Sunday, May 28, 2023

Clemson, Coastal, USC all awarded regionals

Clemson, Conway and South Carolina all were awarded one of 16 regional host positions Sunday by the NCAA.

That means the Palmetto State will have the most regionals of any state. Alabama and Florida have two apiece, while Arkansas, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia had one apiece. There are eight hosts from the SEC and four from the ACC.

The eight top seeds - who automatically will host super regionals if they survive regional play - will be announced on Monday, along with the rest of the tournament field.

Clemson (43-17) and Coastal Carolina (39-19) were generally considered certain to be regional hosts, while a late-season slide - fueled at least in part by injuries - by South Carolina (39-19)  after a blistering start  put the Gamecocks' hosting prospects in question.

Each regional will be a four-team double-elimination event. Eight super regionals the following weekend will pair two regional winners in a best-of-three playoff to determine the eight entrants in the College World Series in Omaha later in June.

Joining USC as hosts from the SEC are Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU and Vanderbilt. Miami, Virginia and Wake Foster join Clemson as hosts from the ACC. In addition to Coastal Carolina, Indiana State, Oklahoma State and Stanford complete the hosts.

Clemson will be making its 45th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and will be serving as a regional host for the 17th time. The Tigers' last home regional was in 2018.

Coastal Carolina is making its 19th trip to the NCAA and is serving as a host for the fourth time.  Coastal's last home regional was in 2018.  The Chanticleers won the national championship in 2016.

South Carolina is going to the tournament for the 34th time and serving as a host for the 19th time. Carolina was host for a regional in 2021 as a No. 2 seed, while Old Dominion was the top seed but did not have facilities to host. The Gamecocks won back-to-back CWS titles in 2010 and 2011, and have finished second four times.

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