Jan. 26, 2012
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. - Each day, UCF head coach Terry Rooney can look out the windows of his office and see Jay Bergman Field taking new shape with massive renovations underway.
Finally, the talk of UCF's baseball program taking the next step is more than just talk. Now, there is literally and figuratively concrete proof in the expanding facility and the impressive product on the field that the Knights are moving closer to the elite level in college baseball.
The Knights, who open practice for the 2012 season on Friday, made major strides last season, reaching a NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time in six seasons. Along the way, UCF proved it could play with some of the best teams in the country last season, beating Florida (twice), Florida State, Rice (twice) and Alabama.
Now, the goal is to keep progressing so that the Knights are in the hunt to win a NCAA Regional, storm through a Super Regional and get to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Many around the country are recognizing the Knights' vast promise what with UCF being ranked No. 21 in Baseball America's preseason poll.
Rooney is preaching a mantra of "good to great,'' and he feels that the Knights have the talent and experience to make that leap this season.
"I'm pleased with the growth and I'm most excited for the guys because they deserve it. A preseason ranking is great for the program and great for the guys. You're getting deserved recognition,'' Rooney said. ``When you get ranked in the preseason Top 25, now we're to the point where we're back to being respected throughout the entire country. People know that UCF baseball is back. The past couple of years everybody has been working to try to re-establish the program to get back to the Top 25 and back in the national spotlight. By going to the regional last year and being ranked in the Top 25 now, it says that we're getting that recognition back. It shows that people understand that this program is back.''
Rooney sat down recently with UCFAthletics.com writer John Denton for a question-and-answer session to preview the season ahead.
JD: You have talked since you got here about the need to improve the facilities here at UCF to help this baseball program compete at the highest levels. How excited are you that construction of Phase I of the renovations are underway?
TR: "It's exciting for the guys and it's exciting for everybody involved with the baseball program. We've talked about it a couple of years now and to see it actually going up it's an exciting time for our program.
"The number one component for UCF Baseball to take the next step is improving our facility. There isn't a number two because that's number one. That's just the facts.''
JD: Getting to the NCAA Regional was a huge accomplishment for this program. What kind of bounce did you get in momentum for the offseason and for the season ahead?
TR: "We got a great bounce. By getting to the regional, you get the experience of being there. Now, when you tell players on a day-to-day basis this is what it takes to get there, it makes more sense to them now. Last year, we had 15 games left in the season and we sat everybody down and talked about what we needed to do to get an at-large bid and we did it. I wanted our guys to know what it took.
"Going to a regional, now they know you play 56 regular-season games and every game matters to get an at-large bid. With all of the veterans we have now there's a real understanding there. From an outside standpoint, getting to a regional, getting in the Top 25 and with the renovations we have going on with our stadium, I hope that it shows the country that UCF is back in the national spotlight and in a position to make a run to Omaha.''
JD: Your theme for this season is "good to great." What makes you think that this program is ready to make that next step and truly be great this season?
TR: "Last year what we did was good and in no way do I want to diminish what we accomplished. But now it's about taking the next step and that's the determination that this team has. In order to do something you haven't done you have to do something different. And from our standpoint it's just about everybody playing better and be consistent throughout the year. For us to become great, the experience we have is going to be huge.''
JD: After getting to a regional last year the next step in the progression would be getting to a Super Regional this season. Is that the carrot for this team?
TR: "The carrot is Omaha (for the College World Series). On a personal note, I thought it would take us two recruiting classes to get back in the Top 25 and probably three recruiting classes to have an opportunity to win a Super Regional and get to Omaha. I feel like we have that kind of team this year. Now, there are a lot of different things going into that and our focus is one day at a time on the daily process. What is great for the guys is they can see that the perception of us is that this baseball program is moving forward. We're in the Top 25, the stadium is being expanded - it's happening and it's not just talk. This is it.''
Tomorrow, Denton and Rooney preview some key position battles, returners and the challenging 2012 schedule.
To secure your tickets for all of the exciting action at the UCF baseball complex this season, call (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFAthletics.com.