1 Kentucky Wildcats
Lexington, Kentucky
At-large bid from SEC
2017 record: 19-11, 39-20 (second in SEC East)
Head coach: Nick Mingione (Embry-Riddle, 2000)
Record at school: 39-20 (1 year)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Jim Belanger, Roland Fanning, Todd Guilliams
Team offense: .317 BA, 438 R, 66 HR, .495 SLG%, .418 OBP%, 59-91 SB
Team pitching: 3.65 ERA, 515.2 IP, 438 H, 185 BB, 528 K
Top hitters: Tristan Pompey (.369/9/40), Evan White (.366/8/38/23 2B), Zach Reks (.356/3/42/14-17 SB), Riley Mahan (.325/14/56/22 2B), Kole Cottam (.315/6/38), Troy Squires (.310/1/26)
Top pitchers: Logan Salow (2-6, 1.72, 10 SV, 47 IP, 32 H, 9 BB, 64 K), Justin Lewis (6-3, 3.28, 85 IP, 69 H, 21 BB, 67 K), Zack Thompson (7-2, 3.34, 1 SV, 64.2 IP, 41 H, 35 BB, 83 K), Sean Hjelle (9-3, 3.87, 93 IP, 84 H, 28 BB, 91 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2014 (2-2 at Louisville Regional)
Notes: UK is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and is hosting for the second time. The Wildcats first hosted in 2006. UK was 27-5 at home this season. Sean Hjelle was named SEC Pitcher of the Year. Head coach Nick Mingione was an assistant at Mississippi State for the previous eight seasons.
2 Indiana Hoosiers
Bloomington, Indiana
At-large bid from the Big Ten
2017 record: 14-9-1, 33-22-2 (sixth in Big Ten)
Head coach: Chris Lemonis (The Citadel, 1992)
Record at school: 100-70-2 (3 years)
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Kyle Bunn, Kyle Cheesebrough, Matt Reida
Team offense: .266 BA, 319 R, 67 HR, .430 SLG%, .347 OBP%, 55-76 SB
Team pitching: 4.48 ERA, 512 IP, 559 H, 152 BB, 385 K
Top hitters: Matt Lloyd (.317/11/46), Tony Butler (.304/3/29), Matt Gorski (.289/4/21), Logan Sowers (.274/9/35), Luke Miller (.270/10/37), Alex Krupa (.270/5/16), Craig Dedelow (.256/17/50)
Top pitchers: Cal Krueger (5-1, 2.35, 57.1 IP, 52 H, 18 BB, 36 K), Matt Lloyd (3-1, 9 SV, 2.51, 28.2 IP, 23 H, 5 BB, 18 K), Cameron Beauchamp (1-2, 3.43, 21 IP, 23 H, 19 BB, 13 K), Pauly Milto (6-3, 3.75, 72 IP, 73 H, 20 BB, 56 K), Tim Herrin (3-3, 3.78, 52.1 IP, 61 H, 21 BB, 37 K), Jonathan Stiever (3-4, 4.61, 68.1 IP, 78 H, 6 BB, 53 K)
Last NCAA appearance: 2015 (1-2 at Nashville Regional)
Notes: Indiana returns to the tourney for the second time in three years and fifth time since 2008 – the most of any current Big Ten team over that span. The Hoosiers have some pop, with four hitters with nine or more homers, led by Craig Dedelow – 30 of his 58 hits went for extra bases. Matt Lloyd is a dual threat, leading the Hoosiers with a .583 slugging percentage and contributing nine saves and nearly 30 innings on the mound. Hoosiers coach Chris Lemonis played college ball with Louisville coach Dan McDonnell at The Citadel.
