- Home Plate Umpire to Wear Camera, DollyCam in Booth
- Kevin Costner Narrates Vignettes; Music from Kevin Costner & Modern West Featured
- Field Analyst Jessica Mendoza to Use Tablet Telestrator
- On-Screen Wind Meter Graphic
- ESPN3 Surround for Every Game
- 2014 Champion Vanderbilt and Finalist Virginia Lead Field of Familiar Powerhouses
- Many Top 2015 MLB Draftees on Rosters, Including No. 1 and No. 2 Overall
ESPN’s 36th consecutive College World Series Presented by Capital One from Omaha, Neb. – capping its third straight year of complete NCAA Division I Baseball Championship coverage of all possible 153 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network and ESPN3 – will begin Saturday, June 13. ESPN’s 13th year of televising every College World Series game will include up to 17 telecasts on ESPN or ESPN2, concluding with the June 22-24 best-of-three College World Series Finals. Every game will also be available on WatchESPN.
Former Stanford pitcher, and two-time College World Series participant, Kyle Peterson will share analyst responsibilities with Aaron Boone, who will work his second College World Series. Karl Ravech and Jon Sciambi will call play-by-play. Softball Olympic Gold (2004) and Silver (2008) Medalist Jessica Mendoza will serve as a field analyst and reporter. Kaylee Hartung will provide reports from the field.
This year’s telecasts will include multiple new elements to showcase the action from multiple angles, provide new analysis opportunities, highlight the history and atmosphere of the event, and more:
- UmpCam: For the first time in the College World Series, ESPN will use a high definition camera affixed
to the mask of the home plate umpire to provide fans with a field-level view of the game from the umpire’s perspective. UmpCam will be used as both a live camera and for replays. The only previous use of UmpCam was with a non-high definition camera during an ESPN Sunday Night Baseball matchup on May 26, 2002. - Kevin Costner & Modern West: ESPN will incorporate the music of Kevin Costner & Modern West, including the newly released “Stand Strong” and “Turn It On” from the 2010 album of the same name. The music will be used as part of highlight packages, transitions in and out of commercial breaks, and in other ways. ESPN will also create video montages of game and scenic highlights with footage of the band performing in concert for the coverage.
- Costner Narrates Essays: In addition to music from his band, the telecasts will feature “Sense of the Place Essays” voiced by Costner.
- Windy?: Telecasts will introduce a wind meter graphic to the on-screen scoreboard bug to demonstrate how wind speed and direction could potentially play a role in how far a ball travels in TD Ameritrade Park.
- DollyCam: The new in-booth DollyCam, a camera positioned on a small dolly, will enhance the live demonstrations Peterson and Boone provide from the booth during telecasts.
- Up and Down: In addition to contributing from the field, Mendoza will join Ravech and Peterson to provide analysis from the announcer booth in the press box for a telecast.
- ESPN3 Surround: For the first time, ESPN will offer an “ESPN3 Surround” presentation of every College World Series game. Used on the College World Series Finals last year, ESPN3 Surround provides an alternative viewing experience to the traditional telecast through different camera angles and audio.
- K Zone: For a fifth straight year, ESPN will use the Sports Emmy Award-winning K Zone technology. K Zone identifies the speed and location of a pitch in replays as well as tracks the path of the ball from the pitcher’s hand through the strike zone and numerically sequences pitches thrown.
ESPNU
ESPNU will provide postgame coverage every night throughout the event at 11 p.m. (or at the conclusion of the final game each night). ESPNU will also offer a 30-minute pregame show each night of the best-of-three College World Series Finals at 7:30 p.m.
SEC Network
ESPN.com
ESPN.com reporter Mitch Sherman will provide daily previews, features and video interviews from Omaha. The site will also provide live scoring updates, photos, videos and more from Omaha.
NCAA College World Series Presented by Capital One
This year’s College World Series will include four national seeds (No. 2 LSU, No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Miami (Fla.) and No. 7 TCU) as well as defending national champion Vanderbilt and its 2014 Finals opponent Virginia.
