DENVER ?“ The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2006 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league?™s head coaches. Fresno State shortstop Christian Vitters was named the Player of the Year, Hawai'i?™s Steven Wright earned Pitcher of the Year honors, and the Freshman of the Year award went to Louisiana Tech outfielder Jericho Jones. Hawai'i head coach Mike Trapasso was selected as Coach of the Year.
Vitters, a junior from Anaheim, Calif. (Cypress HS), hit .364 with 29 RBI, eight doubles, four home runs, two stolen bases and scored 22 runs in 24 conference games. In all games, Vitters is hitting .341 and is third in the WAC in both runs scored (50) and RBI (57). He was also named first team all-WAC as a shortstop.
Wright, a junior from Moreno Valley, Calif. (Valley View HS), earned the WAC?™s Pitcher of the Year award after putting together a record of 6-1 in eight WAC appearances. He had an ERA of 2.63 and struck out 60 batters in 54.2 innings. In all games, he has compiled a record of 10-2 in 15 appearances with a WAC-best 2.48 ERA and a WAC-high 110 strikeouts.
Jones, a native of Corinth, Texas (Lake Dallas HS), hit .316 in 24 conference games. He had 23 RBI, seven home runs and scored 20 runs. He was also 1-3 in six starts on the mound with a 6.75 ERA. In all games, he is second in the WAC with a batting average of .370, tied for second with 16 home runs and is fourth in RBI with 56. As a pitcher, he is 5-3 with a 6.54 ERA in 14 appearances.
Trapasso, in his fifth season with Hawai'i, has led the Rainbows to a 40-13 overall record and top 30 rankings in several polls. Hawai'i finished the conference season with a 17-6 record, just a half game out of first, earning the Rainbows the second seed in this week?™s WAC Tournament. It?™s Trapasso?™s second career WAC Coach of the Year award as he also won the honor in 2004.
Fresno State led the conference with seven players on the all-WAC first team. Hawai'i had four, Louisiana Tech two and Nevada and Sacramento State placed one each on the first team. There were no repeat selections from 2005?™s first team, but Vitters was a 2004 first team selection.
Hawai'i placed four players on the second team while Fresno State had three. Louisiana Tech, Nevada and San Jose State had two players selected to the second team while New Mexico State and Sacramento State had one apiece.
2006 ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM
| First Team | | | | | | |
| Name | Team | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Pos. | Hometown (Last School) |
| Buddy Morales | Sacramento State | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | C | West Covina, Calif. (Fullerton JC) |
| Luis Avila | Hawai'i | 6-2 | 230 | Sr. | 1B | Caracas, Venezuela (E. Oklahoma CC) |
| Erik Wetzel | Fresno State | 6-1 | 160 | Fr. | 2B | Chino, Calif. (Don Lugo HS) |
| %Christian Vitters | Fresno State | 6-3 | 205 | Jr. | SS | Anaheim, Calif. (Cypress HS) |
| Beau Mills | Fresno State | 6-3 | 205 | So. | 3B | Visalia, Calif (Golden West HS) |
| Shawn Scobee | Nevada | 6-1 | 205 | Sr. | OF | Rio Linda, Calif. (Cal State Fullerton) |
| Jericho Jones | Louisiana Tech | 6-5 | 205 | Fr. | OF | Corinth, Texas (Lake Dallas HS) |
| Robbie Wilder | Hawai'i | 5-11 | 195 | Sr. | OF | Anderson, Calif. (Sierra CC) |
| Loren Storey | Fresno State | 5-10 | 175 | Jr. | OF | Brandon, Mo. (Crowder CC) |
| Brandon Hudson | Louisiana Tech | 6-1 | 200 | Jr. | UTI | Benton, La. (Benton HS) |
| Steve Susdorf | Fresno State | 6-1 | 185 | So. | DH | Newhall, Calif. (Hart HS) |
| Steven Wright | Hawai'i | 6-2 | 205 | Jr. | SP | Moreno Valley, Calif. (Valley View HS) |
| Doug Fister | Fresno State | 6-8 | 195 | Sr. | SP | Merced, Calif. (Merced CC) |
| Andy Underwood | Fresno State | 6-5 | 205 | Jr. | SP | Madera, Calif. (Fresno City CC) |
| Tyler Davis | Hawai'i | 6-3 | 190 | Jr. | RP | Walnut Creek, Calif. (Santa Barbara CC) |
| | | | | | | |
| Second Team | | | | | | |
| Name | Team | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Pos. | Hometown (Last School) |
| Mims Boyce | Louisiana Tech | 6-0 | 195 | Sr. | C | West Monroe, La. (West Monroe HS) |
| Kent Sakamoto | Fresno State | 6-1 | 220 | Sr. | 1B | Bakersfield, Calif. (East Bakersfield HS) |
| Jonathan Hee | Hawai'i | 6-0 | 170 | So. | 2B | Honolulu, Hawaii (Mid-Pacific Institute) |
| Eli Christensen | Hawai'i | 5-10 | 175 | Jr. | SS | Provo, Utah (Salt Lake City CC) |
| David Flores | Sacramento State | 6-1 | 210 | So. | 3B | Union City, Calif. (James Logan HS) |
| Brian Lapin | Fresno State | 6-6 | 225 | So. | OF | Madera, Calif. (Madera HS) |
| Durell Williams | Nevada | 5-8 | 155 | Jr. | OF | Palo Alto, Calif. (Sonoma State) |
| *Matt Inouye | Hawai'i | 5-10 | 190 | Sr. | OF | Honolulu, Hawaii (Mid-Pacific Institute) |
| Vince Rodden | New Mexico State | 5-9 | 170 | Sr. | OF | Overland Park, Kan. (Johnson County CC) |
| Ryan Angel | San Jose State | 5-10 | 180 | Jr. | UTI | Rocklin, Calif. (Rocklin HS) |
| Terry Walsh | Nevada | 5-11 | 185 | So. | DH | Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Loyola HS) |
| Branden Dewing | San Jose State | 6-0 | 165 | Sr. | SP | Modesto, Calif. (Grace M. Davis HS) |
| Justin Costi | Hawai'i | 6-2 | 205 | Sr. | SP | Elk Grove, Calif. (Sacramento CC) |
| Eddie Romero | Fresno State | 6-1 | 180 | Jr. | SP | Fresno, Calif. (Central HS) |
| Andrew Alsup | Louisiana Tech | 6-1 | 195 | Jr. | RP | Ruston, La. (Ruston HS) |
WAC Player of the Year: Christian Vitters, Jr., SS, Fresno State
WAC Pitcher of the Year: Steven Wright, Jr., Hawai'i
WAC Freshman of the Year: Jericho Jones, OF, Louisiana Tech
WAC Coach of the Year: Mike Trapasso, Hawai'i
*2005 First Team All-WAC
%2004 First Team All-WAC