|
WASHINGTON, D.C. (NCBWA) - Returning NCBWA Pro-Line Athletic
All-America stars and several standouts from the 2006 NCAA World
Series highlight the eighth annual National Collegiate Baseball
Writers Association preseason 2007 All-America team.
 2006
first team first baseman Andy D'Alessio (.312-23 HR-85 RBI) of Clemson
joins fellow first unit member OF Kellen Kulbacki of James Madison
(.464-24 HR-75 RBI), the nation's returning leader in home runs
and batting average in Division I, and Cal State Fullerton World
Series returnee Wes Roemer (13-2, 145 SO, 7 walks, 155 IP) as three
of the sterling returnees.
NCAA World Series heroes 1B Chad Flack and SS Josh Horton of
North Carolina on the second team have their school poised to make
another run at the NCAA Championship, captured last June by Oregon
State for the first time. Fellow CWS competitors include first team
starting pitcher (after blazing in relief in '06) Cole St. Clair,
P/1B Joe Savery and SS Brian Friday of the Rice Owls on the '07
dream team rosters.
Team USA performers from summer 2006 also are in abundance with
Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez, utility star P-1B Sean Doolittle of
Virginia, Rice's St. Clair, and Texas Tech's Roger Kieschnick, to
name just a few, receiving recognition.
The starting pitching staff also has strong numbers worth noting
behind Roemer. TCU's Jake Arrieta (14-4), Arkansas' Nick Schmidt
(9-3), and Nebraska's Tony Watson (10-2) were aces of their staffs,
while relief men Joshua Fields (15 saves) of Georgia, Blair Erickson
(14) of UC Irvine and Milan Dinga of Army (10) combined for 39 saves
and microscopic ERAs in a total of 81 appearances out of the bullpen.
First team infielders and outfielders featured such feats as
Alvarez's 22 home runs as a freshman, seven triples and 36 stolen
bases by Alabama OF Emeel Salem, a 11-2 pitching mark to compliment
a .324 batting average by Doolittle, and 17 home runs apiece by
C Kevin Coughlin of Kentucky and OF Steven Strasbaugh of Western
Carolina.
The three units have representation from 18 different conferences
as teams anticipate the opening of 2007 baseball in late January
or early February. Preseason All-Americans give a sneak peek to
those who may be in contention for the prestigious 21st annual Dick
Howser Trophy, voted upon by NCBWA members and awarded annually
in Omaha, Neb., prior to the NCAA World Series.
|
2007 NCBWA DIVISION I PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM |
| Pos. |
First Team |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| C |
Sean Coughlin |
Kentucky |
6-1 |
215 |
Sr. |
Morrison, Colo. |
| 1B |
Andy D'Alessio |
Clemson |
6-3 |
215 |
Sr. |
Naples, Fla. |
| 2B |
Eric Sogard |
Arizona State |
5-9 |
169 |
Sr. |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| 3B |
Pedro Alvarez |
Vanderbilt |
6-2 |
215 |
So. |
New York, N.Y. |
| SS |
Zack Cozart |
Mississippi |
6-1 |
190 |
Sr. |
Collierville,
Tenn. |
| UT |
Sean Doolittle |
Virginia |
6-3 |
185 |
Jr. |
Tabernacle, N.J. |
| DH |
Robert Rodebaugh |
Elon |
6-0 |
210 |
Sr. |
Marietta, Ga. |
| OF |
Emeel Salem |
Alabama |
6-0 |
175 |
Jr. |
Mountain Brook,
Ala. |
| OF |
Steven Strasbaugh |
Western Carolina |
5-10 |
190 |
Jr. |
Venice, Fla. |
| OF |
Kellen Kulbacki |
James Madison |
5-11 |
195 |
Jr. |
Hershey, Pa. |
| SP |
Wes Roemer |
Cal State Fullerton |
6-0 |
185 |
Jr. |
Glendora, Calif. |
| SP |
Cole St. Clair |
Rice |
6-5 |
225 |
Jr. |
Santa Ana, Calif. |
| SP |
Jake Arrieta |
TCU |
6-4 |
225 |
Jr. |
Plano, Texas |
| SP |
Tony Watson |
Nebraska |
6-4 |
210 |
Jr. |
Grimes, Iowa |
| SP |
Nick Schmidt |
Arkansas |
6-5 |
220 |
Jr. |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| RP |
Joshua Fields |
Georgia |
6-0 |
183 |
Jr. |
Hull, Ga. |
| RP |
Blair Erickson |
UC Irvine |
6-1 |
225 |
Sr. |
Fair Oaks, Calif. |
| RP |
Milan Dinga |
Army |
6-2 |
210 |
Jr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
|
Second Team: C Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech,
Jr.; 1B Chad Flack, North Carolina, Jr.; 2B Ramon
Corona, N.C. State, Jr.; 3B Jonathan Greene, Western
Carolina, Jr.; SS Josh Horton, North Carolina, Jr.;
UT Joe Savery, Rice, Jr.; UTIL Damon Sublett, Wichita
State, Jr.; DH Brendan Murphy, Marshall, Sr.; OF
Jared Prince, Washington State, So.; OF Danny Payne,
Georgia Tech, Jr.; OF Tommy Lentz, Winthrop, Sr.;
SP Barry Enright, Pepperdine, Jr.; SP Chris Ashman,
Oral Roberts, Sr.; SP Alex Wilson, Winthrop, So.;
SP Nick Chigges, College Of Charleston, Sr.; SP
Aaron Shafer, Wichita State, So.; SP David Price,
Vanderbilt, Jr.; RP Daniel Moskos, Clemson, Jr.;
RP Luke Tucker, Florida State, Sr. |
|
Third Team: C J.P. Arencibia, Tennessee,
Jr.; C Matt Smith, Texas Tech, So.; 1B Adam Amar,
Memphis, Sr.; 2B Jemile Weeks, Miami (Fla.), So.;
3B Conor Gillaspie, Wichita State, So.; 3B Curt
Smith, Maine, So.; SS Brian Friday, Rice, Jr.; SS
Todd Frazier, Rutgers, Jr.; UT Josh Dew, Troy, Jr.;
UT Ryan Wehrle, Nebraska, Sr.; DH David Doss, South
Alabama, Sr.; OF Roger Kieschnick, Texas Tech, So.;
OF Marcus Davis, Alcorn State, Jr.; OF Eric Rose,
Michigan, Sr.; OF Collin Cowgill, Kentucky, Jr.;
SP Mitch Harris, Navy, Jr.; SP Bryan Henry, Florida
State, Sr.; SP Ben Norton, Evansville, Sr.; SP Christian
Friedrich, Eastern Kentucky, So.; SP Greg Dombrowski,
Kentucky, Jr.; SP Tommy Hunter, Alabama, So.; SP
Dan DeLucia, Ohio State, Sr.; RP Daniel Latham,
Tulane, Sr.; RP Brett Hunter, Pepperdine, So. |
|
Click
here for .pdf version of release with complete player
statistics |
|
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of
college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and
publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory,
newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Player
of the Year Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America
voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-American awards, publication
and writing contests.
|
