January 23, 2009
From USABaseball.com

Cary, N.C. to host Division II finals

Mount Olive will serve as host at the NTC 

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. -- The Town of Cary, N.C. will be the site and Mount Olive College will be the host school for the National Finals of the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship, it was announced by the NCAA. This year's National Finals take place May 23-30. Mount Olive won the 2008 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship.

The National Finals will take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Western Cary. The Town of Cary was selected as the home of USA Baseball in 2002. The complex served as the home field for University of North Carolina during the 2008 season.

"We're honored that the NCAA has chosen one of our premier facilities for the National Finals, and we look forward to working with Mount Olive College to make the event a success," said Cary's Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. "Cary's selection is a testament to the Town's dedication to making Cary one of America's top host communities for collegiate athletics. It also makes a statement about our venues and facilities, which the NCAA has recognized as some of the finest in the nation."

Cary is one of six cities nationwide that has been a "Championship City" by the NCAA. Cary joins Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind.; St. Louis, Mo.; San Antonio, Texas; and San Diego, Calif. Cary has hosted numerous NCAA national championships, most recently the 2008 Division I Women's Soccer College Cup in December.

"We're very excited to be partnering with the Town of Cary to host the NCAA Division II baseball championship for the next two years," said Mount Olive College Director of Athletics Jeff Eisen. "This is a great opportunity to maintain the high level of visibility that Mount Olive College and our baseball program achieved from winning last year's baseball championship, while being supportive of Division II's goal of providing quality championship experiences for its student-athletes."

Mount Olive becomes the first member of Conference Carolinas to be the host school for the National Finals of an NCAA Championship. Mount Olive has played host to the NCAA Division II Baseball South Atlantic Regional in each of the last two years. The 2007 regional took place in Kinston, N.C., while last year's regional was held at Scarborough Field on the campus of Mount Olive College.

After a runner-up finish in the 2007 regional, Mount Olive won last year's regional and made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Baseball National Finals. The Trojans won all four games for the first national championship in school history in any sport. Mount Olive posted a 58-6 record last season and is ranked No. 1 in the 2009 ABCA Division II Baseball Preseason National Poll.

Cary becomes the sixth city to host the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, dating back to 1968. Springfield, Mo., hosted the first four national championships, followed by an eight-year run in Springfield, Ill, and five years in Riverside, Calif. The national championship moved to Montgomery, Ala., in 1985 and stayed there through 2007. Mount Olive won its national title in Sauget, Ill., just east of St. Louis, Mo.

The NCAA II Baseball Championship is a 48-team tournament, comprised of six teams in eight regions. The eight regional winners will advance to the National Finals.