pirate44
06-09-2005, 12:21 PM
By Lee Goddard Caller-Times
June 9, 2005
The venue was in place. The people here to make it happen. Now, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team will be part of perhaps the most impressive college tournament field to come to town.
Super-regional participants Rice and Arizona State and regional team TCU will join the Islanders for the Whataburger College Classic, which will be held the second weekend of March 2006 at Whataburger Field.
Putting together a college tournament at a minor-league park is old hat for Corpus Christi Hooks president J.J. Gottsch. While at Round Rock, he helped assemble a tournament that has been held every season since 2001.
"It's something we have been working on a long, long time; we just haven't been able to put the finishing touches on it until a few days ago," Gottsch said at a Wednesday press conference. "This is something we started at Round Rock. Reid (Ryan) and myself have a lot of relationships in the college game.
"We felt like here, it was the same thing. We only have 70 home games a year. We can utilize this beautiful facility for more than just one occasion and do it for the community. We just felt it was the right thing to do."
Gottsch said he wanted to make the announcement sooner, but the timing couldn't be more fortuitous with the postseason participation of the three teams, and A&M-Corpus Christi's everburgeoning hopes of getting into the Southland Conference.
"This will showcase our baseball team in a first-class facility," Islanders athletic director Dan Viola said. "I do think it would help in our bid with the Southland Conference because we will have other home games here."
Among the 2006 A&M-Corpus Christi games to be staged at Whataburger Field is the opener in February against Texas Southern.
Gottsch said ticket prices have not been set, though $5 is the likely amount for one game or, if a charge is levied per session, it will be $10. He also said the team would discuss whether Hooks' season-ticket holders would get first crack at retaining their seats for tournament games.
Arizona State is a long-standing baseball power that will be in a super regional this weekend. Rice, the 2003 national champions, will face No. 1 ranked Tulane this weekend in a super regional. TCU was eliminated in the Baylor regional.
The tournament will be spread over three days - March 10, 11 and 12 - with a roundrobin format.
June 9, 2005
The venue was in place. The people here to make it happen. Now, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi baseball team will be part of perhaps the most impressive college tournament field to come to town.
Super-regional participants Rice and Arizona State and regional team TCU will join the Islanders for the Whataburger College Classic, which will be held the second weekend of March 2006 at Whataburger Field.
Putting together a college tournament at a minor-league park is old hat for Corpus Christi Hooks president J.J. Gottsch. While at Round Rock, he helped assemble a tournament that has been held every season since 2001.
"It's something we have been working on a long, long time; we just haven't been able to put the finishing touches on it until a few days ago," Gottsch said at a Wednesday press conference. "This is something we started at Round Rock. Reid (Ryan) and myself have a lot of relationships in the college game.
"We felt like here, it was the same thing. We only have 70 home games a year. We can utilize this beautiful facility for more than just one occasion and do it for the community. We just felt it was the right thing to do."
Gottsch said he wanted to make the announcement sooner, but the timing couldn't be more fortuitous with the postseason participation of the three teams, and A&M-Corpus Christi's everburgeoning hopes of getting into the Southland Conference.
"This will showcase our baseball team in a first-class facility," Islanders athletic director Dan Viola said. "I do think it would help in our bid with the Southland Conference because we will have other home games here."
Among the 2006 A&M-Corpus Christi games to be staged at Whataburger Field is the opener in February against Texas Southern.
Gottsch said ticket prices have not been set, though $5 is the likely amount for one game or, if a charge is levied per session, it will be $10. He also said the team would discuss whether Hooks' season-ticket holders would get first crack at retaining their seats for tournament games.
Arizona State is a long-standing baseball power that will be in a super regional this weekend. Rice, the 2003 national champions, will face No. 1 ranked Tulane this weekend in a super regional. TCU was eliminated in the Baylor regional.
The tournament will be spread over three days - March 10, 11 and 12 - with a roundrobin format.