University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Recruiting Class Named Nation's Best
September 29, 2003 | Baseball
Sept. 29, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
For the first time in the 21-year history of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's annual recruiting rankings, the University of North Carolina baseball team's freshman are ranked as the nation's best. The 10-member Tar Heel class shares top billing with the 19-member class from South Carolina.
"Obviously we are all very excited," said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "We have 10 quality young men who are now in our program. I have always felt that recruiting classes should be judged three years later - not when they arrive on campus. It is always such a huge transition from high school to play at this level along with many other factors, including academics, being away from home and so on. It is not just about talent.
"But I feel good about these young men. On paper, this class is probably the best we have brought in at North Carolina since I have been with the program. But I don't want to do a disservice to the other fine players we have brought in previously. They were all very fine players as well. We truly met all our needs with this class. We signed a good catcher, third baseman, shortstop and some great pitchers. Again, time will tell how these guys adjust to this level of competition. We are thrilled to have all of them."
Headlining the class for the Tar Heels are Major League Baseball draftees pitcher Andrew Miller (third round pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays), pitcher Daniel Bard (20th round pick of the New York Yankees) and catcher Trent Kline (39th round pick of the Montreal Expos).
Also taken into consideration for the ranking was junior transfer Marshall Hubbard, who comes to Chapel Hill from William & Mary and is eligible to play this spring. He was named Player of the Year of the Coastal Plain League this summer.
Carolina was one of five Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the rankings and was joined by Georgia Tech (11th), Florida State (14th), Clemson (23rd) and Wake Forest (27th).
The Tar Heels, who went 42-23 in 2003, are coming off their first NCAA Regional victory since 1989. After winning the Starkville Regional with a win against Missouri and a pair of victories over host Mississippi State, Carolina came within two wins of a trip to the College World Series.
