Published: January 26, 2007
PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Brooklyn, N.Y. is a city rich in baseball tradition with legends
such as Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Pee Wee
Reese having roamed the diamond at historic Ebbets Field. In 2007,
the BIG EAST Conference will take its baseball tradition to
Brooklyn. The BIG EAST, in conjunction with Minor League
Baseball's Brooklyn Cyclones, announced Friday that the 2007 BIG
EAST Conference Baseball Championship will be held at KeySpan Park
in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Tuesday through Saturday, May 22-26.
KeySpan Park is home to the Brooklyn Cyclones – the Short-Season
Class A affiliate of the New York Mets.
The BIG EAST baseball membership includes 12 schools – the
University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, Georgetown
University, University of Louisville, University of Notre Dame,
University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University, St. John’s
University, Seton Hall University, University of South Florida,
Villanova University and West Virginia University. The league's top
eight teams based on regular-season finish in the conference
standings will qualify for the double-elimination event. The
tournament champion receives the league's automatic bid to the 2007
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship.
"The BIG EAST is excited to bring its baseball tradition to a
historic baseball city like Brooklyn,” BIG EAST Commissioner
Michael Tranghese said. "KeySpan Park is a beautiful and unique
baseball facility and will be a great host for our 2007 BIG EAST
Baseball Championship. We are looking forward to our association
with the Brooklyn Cyclones and with a tremendous organization like
the New York Mets.”
"The Cyclones are thrilled to host the BIG EAST Championship at
KeySpan Park," said Brooklyn Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen.
"The ballpark has been home to many of baseball's top prospects and
we look forward to continuing that tradition as the BIG EAST teams
compete for the 2007 title."
The selection of KeySpan Park in Brooklyn as the site for the
2007 BIG EAST Baseball Championship was made by the BIG EAST
Championship and Competition Committee (CCC), which is empowered by
all 16 athletic directors to take action on Olympic sport
matters.
The BIG EAST Baseball Championship was held at Commerce Bank
Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J. for six straight years between
2000-05, before moving to Bright House Networks Field in
Clearwater, Fla., last season.
For ticket information on the 2007 BIG EAST Conference Baseball
Championship, visit the official web site of the Brooklyn Cyclones
at: www.brooklyncyclones.com.
For information on the BIG EAST Conference, as well as all the
latest information on the 2007 BIG EAST Baseball Championship, go
to: www.bigeast.org.