A few weeks before the 2006 season began, Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway proclaimed one of his team’s goals was to host an NCAA Tournament regional at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
It was a lofty undertaking, considering the facility, which opened in 1982, had never hosted an NCAA Tournament game and the Sooners hadn’t played a postseason game on their home turf in 29 years.
But goals are made to be realized.
Sunday, the NCAA announced OU will host one of 16 regionals. The Sooners have hosted before, but never at Mitchell Park. The Sooners last hosted a regional at Bricktown Ballpark in 2000.
“This was a very high ambition for our program,” Golloway said. “But this team went about its business all season and never backed away from the challenge.”
The Sooners (40-19) spent most of the season ranked in the Top 25 of all four major polls and had moved into the top 10 early last month.
But losing three late-season games to Oklahoma State and losing two of three games in the Big 12 tournament had many thinking OU’s hopes of hosting were gone.
Golloway wasn’t among them. He didn’t make any predictions after OU wrapped up the Big 12 tournament with a 21-6 victory over the Cowboys, but he remained confident.
“We finished third in the Big 12 and played a very tough schedule,” he said. “We were rewarded for that in the end. Deep down inside, I didn’t see how we couldn’t get to host.”
The Sooners were one of three Big 12 teams to receive regionals. Texas (40-19), which won the Big 12 regular-season title, and Nebraska (42-14), which finished fourth, also will host.
The remaining 13 regional hosts are: Alabama (41-19), Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Arkansas (38-19), Fayetteville, Ark.; Cal State Fullerton (41-13), Fullerton, Calif.; Clemson (46-14), Clemson, S.C.; Georgia (41-19), Athens, Ga.; Georgia Tech (45-16), Atlanta; Kentucky (42-15), Lexington, Ky.; Mississippi (39-20), Oxford, Miss.; North Carolina (45-13), Chapel Hill, N.C.; Oregon St. (39-13), Corvallis, Ore.; Pepperdine (39-19), Malibu, Calif.; Rice (49-10), Houston and Virginia (46-13), Charlottesville, Va.
Regional play is scheduled to begin Friday and could run through Monday, depending on the outcome of the four-team double-elimination draw.
ESPN, which holds television rights, may also move the start to Thursday.
The Sooners will find out who will be joining them today. The 64-team field will be announced at 11:30 a.m.
The Sooners also will find out their national seed. They hope to be one of the top eight. Those teams are guaranteed hosting the Super Regional round if they advance.
They will most likely be a No. 1 seed for their regional.
Golloway is hoping for a packed house every game.
“Our team saw signs of what a regional atmosphere in Norman could be like when we played in front of a packed house versus Texas and Rice at L. Dale Mitchell Park this season and I hope our fans will turn out in similar fashion during next week’s action,” he said.
It will certainly be new experience for the program.
OU has hosted NCAA regionals nine times, but the last six have been in Oklahoma City at Bricktown Ballpark or All Sports Stadium.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Sooners get regional
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