Aug. 21, 2002

A ceremony honoring the 2002 Notre Dame baseball team will be held at Eck Stadium on the morning of Sept. 14, prior to the Notre Dame-Michigan football game that will be played later that day in Notre Dame Stadium.

The 45-minute ceremony is open to the public and will begin at 11:00 a.m., with ring presentations to the players and an unveiling of a College World Series flag that will fly above the rightfield fence. The first 2,000 fans will receive a commemorative CWS flag while the gameday-like atmosphere will include radio calls from some of the more memorable moments in the 2002 season. The team additionally will be honored later in the day, with an onfield recognition at some point during the ND-Michigan football game (complete details of the day’s events will be forthcoming).

“This ceremony will serve as a wonderful tribute to the players on the 2002 team and also will allow them to share that moment with the Notre Dame fans,” said ninth-year Notre Dame head coach Paul Mainieri.

“We are hoping to have all of the players in attendance for this event and it should be a very special moment for all involved.”

The eight members of Notre Dame’s 2002 senior class – the winningest class in the program’s history – are expected to join the returning Irish players at the ceremony. Two-time Academic All-American Brian Stavisky – who signed with the Oakland A’s after completing his junior season with the Irish – also is expected to be back on campus as he works towards completion of his graduation requirements (Stavisky is one of five members of the 2002 squad, including four graduates, who went on to pro baseball careers in recent months).