2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 18, 2021

Andrew Abbott

Virginia Cavaliers

Postgame Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Andrew Abbott. Andrew, give us a quick statement about making it to Omaha.

ANDREW ABBOTT: This has been a dream for all of us college athletes, definitely in baseball. But it's very important to sit back and just reflect on the season and how far we've come as a team and just be grateful that we have great coaches that have been here before, teaching us how to get here and then enjoying it while we're here.

Q. Zack talked about it just a couple of seconds ago but how do you all get past the shock and awe of being in Omaha and moving to the path that you talked about to getting down to business and preparing for a game on Sunday?

ANDREW ABBOTT: It's important to reflect and learn from what we've come from, definitely from the Regional and from the Super Regional playing those great teams -- South Carolina, ODU and Dallas Baptist. And relying on our coaches, Coach O'Connor, Coach Kirby and Coach Mack and earlier in my career Coach Kuhn, who have been here and know what you have to do with this thing.

And Coach O'Connor started week off by saying the objective is to get to Omaha and now that we're here the objective is to win it. So that's been our motto this week.

Q. You mentioned the coaches having been here before. What kind of advice have they given you about this stage?

ANDREW ABBOTT: Based on execution, the team that executes most is going to win. And he also said take it in stride, moment by moment because this is the pinnacle, this is the top of the mountain for us as college athletes in baseball. So enjoy it while you're here and make sure that you do.

Q. As a guy who grew up in Virginia watching previous teams get to Omaha, not just getting there, but getting this program back to Omaha through the kind of drought that's gone on the last few years, how important has it been to you to be a part of that?

ANDREW ABBOTT: Yeah, it's been like, the best way to describe it is we started off slow and now we've turned the corner. Being a part of those teams under Oak that didn't reach the postseason, it definitely fueled the fire for this year and years to come to set the UVA standard again.

I think it's just important to be thankful and enjoy every moment that has come and the adversity we faced will help us down the road.

Q. I know you've got to be all business, but real quickly, Coach is down to earth and doesn't like to talk about that statue out front but he's one of those guys. Doesn't that mean something that's just crazy for you guys?

ANDREW ABBOTT: Yeah, I mean it's pretty fun to have the coach that's in that statue definitely outside of the TD Ameritrade. Watching this game, watching the College World Series growing up, it means a lot to finally be here see it in person, and to know that your coach is one of them, that's definitely exciting.

He doesn't like to boast about it but we all knew he was part of it. So we showed up yesterday for pictures, we just said a quick little word to him and he laughed. It's important to be happy and enjoy these moments.

Q. I was curious, getting to this stage, how much it means. Have you had like a "Wow, I've made it to Omaha" moment, whether it's looking at the ballpark or anything like that, where you realized you've made it to this stage?

ANDREW ABBOTT: I mean, there was two that stick out. One, it was winning the Super Regional, knowing that you've got here and you're wearing the hat that says Omaha-bound. That was pretty cool and a loss for words when that happened.

Then showing up here first day and seeing the park and seeing the atmosphere and doing media and all that kind of stuff has been -- it's been really exciting. You don't really know what to expect the first time coming here. And it's all been very fun. So I'm definitely very thankful to be here.