NCAA
ESPN.com staff 8y

Coastal Carolina fans and alumni react to school's first national title

College Baseball, Clemson Tigers, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Rays

Coastal Carolina won its first national championship in any sport when the baseball team beat Arizona in back-to-back games in the College World Series finals. The small school in Conway, South Carolina, gained fans all over Omaha, Nebraska, and throughout the country during its run through the CWS, capped by the Chanticleers' 4-3 win over the Wildcats in Thursday's decisive Game 3. 

Included among those who cheered on the Chants in Omaha were the doctors and patients at Nebraska Medicine, where Coastal Carolina athletic director Matt Hogue and his family spent a lot of time while his daughter, Caroline, received treatment early in her life. 

And, of course, the state of South Carolina showed its pride for the home team. 

 

Even the football team from a rival South Carolina school cheered on CCU. 

Down in St. Petersburg, Florida, Taylor Motter, who was a member of the 2010 Chants team that made the super regionals, watched the game's final pitch during warm-ups for his Tampa Bay Rays' contest with the Detroit Tigers.

NFL running back and CCU alum Lorenzo Taliaferro was watching, too. He noted that he'll be in the Myrtle Beach area Friday to help celebrate the championship. 

The NFL's Carolina Panthers showed support for the Chanticleer alumnus on their own team, running back Mike Tolbert, who is always good for a celebratory dance.

 

Even former Coastal golfer Dustin Johnson, who was at work all day at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, was following the Chanticleers' progress throughout the game. He gave the Chants a shout-out after his round, which he finished at 1-under par. 

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