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Baseball All-WAC.pdf
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DENVER The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2003 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the leagues head coaches. Nevada senior third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff was named the Player of the Year, Rice sophomore Jeff Niemann earned Pitcher of the Year honors, and the Freshman of the Year award went to Nevada catcher Brett Hayes. Nevada head coach Gary Powers and Rice head coach Wayne Graham were selected as Co-Coaches of the Year.
Kouzmanoff, a senior from Evergreen, Colo. (Arkansas-Little Rock), hit .388 with 38 RBI, seven doubles, nine home runs and scored 31 runs in 28 conference games. He led the WAC in hits (47), RBI, home runs and total bases (81). In all games, he hit .361 and led the conference in RBI (67), home runs (17) and total bases (147).
Niemann, a sophomore from Houston, Texas (Lamar HS), earned the WACs Pitcher of the Year award after putting together a record of 10-0 in 10 WAC starts. He had an ERA of 1.19 and led the conference with 85 strikeouts. In all games, he was 14-0 in 18 appearances with a 1.68 ERA and 120 strikeouts.
Hayes, a native of Calabasas, Calif. (Notre Dame HS), hit .373 in 29 conference games. He had 29 RBI, seven doubles and three home runs. In all games, he was second in the WAC in hitting with a .365 batting average and hit eight home runs with 63 RBI.
Powers, in his 21st season with Nevada, led the Wolf Pack to a second place finish in the WAC with a 19-10 record. Overall, Nevada was 32-24. Graham is in his 12th year with Rice. The Owls won their seventh straight WAC title with a 25-5 record. Overall, Rice is 48-10 and is hosting a regional this weekend, its eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Its Powers first WAC Coach of the Year award and Grahams fourth.
Rice led the conference with nine players on the all-WAC first team. Nevada was second with three players followed by Fresno State with two and Hawaii and San Jose State with one. Repeat selections from 2002s first team included Rices Vincent Sinisi, Chris Kolkhorst, Austin Davis and Philip Humber. This is Davis third consecutive year on the first team.
Nevada placed five players on the second team, followed by Fresno State with three, Hawaii and Rice with two and Louisiana Tech and San Jose State with one.
2003 ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAMFirst TeamName, Team, Ht., Wt., Yr., Pos., Hometown (Last School)Brett Hayes, Nevada, 6-1, 170, Fr., C, Calabasas, Calif. (Notre Dame HS)
*Vincent Sinisi, Rice, 6-0, 195, So., 1B, The Woodlands, Texas (Texas)
Enrique Cruz, Rice, 5-10, 185, Jr., 2B, Houston, Texas (Bellaire HS)
Chris Patrick, Fresno State, 5-10, 185, Jr., SS, Fresno, Calif. (Clovis HS)
Kevin Kouzmanoff, Nevada, 6-1, 200, Sr., 3B, Evergreen, Colo. (Arkansas-Little Rock)
*Chris Kolkhorst, Rice, 5-10, 180, Jr., OF, Houston, Texas (Blinn College)
*&Austin Davis, Rice, 5-10, 170, Jr., OF, Houston, Texas (Spring Branch Memorial HS)
Scott Beshears, Fresno State, 5-8, 175, Sr., OF, Fresno, Calif. (Bullard HS)
Jeff Jorgensen, Rice, 5-11, 185, Jr., OF, Houston, Texas (Spring Branch Memorial HS)
Chris Gimenez, Nevada, 6-1, 205, So., OF, Gilroy, Calif. (Gilroy HS)
#Dane Bubela, Rice, 5-10, 190, Sr., DH, Houston, Texas (Blinn College)
Brent Cook, Hawaii, 5-10, 185, Sr., UTI, Alamo, Calif. (California)
Jeff Niemann, Rice, 6-9, 260, So., SP, Houston, Texas (Lamar HS)
#Matt Durkin, San Jose State, 6-4, 210, So., SP, San Jose, Calif. (Willow Glen HS)
*Philip Humber, Rice, 6-4, 210, So., SP, Carthage, Texas (Carthage HS)
#Wade Townsend, Rice, 6-4, 225, So., RP, Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs HS)
Second TeamName, Team, Ht., Wt., Yr., Pos., Hometown (Last School)#Justin Ruchti, Rice, 6-2, 200, Sr., C, Houston, Texas (San Jacinto-North College)
Erick Streelman, Nevada, 6-5, 240, Jr., 1B, Bellflower, Calif. (Valley Christian HS)
Ryan Haag, Fresno State, 5-10, 180, Jr., 2B, Newhall, Calif. (Cal State Northridge)
*Paul Janish, Rice, 6-2, 180, So., SS, Cypress, Texas (Cypress Creek HS)
*%Casey McGehee, Fresno State, 6-1, 190, Jr., 3B, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Soquel HS)
Jacob Butler, Nevada, 6-2, 175, So., OF, Yelm, Wash. (Yelm HS)
Jaziel Mendoza, Hawaii, 6-0, 207, Jr., OF, Tracy, Calif. (Delta College)
John Brandon, Louisiana Tech, 5-11, 180, Sr., OF, Bastrop, La. (Panola JC)
Aaron Bates, San Jose State, 6-4, 213, Fr., DH, La Selva Beach, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty)
Taylor Pullins, Nevada, 5-11, 170, Sr., UTI, Orem, Utah (Dixie JC)
Mateo Miramontes, Nevada, 6-4, 200, Jr., SP, Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista HS)
Cody Smith, Fresno State, 6-3, 200, Jr., SP, Santa Maria, Calif. (Hancock CC)
Chris George, Hawaii, 6-2, 176, Sr., SP, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Cypress JC)
Zak Basch, Nevada, 6-3, 185, Sr., RP, Sylvanice, Ohio (Hofstra)
WAC Player of the Year: Kevin Kouzmanoff, Sr., 3B, Nevada
WAC Pitcher of the Year: Jeff Niemann, So., Rice
WAC Freshman of the Year: Brett Hayes, C, Nevada
WAC Co-Coaches of the Year: Gary Powers, Nevada and Wayne Graham, Rice
*2002 First Team All-WAC
#2002 Second Team All-WAC
&2001 First Team All-WAC
%2001 Second Team All-WAC