Baseball Lands Three Preseason All-Americans
Nov. 8, 2001
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Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – University of Miami shortstop Javy Rodriguez and relievers George Huguet and Luke DeBold were named to the third annual NCBWA Preseason All-America Team, announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Rodriguez and Huguet were each named to the first-team, while DeBold was a second-team selection.
The Defending National Champion Hurricanes had three overall selections, which tied Stanford for second-most behind Clemson (4). Miami defeated Stanford, 12-1, in the College World Series title game this past season and advanced to Omaha with a two-game sweep of Clemson in the Coral Gables Super Regional. The Cardinal led the group with three first-team picks, ahead of Miami and Clemson (2).
Rodriguez led the nation in 2001 with a school-record 66 stolen bases, along with his 1.05 steals per game average. Selected the team’s MVP in 2001 by the players and coaches, Rodriguez posted a team-high .382 batting average, 10 game winning hits and was a Second-Team All-American by the NCBWA and Louisville Slugger. He was also named to the Coral Gables Regional All-Tournament team during the postseason and the Hormel Foods Baseball Classic MVP following UM’s three-game sweep at the University of Minnesota/Minneapolis Metrodome tournament at midseason.
Huguet was a record-setting freshman in 2001, with his 14 saves in 44 appearances. He was named the team’s Rookie of the Year after he tied the freshman record for saves set by All-American Robbie Morrison in 1996. His 44 appearances on the season tied teammate Luke DeBold for the third most in a single season by a UM pitcher. Among the All-America nods Huguet received in 2001 was to the freshman first team by Louisville Slugger, second-team overall by Baseball America and a third team overall by the NCBWA. At the 2001 College World Series, Huguet appeared in the first three games for the Hurricanes pitching 4.2 innings, a 0.00 ERA, one save and a .188 opponent batting average in 16 batters faced.
DeBold was equally impressive as UM’s dominant set-up reliever in 2001. He also appeared in 44 games as a junior in 2001 to place third in a single season. His 1.74 ERA was second lowest on the staff, while throwing 67 strikeouts to just seven walks. At the 2001 CWS, DeBold was the lone UM pitcher to see action in all four of UM’s victories, compiling a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings. Entering his final campaign with Miami, DeBold has a 2.42 ERA and is tied for fifth all-time at UM with 90 career appearances.
Of the 72 players selected to the three preseason NCBWA All-America teams, which includes both starting and relief pitchers, there are 12 different conferences represented and players from 21 different states where the Universities are located. The NCBWA, celebrating its 40th year of existence, will again team up with the Greater St. Petersburg (Fla.) Chamber of Commerce to select the national collegiate player of the year in presentation of the Dick Howser Tropy.
2001 NCBWA PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAMPos. Name, School Class BA AB R H HR RBI1B Michael Johnson, Clemson Jr. .321 218 58 70 18 542B Chris O’Riordan, Stanford Sr. .379 232 53 88 10 633B Jeff Baker, Clemson Jr. .369 233 66 86 23 69SS Javy Rodriguez, Miami Sr. .388 201 52 78 5 51 (66 SB)C Jeremy Brown, Alabama Jr. .363 190 47 69 10 48OF Steve Stanley, Notre Dame Jr. .400 255 76 102 1 32OF Gregg Davies, Towson Sr. .399 218 57 87 15 74OF Carlos Quentin, Stanford So. .345 249 55 86 11 52UT/ATH Michael Aubrey, Tulane So. .361 277 74 100 13 69
PitchersPos. Name School Cl. W-L ERA G IP H BB SO SVSP Bobby Brownlie, Rutgers Jr. 6-3 2.36 14 84 65 17 86 0SP Jeremy Guthrie, Stanford Jr. 10-4 2.72 17 109.1 81 39 110 0SP Shane Komine, Nebraska Sr. 14-2 3.35 18 131.2 129 36 157 0SP Michael Rogers, Oral Roberts Sr. 14-1 2.37 18 121.1 99 46 137 1RP Dave Bush, Wake Forest Sr. 3-3 2.65 41 74 57 19 85 16RP George Huguet, Miami So. 1-0 2.08 44 44.1 35 13 34 14
SECOND TEAMPos. Name, School Class BA AB R H HR RBI1B Phil Pilewski, Toledo Sr. .433 171 42 74 13 572B Steve Sollman, Notre Dame So. .373 201 49 75 5 343B Nick Blankenship, Texas Tech Sr. .353 272 53 96 10 61SS Eric Arnold, Rice Sr. .325 252 50 82 15 65C Chris Shelton, Utah Sr. .374 203 59 76 19 66OF Matt Davis, VCU Sr. .396 227 84 90 3 26OF Burney Hutchinson, Ole Miss Sr. .356 219 69 78 14 63OF Todd Leathers, Winthrop Sr. .392 189 58 74 10 53UT/ATH Matt Hopper, Nebraska Jr. .358 254 69 91 12 85
PitchersPos. Name School Cl. W-L ERA G IP H BB SO SVSP John Maine, Charlotte Sr. 12-6 3.82 20 134.1 113 54 144 0SP Steve Reba, Clemson Jr. 12-3 2.58 18 108 84 31 103 0SP Bob Runyon, Fresno State Sr. 10-1 3.54 20 127.0 134 22 93 0SP Ben Thurmond, Winthrop Jr. 9-1 2.24 12 87.2 73 26 81 1RP Andy Hutchings, Charleston So. 3-2 3.25 27 27.2 24 13 29 12RP Luke DeBold, Miami Sr. 2-1 1.74 44 57 47 7 67 4
THIRD TEAMPos. Name, School Class BA AB R H HR RBI1B Val Majewski, Rutgers Sr. .373 209 59 78 8 502B Peter Summa, Holy Cross Sr. .368 155 38 57 6 443B Brock Koman, Michigan Jr. .383 196 49 75 14 603B Nick Blankenship, Texas Tech Sr. .353 272 53 96 10 613B Joe Drapeau, Maine Jr. .333 186 47 62 12 51SS Victor Menocal, Georgia Tech Sr. .381 268 71 102 4 51C Chad Oliva, Jacksonville Sr. .335 194 56 65 19 65OF Jeff Christy, Stetson Sr. .375 208 54 78 14 49OF Len Elias, Bowling Green Sr. .397 204 62 81 13 58OF Rickie Weeks, Southern So. .422 185 78 78 14 70UT/ATH Jarrod Schmidt, Clemson Jr. .298 215 43 64 16 51
PitchersPos. Name School Cl. W-L ERA G IP H BB SO SVSP Lance Cormier, Alabama Sr. 9-5 2.30 17 110 109 29 73 1SP Andy Dickinson, Illinois Sr. 11-1 3.51 20 115.1 122 38 99 2SP Kyle Johnson, St. Bonaventure Jr. 7-2 1.88 13 72 60 18 57 1SP Sam Narron, East Carolina Jr. 12-1 2.78 14 94 85 16 63 0RP Jeffrey Carswell, Georgia Sr. 10-2 3.32 24 59.2 55 16 62 1RP Will Brinson, East Carolina Jr. 3-1 2.36 22 34.1 25 14 38 8
