The Florida State baseball team got the national seed that it was hoping it had earned. Florida and Miami, however, will be going far from home to play in regionals. And Florida Atlantic is in the postseason after winning the Sun Belt for the first time.
The NCAA Selection Committee released its field of 64 on Monday afternoon, and it selected four Sunshine State teams. But it also has set up the possibility that, should they both win their regionals, Florida State and Florida would face off in a Super Regional for the right to go to the College World Series.
Florida State will host a regional for the 30th time and is playing in regional for the 34th straight season (every year that Mike Martin has been coach). The Seminoles (44-15) open against Savannah State on Friday in a four-team regional that also includes Alabama and Troy.
After closing the season by going 0-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, there was some doubt that Florida State would earn a top-8 seed -- which ensures that they would also host a Super Regional should they advance past this weekend.
"There is no way that I can say that I was confident that we would be a top-8 seed," Martin said. "There is no question in my mind that the major emphasis should be on what you accomplish through the first 56 games."
Miami (36-23) will play in the postseason for a 41st straight season, tying the longest in NCAA history regardless of sport (along with Johns Hopkins lacrosse).
The Hurricanes will be a No. 2 seed in the Louisville (Ky.) Regional and open against Oklahoma State (39-17). Louisville will play Bowling Green in the other game.
“Death, Taxes, and #UBaseball in the postseason -- 41 straight! #LouisvilleBound,” @CanesBaseball posted on its Twitter feed Monday afternoon.
Florida (29-28) had one of the toughest schedules in the nation in 2013, and the NCAA Selection Committee rewarded the Gators with a No. 3 seed despite a record that was just a game over .500.
But the Gators will have a long trip ahead of themselves. Florida will play in the Bloomington (Ind.) Regional, opening on Friday against Austin Peay (45-13). Big Ten champion Indiana plays Valparaiso in the other regional opener.
Florida Atlantic, which won its first Sun Belt title on Sunday, will play in the Chapel Hill (N.C.) Regional. The Owls (39-20) are a No. 2 seed and open the regional against Towson on Friday. North Carolina, the nation's top overall seed, will host Canisius in the other Friday game.
