Rice University Athletics
Three Owls Named To Preseason All-America Team
12/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Dec. 12, 2007
IRVING, Texas - Rice senior Cole St.Clair, junior Aaron Luna and sophomore Ryan Berry were each named 2008 First Team Preseason All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the organization announced on Wednesday (Dec. 12).
The NCBWA selected first, second, and third-team All-America squads for the upcoming 2008 season. Rice and Arizona State both placed the most players (3) on the first team.
St.Clair proved to be one of the most effective college pitchers in the country last season. In 16 appearances the Owl left-hander posted a 1.91 ERA with nine saves. He struck out 26 batters while walking just eight in 28.1 innings and held opposing hitters to a composite .214 batting average. The Santa Ana, Calif., native enters 2008 as Rice's career leader in saves with 22.
Luna was a third team All-America selection a year ago. He batted .315 with 15 doubles and led the Owls in home runs (13), RBI (66), walks (48), slugging percentage (.570) and on-base percentage (.447). A multi-sport standout from Southlake Carroll High School, Luna was named a preseason All-America outfielder. He started seven games in the outfield last season with 35 starts at second base and 23 as the designated hitter. Luna was named the most valuable player of the C-USA Tournament and he enters the 2008 season with 29 career home runs to tie for ninth place on Rice's all-time list.
Berry produced a remarkable rookie campaign. He was named the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year and the C-USA Freshman of the Year after posting an 11-3 record with a 3.01 ERA in his debut season of college baseball. The right-hander from Humble, Tex., struck out 125 batters and walked just 34 in 122.2 innings. Berry tied the Rice freshman school record for victories, set by former major league first round draft pick Matt Anderson in 1995.
The 2008 Rice baseball season begins with the program's biennial varsity-alumni game on Feb. 2. The official season-opener is a big three-game weekend series on the road against Long Beach State beginning on Feb. 22.
