HOUSTON, TX - The 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic concluded tonight at Minute Maid Park with TCU being named the Tournament Champions with a perfect 3-0 record. The Horned Frogs were matched by Arkansas, which also went 3-0, but earned the tiebreaker with a plus-25 run differential, as opposed to the Razorbacks plus-16 mark. Texas Tech finished 2-1, UL Lafayette went 1-2 and the University of Houston and Rice each went 0-3.
Following the conclusion of tonight's game, the Astros also announced the field for the 2017 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, which will feature three Big 12 schools in Baylor, TCU and Texas Tech and three Southeastern Conference programs in LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The 17th annual tournament will feature nine games at Minute Maid Park from March 3-5, 2017.
"Over the next few years the College Classic is planning on featuring different regional, conference and state rivalries and it really begins in 2017 with the Big 12 versus the SEC," said Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan. "Our local universities are still a very big part of the tournament's success and will continue to be a part of future tournaments, with the University of Houston, Rice and Sam Houston State scheduled to return in 2018."
Additionally, the College Classic announced the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic All-Tournament Team, which was highlighted by the Classic's Most Outstanding Player SS Michael Bernal from Arkansas. Bernal hit .333 (4x12) this weekend with three home runs and seven RBI.
The remaining 2016 All-Tournament Team:
   C   Tucker Pennell, Arkansas   
   1B   Joe Davis, Houston  
   2B   Michael Davis, Texas Tech  
   3B   Joe Robbins, UL Lafayette  
   SS   Michael Bernal, Arkansas  
   OF   Clark Eagan, Arkansas   
   OF   Dane Steinhagen, TCU
   OF   Charlie Warren, Rice 
   DH   Luken Baker, TCU 
   P   Luken Baker, TCU   
   P   Brian Howard, TCU 
   P   Nick Lee, UL Lafayette 
   P   Dominic Taccolini, Arkansas
  Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic Most Outstanding Player: SS Michael Bernal, Arkansas
-ASTROS-