United Athletic Conference

Brett Hayes Nevada

Ricky Bauer Hawaii

DENVER - For the ninth year in a row, Rice has been selected to win the 2005 Western Athletic Conference regular season baseball crown in a vote by the leagues six head coaches. The coaches also voted on a preseason all-WAC team, and Hawaii and Nevada each placed five players on the team. Nevada junior catcher Brett Hayes was named the preseason player of the year for the second consecutive season while Hawaii senior Ricky Bauer was picked the preseason pitcher of the year.

Rice received 25 points and five first place votes after a 46-14 season and its eighth straigth WAC title with a 24-6 conference record. The Owls advanced to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the championship game of the regionals. Fresno State was picked second with 19 points, followed closely by Nevada with 17 and Hawaii with 15. Louisiana Tech and San Jose State tied for fifth with seven points each.

The preseason all-WAC team included five Hawaii players: senior outfielder Greg Kish, junior third baseman Rocky Russo, senior pitcher Ricky Bauer, senior pitcher Steve Bryant and sophomore reliever Darrell Fisherbaugh. Bauer was picked as the preseason pitcher of the year after posting an 8-4 record with a 3.60 ERA last season. Nevada also had five players: senior outfielder Jacob Butler, junior first baseman Ben Mummy, senior second baseman Carlos Madrid, junior shortstop Robert Marcial and junior catcher Brett Hayes. Hayes was chosen the preseason player of the year after hitting .337 with 48 RBI, 10 doubles and eight home runs. Fresno State had two players on the team in sophomore outfielder Nick Moresi and junior pitcher Matt Garza. Rice and San Jose State each had one player make the team in junior outfielder Lance Pendleton and junior pitcher Corey Cabral, respectively.

The 43rd year of WAC baseball begins Friday, January 28 when Fresno State travels to Stanford for a three-game series.

2005 WAC Baseball Coaches Poll
(Points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis as coaches
not allowed to vote for their own team)

Rk. Team           1 2 3 4 5 Total
1.  Rice           5        25
2.  Fresno State   1 2 2      19
3.  Nevada          2 3      17
4.  Hawaii         2 1 2     15
5.  Louisiana Tech    2 3     7
    San Jose State    2 3     7

Preseason All-WAC Team
OF-Lance Pendleton, Jr., Rice
OF-Nick Moresi, So., Fresno State
OF-Jacob Butler, Sr., Nevada
OF-Greg Kish, Sr., Hawaii
1B-Ben Mummy, Jr., Nevada
2B-Carlos Madrid, Sr., Nevada
SS-Robert Marcial, Jr., Nevada
3B-Rocky Russo, Jr., Hawaii
C-Brett Hayes, Jr., Nevada
SP-Ricky Bauer, Sr., Hawaii
SP-Matt Garza, Jr., Fresno State
SP-Steve Bryant, Sr., Hawaii
SP-Corey Cabral, Jr., San Jose State
RP-Darrell Fisherbaugh, So., Hawaii

Player of the Year
Brett Hayes, Jr., C, Nevada

Pitcher of the Year
Ricky Bauer, Sr., Hawaii