South Hills High School (Covina, Calif.). Archbishop McCarthy High School (Southwest Ranches, Fla.), Canterbury School (Fort Meyers, Fla.) and Merritt Island High School (Merritt Island, Fla.) join American Heritage High School as representatives from Florida.

The state of Illinois will be represented at the National High School Invitational for the first time with the selection of Brother Rice High School (Chicago, Ill.) to the tournament field.

Rounding out the 2017 NHSI tournament pool are Arlington High School (Arlington, Tenn.), Cullman High School (Cullman, Ala.), Malvern Preparatory School (Malvern, Pa.) and Winder-Barrow High School (Winder, Ga.).

"In just a few short years the National High School Invitational has established itself as the premier event of its kind in the nation," said Scott Dupree, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance. "USA Baseball has done a fantastic job creating, developing and growing the NHSI, which is now a signature event on our spring sports calendar, both in terms of fan interest and economic development. We are delighted to be on board as a host partner."

The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance was named the presenting sponsor for the event following a renewed partnership agreement with USA Baseball in August of 2016. The partnership renewal highlighted the economic impact USA Baseball has had within the Greater Raleigh area since its relocation to Cary, North Carolina in 2003 and the opening of the USA Baseball National Training Complex in partnership with the Town of Cary.

The Town of Cary recently received the National Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The award honors U.S. communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.

The NHSI is a single-elimination championship tournament, with each participating team guaranteed to play four games. The official event schedule will be announced on USABaseball.com as part of a pre-event video series beginning on February 21.

2017 National High School Invitational Participants:
American Heritage High School (Plantation, Fla.)
Archbishop McCarthy High School (Southwest Ranches, Fla.)
Arlington High School (Arlington, Tenn.)
Brother Rice High School (Chicago, Ill.)
Canterbury School (Fort Meyers, Fla.)
Cullman High School (Cullman, Ala.)
Dana Hills High School (Dana Point, Calif.)
Hamilton High School (Chandler, Ariz.)
Hough High School (Cornelius, N.C.)
Huntington Beach High School (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Malvern Preparatory School (Malvern, Pa.)
Merritt Island High School (Merritt Island, Fla.)
Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.)
Rocky Mountain High School (Fort Collins, Colo.)
South Hills High School (West Covina, Calif.)
Winder-Barrow High School (Winder, Ga.)

Contact: Brad Young - mediarelations@usabaseball.com, (919) 474-8721 x212

About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, Olympic, Premier12 and Pan Am teams (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women's National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year. The organization is responsible for the continued proliferation and health of the sport, and leads a number of amateur initiatives including PLAYBALL and Pitch Smart. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit the organization's official websites: USABaseball.com, USABaseball.Education, PLAYBALL.org, PitchSmart.org, GoldenSpikesAward.com and USABaseballShop.com.

About the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance
The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, a division of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, markets and promotes Wake County as a premier sports event destination for the purpose of economic development. The GRSA works with its community partners to generate new sports business and to support and enhance existing events.