Seven Huskers Named All-Big 12

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Oklahoma City ? Johnny Dorn, Jake Opitz and Mitch Abeita highlighted the seven Husker baseball players selected to the 2008 All-Big 12 team Tuesday afternoon. The team, voted on by the league’s coaches, was announced during the Big 12’s Tournament press conference. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Dorn, Opitz and Abeita were all chosen as first-team honorees, marking the fourth time in the last six years that Nebraska had multiple first-team selections. Starting pitcher Thad Weber was the lone Husker on the second team, while first baseman Craig Corriston, outfielder Bryce Nimmo and reliever Dan Jennings were named honorable-mention selections.

 

Abeita received first-team honors after being an honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection in 2007. A Johnny Bench Award semifinalist, he enters the Big 12 Championship with a .343 average, nine homers and 44 RBIs, leading Nebraska in all three triple-crown categories. He ranks among the Big 12 leaders in batting average, walks and on-base percentage, while he reached safely in 49 of 50 games this year. Abeita is the eighth Husker catcher to receive first-team all-conference honors and the first since Jed Morris in 2002.

 

Dorn collects all-conference honors for the fourth consecutive year and returns to the first-team for the first time since his freshman year. A Dick Howser Award semifinalist, he finished the regular season with a 5-1 record and a 2.55 ERA in 13 starts, ranking in the top five of the league in strikeouts (93, second), opponent batting average (.198, second), innings (91.2, fourth) and ERA (fourth). He allowed three runs or less in 11 of his 13 starts and leads all active college pitchers with 36 career wins. Dorn is Nebraska’s first two-time first-team selection since Alex Gordon (2004-05) and first pitcher to accomplish the feat since Aaron Marsden in 2002 and 2003.

 

Opitz earned first-team recognition for the first time in his career, becoming the first Husker to be chosen as a first-team honoree at second base since Sam Sharpe in 1972.* Opitz enters the Big 12 Championship with a .327 average, seven homers and 42 RBIs, while scoring a team-best 45 runs and stealing 13 bases. He set career highs in five offensive categories, including batting average, homers, runs scored, walks and stolen bases.

 

Weber was the only Husker to receive second-team honors, as he was chosen in his first year in the Huskers’ weekend rotation. The senior right-hander from Friend, Neb., is 8-3 with a 5.17 ERA, fanning 66 over 69.2 innings this season. Weber ranks among the Big 12 leaders in wins (third), complete games (two, third) and strikeouts (ninth), while going 6-2 with a 4.56 ERA in conference games.

 

Nimmo earns all-conference recognition for the first time in his career, as the senior center fielder is hitting .305 with 27 RBIs and 42 runs scored. He is third on the team in walks and fourth in runs scored.

 

Corriston receives honorable-mention honors for the second straight year, as he earned recognition at third base a year ago before moving across the diamond this season. He is hitting .294 with four homers and 29 RBIs while finishing the regular season fourth on the team with 12 doubles.

 

Jennings receives all-conference honors for the first time in his career after going 6-2 with four saves and a 2.81 ERA. He ranks among Big 12 leaders in ERA (fifth), opponent batting average (.221, sixth) and saves (four, ninth) and is second on Nebraska’s team in both wins and strikeouts. He tossed 30.1 consecutive shutout innings this season and compiled a 2-2 mark with four saves in 13 Big 12 contests.

 

*-Second baseman John Cole was chosen as an outfielder in 2001, as he split time at both positions that season.

