McReynolds nominated as CWS Legend

FAYETTEVILLE – Former University of Arkansas baseball standout Kevin McReynolds has been nominated for a spot on the College World Series Legends Team in commemoration of the event’s final season at Johnny Rosentblatt Stadium. The Legends Team will represent those student-athletes who had the best CWS performance in the 60 years the event has been played at Rosenblatt Stadium.

McReynolds was a member of the Razorback baseball team that made the program’s first College World Series appearance in 1979. That team claimed Arkansas’ best-ever national finish with a second-place showing, losing in the championship game to Cal State Fullerton. McReynolds, then a freshman outfielder, was named to the CWS All-Tournament Team for his performance in Omaha.

The former Hog enjoyed a successful three-year career in Fayetteville. A two-time All-American, McReynolds finished his career with 33 home runs, tied for the eighth most in program history, and 14 triples, tied for the seventh most by any Razorback. McReynolds became the first Razorback to be drafted in the first round when he was selected by the San Diego Padres with the sixth overall pick in 1981.

The 95 nominees include every former student-athlete who was voted onto a previous CWS anniversary team (25th, 50th and all-decade teams), as well as individuals who played in the last 14 years as determined by a blue-ribbon panel from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, the Omaha World-Herald and NCAA staff.

The selected CWS Legends Team will consist of two student-athletes per fielding position, four pitchers, two designated hitters, three head coaches and two "utility players." The utility players will be determined after fan voting and represent those student-athletes deserving recognition who may not have been selected by fans, media and coaches at a particular position.

Baseball fans are being asked to vote for who they think should be selected as members of the CWS Legends Team on the NCAA website at http://www.ncaa.com/cws. Voting for the team is to be based solely on the former student-athletes’ performance when they were competing in the NCAA College World Series.

The CWS Legends Team will be announced in early May. The selected roster will be formally honored during the CWS Opening Ceremonies on Friday, June 18, and invited to attend the first day of CWS competition on Saturday, June 19.