Highlights:
Surveying the Field
- Six of the first round picks in the recent Major League Baseball Draft, and all four Golden Spikes Award finalists, will play in the College World Series: Vanderbilt
shortstop Dansby Swanson (first overall, Golden Spikes finalist); LSU shortstop Alex Bregman (second, Golden Spikes finalist); Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi (seventh and Golden Spikes finalist); Vanderbilt pitcher Carson Fulmer (eighth and Golden Spikes finalist); Florida shortstop Richie Martin (20th): and Vanderbilt pitcher Walker Buehler (24th). - Vanderbilt’s Dansby Swanson will be the first No. 1 overall pick to play in the College World Series since Pat Burrell did so with the Miami Hurricanes in 1998. It will also be the first time the top two overall selections will participate in the event.
- A SEC team that finished fifth or lower in the conference will play in the College World Series for the third straight season. Arkansas will represent the conference this year with the previous two – Vanderbilt in 2014 and Mississippi State in 2013 – reached the College World Series Finals.
- The field includes an SEC team for the 23rd consecutive event and one from the ACC for the 10th.
Opening Matchups
Virginia vs. Arkansas
- Virginia and Arkansas are the only two participants that were not a No. 1 seed in their Regional round.
- Virginia, playing in its fourth College World Series ever and second straight, reached the College World Series Finals to play Vanderbilt last season.
- Arkansas will make its eighth College World Series appearance in school history and first since 2012.
Miami (Fla.) vs Florida
- Florida advanced to the College World Series for the ninth time in school history and fourth time in eight seasons under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
- Miami reached the College World Series for the first time since 2008 and 24th in program history.
- 2015 SEC Champion Florida is on a nine-game winning streak and has put up a 16-3 record in the last 19 games this season.
TCU vs. LSU
- TCU will make its second straight trip to Omaha and third in program history.
- LSU, playing in its 17th College World Series, is looking to win its seventh title.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Vanderbilt
- Defending national champion Vanderbilt will play in the program’s third College World Series with the first coming in 2011.
- Cal State Fullerton reached the College World Series for the first time since 2009 and its 17th time in 41 years at the Division I level.
- Vanderbilt’s roster features three first-round draft picks: shortstop Dansby Swanson (first overall) and pitchers Carson Fulmer (eighth) and Walker Buehler (24th).
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Matchups / Commentators | Networks |
| Sat, June 13 | 3 p.m. | 1 | Virginia vs. ArkansasJon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN |
| 8 p.m. | 2 | Miami (Fla.) vs. FloridaKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN | |
| Sun, June 14 | 3 p.m. | 3 | TCU vs. LSUJon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN |
| 8 p.m. | 4 | Cal State Fullerton vs. VanderbiltKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN2 | |
| Mon, June 15 | 3 p.m. | 5 | Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2Jon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN2 |
| 8 p.m. | 6 | Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2Karl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN2 | |
| Tue, June 16 | 3 p.m. | 7 | Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4Jon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN2 |
| 8 p.m. | 8 | Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4Karl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN | |
| Wed, June 17 | 8 p.m. | 9 | Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6Karl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN |
| Thu, June 18 | 8 p.m. | 10 | Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8Karl Ravech, Kyle Peterson & Jessica Mendoza | ESPN |
| Fri, June 19 | 3 p.m. | 11 | Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 6Jon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN2 |
| 8 p.m. | 12 | Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8Karl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN | |
| Sat, June 20 | 3 p.m. | 13 | If necessaryJon Sciambi, Aaron Boone, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN ** |
| 8 p.m. | 14 | If necessaryKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Jessica Mendoza | ESPN ** | |
| Mon, June 22 | 8 p.m. | 1 | CWS FinalsKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Aaron Boone, Jessica Mendoza, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN |
| Tue, June 23 | 8 p.m. | 2 | CWS FinalsKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Aaron Boone, Jessica Mendoza, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN |
| Wed, June 24 | 8 p.m. | 3 * | CWS FinalsKarl Ravech, Kyle Peterson, Aaron Boone, Jessica Mendoza, Kaylee Hartung | ESPN |
* If necessary
** If only one if necessary game, it will air at 8 p.m. on ESPN
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