Sixteen teams announced for 2014 NHSI
Wednesday, January 01, 2014, 7pm
DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced today the 16 teams that will compete in the third annual USA Baseball National High School Invitational, March 26-29 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The premier event on the high school baseball calendar again features some of the top teams and individual talents from across the nation. Baseball America, the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the Town of Cary are partnering with USA Baseball in hosting and presenting the event.
"We are excited to continue to host the National High School Invitational," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's executive director/CEO. "The quality of competition in the first two years of the event has made this the premier event on the high school baseball calendar, and with the inclusion of some of the best programs in the country, and some of the game's top draft-eligible high school players, this year's NHSI will continue the tradition of excellent competition that has been established."
For a second consecutive year, T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, N.C., will serve as the host high school of the event. In 2013, T.C. Roberson posted a 2-2 record during the NHSI, en route to winning the North Carolina 4A Mountain Athletic Conference and finishing third in the state tournament after a loss to the eventual state champions.
Also returning from the 2013 National High School Invitational are Milton High School (Milton, Ga.) and Venice High School (Venice, Fla.). Both teams won state championships last year, with Venice finishing ranked No. 2 nationally in the final Baseball America rankings.
Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.) and Parkview High School (Lilburn, Ga.) are returning to the NHSI in 2014 after competing in the inaugural event in 2012. That year, Parkview went on to win the Georgia state championship and was crowned the Baseball America national champion at season's end.
Joining the five schools with NHSI experience are 11 schools with top-tier talent from across seven different states. Aliso Niguel High School (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) and Clovis High School (Clovis, Calif.) join Orange Lutheran from the Golden State; Bishop Verot High school (Fort Myers, Fla.), Coral Springs Christian Academy (Coral Springs, Fla.) and The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) represent the Sunshine State along with Venice High.
The state of Colorado sends two top programs to the event: 2013 Colorado 5A state champion ThunderRidge High School (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), and Regis Jesuit High School (Aurora, Colo.).
Dyer County High School (Newbern, Tenn,), Gainesville High School (Gainesville, Ga.), Huntsville High School (Huntsville, Ala.) and Mountain Pointe High School (Phoenix, Ariz.) round out the field for the event.
"Once again, Rick Riccobono, Paul Seiler and the crew at USA Baseball have outdone themselves with the 2014 NHSI field," said John Manuel, editor-in-chief at Baseball America. "The most vital amateur baseball organization in America continues to find ways to keep the grass roots of the game strong and has secured a diverse, talented field for the best high school tournament in the nation. We're privileged to be partners in the event and look forward to covering every square inch of it."
The field will include four members from the IBAF World Cup champion, 2013 18U National Team. Adam Haseley (The First Academy), Mac Marshall (Parkview), Michael Rivera (Venice) and Cole Tucker (Mountain Pointe) won gold in Taichung, Taiwan, last September.
The NHSI will be a single-elimination championship tournament, with each participating team guaranteed to play four games. An event schedule will be announced as part of an eight-week video series, beginning on Jan. 9, detailing the first-round matchups with analysis from USA Baseball's panel of baseball experts.
The 2014 National High School Invitational will be the first high school event in the nation where every on-field coach will have completed the "Coaching Baseball" course from the National Federation of State High School Association and USA Baseball.
"Having the nation's best high school programs setting the standard in education for all coaches across the country says a lot about their character and speaks volumes of their commitment to the athletes," said Rick Riccobono, USA Baseball's senior director of development.
For more information on the 2014 National High School Invitational, coaches education and general USA Baseball information, please visit USABaseball.com.