 

 

 

2008 ALL-BIG 12 BASEBALL AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jos? Duran, Texas A&M, SS, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas/North Central Texas College
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Aaron Crow, Missouri, RHP, Jr., Wakarusa, Kan./Washburn Rural
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Chance Ruffin, Texas, RHP, Fr., Austin, Texas/Lake Travis
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jos? Duran, Texas A&M, SS, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas/North Central College
COACH OF THE YEAR: Rob Childress, Texas A&M

ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
Name, School                                      Pos.        Cl.           Hometown/Previous School
Luke Anders,Texas A&M                    1B           Jr.            College Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated
Jake Opitz, Nebraska                       2B           Sr.          Littleton, Colo./Heritage
Jos? Duran, Texas A&M                     SS           Jr.           Fort Worth, Texas/NorthCentralCollege
Dane Carter, Texas A&M                    3B           Sr.           Graham, Texas/Graham
Mitch Abeita, Nebraska                   C             Sr.           Dallas, Texas/NorthCentralTexasCollege
Aaron Senne, Missouri                      OF           So.          Rochester, Minn./Mayo
Neil Medchill, OklahomaState        OF           So.          Oxford, Mich./Chandler-Gilbert CC
Kyle Colligan, Texas A&M                  OF           Jr.            Houston, Texas/Dulles
Jacob Priday, Missouri                      DH          Sr.           Sikeston, Mo./Sikeston
Jordy Mercer, Oklahoma State          UTL        Jr.            Taloga, Okla./Taloga
Aaron Crow, Missouri                        SP           Jr.            Wakarusa, Kan./Washburn Rural
Johnny Dorn, Nebraska                   SP           Sr.           Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island
Andrew Oliver, OklahomaState       SP           So.          Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion
Travis Starling, Texas A&M                RP          So.          Yoakum, Texas/Yoakum

ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM
Name, School                                      Pos.        Cl.           Hometown/Previous School
Rebel Ridling, OklahomaState       1B           Sr.           Sentinel, Okla./Midland JC
Thomas Belza, OklahomaState      2B           Fr.           Loveland, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller
Jordy Mercer, OklahomaState         SS           Jr.            Taloga, Okla./Taloga
Matt Hague, OklahomaState           3B           Sr.           Kent, Wash./Washington
Trevor Coleman, Missouri*               C             So.          Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs
Luis Flores, OklahomaState*          C             Jr.            Del Rio, Texas/Houston
Aljay Davis, Oklahoma                      OF           Sr.           Lakewood, Calif./NE Oklahoma A&M
Jordan Danks, Texas                        OF           Jr.            Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock
Roger Kieschnick, Texas Tech         OF           Jr.            Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall
Darby Brown, Texas A&M                   DH          Sr.           Lubbock, Texas/Cooper
Brian Ruggiano, Texas A&M             UTL        Jr.            Austin, Texas/TempleCollege
Thad Weber, Nebraska                     SP           Sr.           Friend, Neb./Hutchinson CC
Tyler Lyons, Oklahoma State            SP           So.          Lubbock, Texas/Frenship HS
Chance Ruffin, Texas                        SP           Fr.           Austin, Texas/Lake Travis
Daniel Edwards, Kansas State        RP          Sr.           Kingwood, Texas/Kingwood
*A tie in voting resulted in two second-team catchers.

Honorable Mention -- Baylor: Shaver Hansen, 3B; Shawn Tolleson, SP; Beamer Weems, SS Kansas: Buck Afenir, C; John Allman, OF; Erik Morrison, SS; Robby Price, 2B; Ryne Price, OF; Paul Smyth, RP Kansas State: Brad Hutt, SP Missouri: Greg Folgia, 2B; Kyle Gibson, SP; Ryan Lollis, OF Nebraska: Craig Corriston, 1B; Dan Jennings, RP; Bryce Nimmo, OF Oklahoma: Mike Gosse, UTL; Jamie Johnson, OF Oklahoma State: Jordy Mercer, RP, Donnie Webb, OF Texas: Brandon Belt, 1B; Preston Clark, UTL; Cole Green, RP; David Hernandez, SS; Russell Moldenhauer, OF; Cameron Rupp, C; Kyle Russell, OF; Michael Torres, DH Texas A&M: Clayton Ehert, SP; Barret Loux, SP; Brooks Raley, SP; Blake Stouffer, 2B; Kyle Thebeau, RP Texas Tech: Willie Rueda, 2B