Three Hurricanes Named To NCBWA Preseason All-American Team
Dec. 16, 2008
NCBWA Preseason All-America Teams 
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Three University of Miami student-athletes have been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-America Team, as announced by the NCBWA on Tuesday. Junior shortstop Ryan Jackson and sophomore left-hander Chris Hernandez were both selected to the first team, while junior right-hander Kyle Bellamy was named to the second team.
Jackson, who was selected as the shortstop on the NCBWA’s preseason first team, had a breakout year in 2008, hitting .360 with four home runs, 50 RBI, 49 runs scored and 10 stolen bases en route to First Team All-ACC honors. He led the Hurricanes with 19 doubles in 2008, in addition to ranking second in at-bats (242) and hits (87) and third in batting average. His .360 average at the conclusion of his sophomore season was 124 points higher than his average in 2007 (.236), easily the greatest turnaround on the UM roster. Jackson also had another stellar year defensively at shortstop, committing just eight errors on 310 chances for a .974 fielding percentage.
Hernandez, one of six starters named to the first team staff, is coming off one of the most decorated freshman seasons in school history, finishing a perfect 11-0 with a 2.72 ERA en route to numerous All-American honors. Striking out a team-high 117 batters in 112 2/3 innings in 2008, Hernandez was recognized as the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association. He was named First Team All-America by Louisville Slugger and Second Team All-America by Baseball America and Rivals.com. He was also named Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and First Team All-ACC after going 8-0 in 10 league starts.
Bellamy earned second team preseason honors as a relief pitcher after serving as one of the top set-up men in the nation last season. He finished his sophomore season with a record of 6-0 and a staff-best 1.86 ERA in 63.0 innings of work. He also led the `Canes in appearances (43) and opponent’s batting average against (.183), while ranking second in strikeouts (75) and saves (3). With the departure of 2008 closer Carlos Gutierrez – a first round draft choice by the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 MLB Draft – Bellamy moves into the closer’s role this season, a year after earning second team All-America honors by Rivals.com a season ago.
The NCBWA honor marks the second national recognition for both Jackson and Hernandez this preseason. On Dec. 5, both players were named to the College Baseball Foundation’s 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List for the award given annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player.
Miami makes up one-third of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s nine representatives on this year’s NCBWA preseason teams. The league’s four first-team players all come from Miami and North Carolina, with Dustin Ackley and Alex White of UNC joining Jackson and Hernandez on the 19-member first team squad.
Last season, left-handed pitcher Eric Erickson was the lone Hurricane named to the NCBWA Preseason All-American team. He was selected to the third team.
Miami opens its 2009 season at newly-renovated Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field on Friday, Feb. 20 against Rutgers.
