University of North Carolina Athletics
Coca-Cola Classic Ticket Booklets Available Feb. 5
January 25, 2001 | Baseball
Jan. 25, 2001
MOBILE, Ala. - Tournament booklets for the 16th annual Coca-Cola Classic, featuring host South Alabama and three other NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, will go on sale Feb. 5 at the University of South Alabama (USA) Ticket Office.
The three-day, round-robin tournament will be held Feb. 16-18 at two sites and will include the Jaguars, Southeastern Conference foe Auburn, preseason ig Ten favorite Minnesota and Atlantic Coast Conference power North Carolina. The first two days of the tourney will be played at Stanky Field, and the final round at Hank Aaron Stadium, Class AA home of the Mobile ayBears (San Diego Padres affiliate).
"The BayBears are very pleased to continue to expand our great relationship with USA Baseball," said Bill Shanahan, Vice President of the Mobile ayBears. "We are proud to bring the highest quality of college baseball to Hank Aaron Stadium and look forward to seeing the Jags battle Auburn on February 18th."
Tournament booklets are $25 for reserved seating and $15 for general admission. Single session tickets are $10 for reserved seating and $6 for general admission. Children ages 6-17 and senior citizens will be charged $4. USA students and children 5-and-under will be admitted free. Fans with tournament booklets can exchange vouchers for reserved and general admission seating at Hank Aaron Stadium on the tournament's final day. A limited number of tickets for Sunday's session at Hank Aaron Stadium will go on sale at Stanky Field Feb. 17 and will be available the day of the game at Hank Aaron.
The tournament field is as strong as ever as all four teams participated in last year's NCAA Tournament. North Carolina compiled one of its better win totals in school history by earning a 46-17 record in 2000 and advancing to the NCAA regionals in Upper Montclair, N.J. Minnesota earned a 38-24 record and hosted its own regional at the Minneapolis Metrodome, but the Golden Gophers went just 1-2. Auburn racked up another 40-win season in coach Hal aird's final campaign and advanced to the Atlanta, Ga., regional where it went 1-2 and finished with a 41-20 mark. USA earned its 19th NCAA Tournament berth by winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Jags finished 2000 with a 27-33 mark, just the third losing season in 36 years.
"I think it's one of the better fields we've had," said USA coach Steve Kittrell said. "Each of the teams should be in contention for their own conference championships."
Auburn and Minnesota open the tournament on Feb. 16 at 2:30 p.m. South Alabama and North Carolina follow at 6 p.m. On Feb. 17, the Jaguars will play Minnesota at noon, followed by Auburn and North Carolina at 3:30 p.m. In Sunday's finale at the Hank, Minnesota and North Carolina will meet at 11:30 a.m. and South Alabama and Auburn at 2:30 p.m. The Jaguars have won the tournament seven times, the last in 1999. Mississippi State won last year's event. For more information, contact the USA Ticket Office at (334) 460-6047.
