New students excited about attending CCU after clinching nationa - WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) - The entire community and the campus of Coastal Carolina University is stilling riding high after winning the College World Series in Omaha.  The team has made its community proud, and the newest members of the CCU family are even more excited. 

In college, there is already a level of excitement as students begin a new chapter in their lives, but there is whole other level of excitement for the new students on the campus as they now attend a university that holds a national championship title.

Lorin Caroll is attending new student orientation with her daughter, who plans to major in Biology. Caroll said, "She was enthusiastic, she is a big sports fan, she saw that, she says, 'Yes! Teal Nation all the way!'" Caroll said her daughter's friend, who also attends Coastal, told her many good things about the university, which influenced her decision to attend. 

Students attending the orientation Friday morning said the national championship is a big deal. "Yeah, the national championship really rocks, to have it here, that's just another thing to brag about Coastal," said Morgan Howder, a sophomore and Orientation Leader. 

Three hundred and twenty incoming students attended the first of twelve new student orientations being held this summer before the fall semester. Suzannah Marshman, Director of Student and Family Programs, says the orientation offers sessions to help student adjust to college life. The orientation also focuses on school pride. 

"We have to do a skit, and we bring up the national title in our skit, we bring it up in all our small groups, in every conversation we've had because it's something we're so proud of," explained Howder. 

Students and parents attending the orientation say the campus feels like one big family, and when a small university like Coastal Carolina wins a national title, some believe it came bring a campus even closer together. 

"I know that when she comes here, she's part of the community, she's part of family, and that there will be a lot of people looking out for her and protecting my baby," Carroll said. 

Several incoming students are excited to start their college baseball careers at CCU for the upcoming season. Dax Roper, of Anderson, is an incoming freshman and baseball player, he said, "Knowing that you are going to the number one team in the country is obviously a great feeling, very exciting, and it is going to be awesome!" 

Mitchell Mikes also committed to play baseball for CCU, he said several schools were interested in him but he knew where he wanted to attend. "Coastal just stuck out it just felt like the right place to go, my heart was set on here," Mikes said. 

"I feel like we got some big shoes to fill but with the incoming class we have I feel like we're very capable filling the shoes they set for us this past year," Roper added.

Marshman says she expect to see enrollment double over the next few years, as Coastal is in the national spotlight right now.  "I think there is always a direct correlation between athletic performance and admissions,  we're now on the national stage, and people who may not have known who Coastal Carolina is, they know now," Marshman said.

A total of 2,400 new students and 800 transfer students are expected to start classes in the fall. 

Copyright 2016 WMBF News. All rights reserved.