GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- The Florida Gators have been waiting a
year for this.

Players and coaches never said it publicly, rarely even
mentioned it privately. But returning to the College World Series
was the one common goal everyone in the program shared, and not
solely because it's the pinnacle of college baseball.

It had more to do with how close the Gators got to winning it
all last season. Florida lost to South Carolina in the championship
series and spent months thinking about what could have been. Not
making things any easier, the Gators played all season amid
sky-high expectations that come with returning nearly every
starter.

Nonetheless, the Gators are back in Omaha, Neb., with their
sights set on winning it all. They open against two-time defending
champion South Carolina on Saturday.

Courtesy: Associated Press