3 North Carolina State Wolfpack
Raleigh, North Carolina
At-large bid from ACC
2017 record: 16-14 ACC, 34-23
Head coach: Elliott Avent (Virginia Commonwealth, 1983)
Record at school: 789-489 (21 years)
Overall record: 1013-702 (28 years)
Assistant coaches: Chris Hart, Scott Foxhall, Taylor Black
Team offense: .277 BA, 346 R, 58 HR, .444 SLG%, .356 OBP%, 33-46 SB
Team pitching: 4.01 ERA, 505 IP, 470 H, 249 BB, 447 K
Top hitters: Brad Debo (.342/4/41), Josh McLain (.320/5/30), Will Wilson (.299/7/45), Joe Dunand (.284/16/47)
Top pitchers: Johnny Piedmonte (7-0, 1.87 ERA, 57.2 IP, 43 H, 16 BB, 40 K), Brian Brown (4-2, 3.38 ERA, 61.1 IP, 58 H, 31 BB, 58K), Austin Staley (2-3, 3.63 ERA, 44.2 IP, 44 H, 21 BB, 43 K), Sean Adler (5-6, 3 Sv 3.73 ERA, 70 IP, 60 H, 22 BB, 64 K)
Last NCAA Appearance: 2016 (3-2 in Raleigh Regional)
Notes: The Wolfpack were 20-20 overall after being swept in a three-game set at Boston College scoring 4 runs in the series but since then have gone 14-3 to make their 16th NCAA appearance under Avent. NC State’s lone 2nd-team All-ACC selection shortstop Joe Dunand was the only Pack player with double digit homeruns and his 16 ranks 5th in the ACC. NCSU’s lineup was buoyed by two freshmen who were named to the all-ACC freshman team including leading hitter Debo & second baseman Will Wilson. State’s offense ranked 10th of 14 teams in runs scored and on-base percentage. After combining to allow 1 earned run in 9.1 innings of long relief vs UNC and BC in mid-April, Piedmonte moved into the weekend rotation going 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA since. Also, Adler moved from the weekend rotation at the same time picking up 2 saves in a crucial series vs Clemson and a 1.74 ERA in that time. The Wolfpack feature a deep bullpen with 14 pitchers making double digit appearances led by Joe O’Donnell (4-0, 7 SV, 3.83 ERA, 42.1 IP) and has gone a perfect 32-0 when leading after 7 innings.
4 Ohio Bobcats
Athens, Ohio
Automatic bid – won Mid-American Conference Tournament
2017 record: 13-11 MAC, 31-26
Head coach: Rob Smith (Indiana, 1998)
Record at school: 115-155 (5 years)
Overall record: same
Assistant coaches: Craig Moore, CJ Wamsley, Bryan Faulds
Team offense: .277 BA, 326 R, 47 HR, .400 SLG%, .358 OBP%, 36-48 SB
Team pitching: 4.33 ERA, 522 IP, 524 H, 240 BB, 477 K
Top hitters: Spencer Ibarra (.328/12/38), Connor Callery (.312/1/22), Michael Klein (.304/8/37), Rudy Rott (.299.11/50), Ty Black (.268/4/28), Tyler Finkler (.240/5/32/18-20 SB)
Top pitchers: Jake Roehn (4-4, 2.34, 15 SV, 42.1 IP, 39 H, 13 BB, 48 K), Tom Colletti (4-3, 3.43, 60.1 IP, 40 H, 23 BB, 55 K), Michael Klein (5-3, 3.48, 67.1 IP, 67 H, 31 BB, 58 K), Gerry Salisbury (4-3, 4.36, 88.2 IP, 86 H, 34 BB, 71 K)
Last NCAA Appearance: 2015 (0-2 at Champaign Regional)
Notes: OU is making its 16th NCAA Tournament appearance and second in past three years. The Bobcats won the MAC Tournament title as the No. 5 seed. It was their third MAC crown and second in past three years. OU enters the NCAA tourney having won nine of its past 10 contests. The Bobcats are ranked 12th in the nation with a fielding percentage of .980. Senior Tyler Finkler was named 2017 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, the first Bobcat to earn the honor.