Baseball Recruits Ranked High
Oct. 18, 2001
The Defending National Champion University of Miami baseball team has put together one of the finer freshman classes in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball newspaper and Baseball America.
Collegiate Baseball has rated the 2002 freshman class No. 4 in the nation, while Baseball America has the rookie class at No. 6.
It is the third straight season that Head Coach Jim Morris and recruiting coordinator Gino DiMare have put together highly ranked classes. DiMare assumed the recruiting role prior to the 2000 season. Collegiate Baseball rated the 2000 class No. 6 and the 2001 class No. 7.
Collegiate Baseball rated Southern California the No. 1 class, followed by LSU, Notre Dame, Miami and Stanford in the top five. Baseball America had Notre Dame No. 1, followed by Stanford, Southern California, Clemson and LSU in its top five.
The 2002 newcomers are Matt Barkett (Miami, FL/Columbus), Vince Bongiovanni (Barrington, IL/Barrington), Brandon Camardese (Cooper City, FL/Chaminade-Madonna), Greg Dini Jr. (Longwood, FL/Bishop Moore), Ryan Dixon (Seminole, FL/Seminole), Danny Figueroa (Miami, FL/Gulliver), Paco Figueroa (Miami, FL/Gulliver), Richard Giannotti (Plantation, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas), Joey Hooft (Reno, FL/Galena), Alex Perez (Miami, FL/South Miami), Alfredo Perez (Puerto Rico), Erick San Pedro (Hialeah, FL/Pace), Ryan Sneir (Coral Springs, FL/Coral Springs) and Shawn Valdes-Fauli (Miami, FL/Columbus).
The Hurricanes open up fall practice on November 1st and will continue until the 16th. The sessions are open to the public and are located at Mark Light Stadium on the corner of San Amaro Drive and Ponce de Leon Blvd. on the UM campus.
The 2001 College World Series Champions return several members from last season, including national steals leader and All-American Javy Rodriguez (SS), All-CWS Danny Matienzo (C), 2001 USA National Team member Kevin Howard (3B), USA National Team member Kiki Bengochea (RHP), 2001 Freshman All-American George Huguet (RHP) and 2002 All-American candidate Luke DeBold (RHP).
Miami returns 19 players from the 2001 squad that ended the season on a national-best 17-game win streak, including all nine games in the postseason, while finishing 53-12 overall. Among the 19 players returning are nine position players and 10 pitchers. The squad will welcome at least 11 freshmen once the spring practice commences.
Last season under Morris, Collegiate Baseball and the ABCA’s 2001 National Coach of the Year, the Hurricanes won their fourth all-time National Championship and second in the last three seasons. A school-best 11 players were drafted in the MLB First-Year Players Draft, while two more signed free agent contracts. Rodriguez led the nation and smashed the school record with 66 stolen bases. Huguet, the closer, notched 14 saves to tie Robbie Morrison’s 1996 school freshman record. DeBold, the primary set-up pitcher, recorded 67 strikeouts to just seven walks all season. Matienzo, the top returning power hitter, was named to the postseason All-Tournament teams at the Coral Gables Regional as well as in the College World Series.
The 2002 schedule may be the toughest in the nation featuring numerous programs that dominated during the 2001 year. The season opens with a CWS re-match against Tennessee in a three-game series at Mark Light Stadium, followed by games against Florida International, Florida, Minnesota, Southern California, Cal State Fullerton, Houston, South Florida, Rutgers, UCLA, Florida State, Long Beach State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Jacksonville. Road trips in 2002 will be to FIU, the Homestead Challenge, Cal State Fullerton’s Kia Bash, FSU, UNC and Georgia Tech.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information.
