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North Carolina’s Mike Fox Wins His 1,000th Game

(With the end of the year fast approaching, we’re counting down some of the top moments from the 2009 college baseball season (in no particular order).  We’ll have one a day through New Year’s Eve.)

Fox has become a fixture on the CWS podium.

It’s not like Mike Fox is the first college baseball coach to reach a milestone.  In fact, when Fox’s Tar Heels beat Gardner-Webb 10-3 on March 4th in Chapel Hill he became the 51st head coach in NCAA history to reach the 1,000 win milstone.  But Fox’s recent succes at UNC that got him to 1K is impressive.

That win over Gardner-Webb was #8 of what turned out to be a 48-win season and a fourth straight trip to the College World Series.  Fox’s overall record now stands at 1,040-347-5, including a 500-208-1 record in 11 seasons in Chapel Hill.

Think about that for a minute.  He has averaged 45 wins a year since taking over at his alma mater (he’s also one of just six men to play in and then coach his team at the CWS).  Do you know how hard it is to win even 40 games a year in college baseball?

The ACC has sent at least two teams to Omaha in three of the four years Fox and his Tar Heels have gone to the CWS, and in 2008 UNC, Miami (FL), and Florida State all made it.   How about the fact that in this decade ACC teams Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia, and Fox’s Tar Heels have all made it to Omaha at least once, while UVA is the only team on that list without multiple CWS trips in that span.  (And that’s only because the Cavs didn’t get good until Brian O’Connor showed-up in 2004.)

Carolina has made 10 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and Fox’s 213 wins over the last four seasons is second to none in college baseball.

Fox had 28 former Tar Heels on MLB rosters in 2009 including:  Daniel Bard (Boston), Andrew Miller (Florida) and Chris Ianetta (Colorado), and guys like Dustin Ackley and Alex White are likely to suit-up in a big league uni soon.

Like any coach Fox would be the first to tell you it’s the players who make it happen, and he’s had some good ones help him top 1,000 wins while he’s worn his alma mater’s Tar Heel blue.

Other Top Moments Of 2009

20.  Illinois Shocks #1 LSU In Baton Rouge

21.  Alabama’s Kent Matthes Launches Longballs

22.  Freshman Levi Michael Starts In North Carolina’s Season Opener

23.  LSU Opens The New Alex Box Stadium

24.  Oregon Brings Back Baseball

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Freshman Levi Michael Starts In North Carolina’s Season Opener

Levi Michael Started 65 of UNC's 66 games as a true freshman.

Levi Michael was far from the first freshman to start in a college baseball season opener, but he wasn’t just any freshman.  The Welcome, N.C. native was a three-year starter at North Davidson High School, but the only reason he wasn’t a four-year starter is because he graduated in December 2008 so he could enroll at North Carolina for the 2009 spring semester.

Did I mention UNC had a preseason #1 ranking and coming off its third straight trip to the College World Series?  (No pressure at all.)

Michael started from day one though.  He batted second in the Tar Heel line-up on Feb. 20 vs. VMI, and his job was to set the table for All-American Dustin Ackley.  (Again, no pressure.)  The freshman phenom came though in flying colors though. Michael went 1-for-3 with a walk and HBP, scoring three runs to help the Tar Heels down the Keydets 13-3.

For the series Michael finished 2-for-7 at the plate with 4 runs and an RBI.  He proved to be versatile by not

(UNC photo)

only batting in different parts of the order (including clean-up) by also playing 3B, 2B and SS, while helping head coach Mike Fox and North Carolina to their fourth straight College World Series appearance (a nice consolation for missing senior prom).

The 5’10 switch hitter was not surprisingly named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by batting .290 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles, 4 triples, 54 runs scored, 57 RBIs, and a .954 OPS.  He started all but one of North Carolina’s games in 2009.

So what are the expectations for Michael at UNC in 2010 after Ackley’s graduation?  (No pressure…)

Other Top Moments Of 2009

23.  LSU Opens The New Alex Box Stadium

24.  Oregon Brings Back Baseball

Football/Baseball Standout Has Big Day In Wolfpack Upset Of Tar Heels

QB/IF Russell Wilson

For the game, Wilson completed 20 of his 27 passes for 259 yards through the air. Senior Toney Baker rushed for 62 yards on 17 carries.

Wilson just finished his redshirt sophomore season with the Wolfpack football team.  He completed 224 of 378 passes (59.3%) for 3,027 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season.  He will be a junior on the N.C. State baseball team in 2010.  He and other college baseball/football players (and a swimmer and soccer player who also play baseball) have been featured throughout the fall in the exclusive Collegebaseball360.com Two Sport Reports.   CLICK HERE to listen to a CB360 podcast interview with Wilson.

The Wolfpack maintained the victory thanks to a pair of big defensive plays. First, as Carolina drove the field late in the game, the drive stalled and Casey Barth came out to try a 38 field goal. But defensive tackle Alan-Michael Cash tipped the low line drive right as it crossed the line of scrimmage. The ball fell harmlessly to the ground before reaching the goal line.

Then, after the Wolfpack offense picked up a three first downs before turning the ball over on downs, senior safety Clem Johnson intercepted a deep pass by Yates near midfield.

After Wilson took a knee, the sold out crowd at Carter-Finley Stadium began celebrating its third consecutive victory over the Tar Heels.

N.C. State finishes the season with a 5-7 record overall and 2-6 in the ACC. North Carolina falls to 8-4 and 4-4.

Annual intrasquad games begin at Boshamer Stadium.

Tar Heel Fall Rosters (PDF)

(This week Collegebaseball360.com will have fall updates on the eight teams that advanced to the 2009 College World Series.)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina baseball program has set the rosters for its annual Fall World Series, which opens Monday (10/12) at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels have split their 35-man roster into two teams for a pair of best-of-three series with a winner-take-all game seven, if necessary.

Senior shortstop Ryan Graepel will pilot the Blue team, which also features returning position players Jacob Stallings, Seth Baldwin and Brett Thomas. Right-handers Patrick Johnson and Jimmy Messer are slated to start Blue’s first two games on the mound.

Fifth-year senior outfielder Mike Cavasinni’s White squad is full of Tar Heel veterans, including freshman All-America Levi Michael, Ben Bunting, Greg Holt, Matt Harrison and Tarron Robinson. Right-handers Matt Harvey and Colin Bates will start the first two games for White.

All games will be open to the public and admission will be free of charge. The full schedule is as follows:

2009 North Carolina Fall World Series Schedule:
Best-of-Three Series No. 1
Game	Day, Date		Time
Game 1 	Mon., Oct. 12   	6 p.m.
Game 2 	Tues., Oct. 13   	2 p.m.
Game 3 	Wed., Oct. 14   	6 p.m.

Best-of-Three Series No. 2 
Game	Day, Date		Time
Game 1 	Fri., Oct. 16   	3 p.m.
Game 2 	Sat., Oct. 17   	1 p.m.
Game 3 	Sun., Oct. 18   	1 p.m.

Championship Game 
Tues., Oct. 20, 2 p.m. (if necessary)