Luke Prihoda, Bobby Verbick named first team All-America
6/19/2007 1:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sam Houston State senior pitcher Luke Prihoda of Weimar and junior outfielder Bobby Verbick of Angleton have been named as first team selections to the National College Baseball Writer's Association 2007 All-America squad.
Prihoda led NCAA Division I baseball in saves with 18 this year, setting both Southland Conference and Sam Houston State season records. He compiled a 1.61 earned run avearge and a 7-3 won-loss record, striking out 65 batters while walking only 11 in 72 and two-thirds innings.
He was the winner of the NCBWA's Stopper of the Year Award, , the Southland Conference's "Pitcher of the Year," and the SLC post-season tournament "Most Valuable Player," Prihoda pitched in 35 of Sam Houston's 64 games this year.
Verbick produced a .370 batting average, playing in all 64 games. He led the team with 23 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs, and 81 runs batted in. Verbick had 30 multiple hit games and led the Bearkats with 21 multiple RBI contests.
Sam Houston State and nationally-ranked Vanderbilt were the only two universities to land two players on the Pro-Line National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-American first team.
Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez and pitcher David Price were voted to the first team.
“To have two All-Americans on the first tewam is really, really something,” Bearkats coach Mark Johnson said Wednesday evening. “That puts Sam Houston's name back out there.
“That's special for all of us. It's good recognition for the university, but you've also got to be mindful of what that means to those individuals.
“For Bobby and Luke, that provides lifelong memories, and it is very, very special.”
Prihoda was recently drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball June Draft.
Verbick hit .370 this spring, playing in all 64 games for the Bearkats. He led the team with 23 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs and 81 runs batted in.
The two led the Bearkats to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2000. SHSU went undefeated in the postseason tourney, earning its first NCAA regional berth since 1996. The Bearkats went 2-2 in the regional and advanced to the tournament's championship round.
Prihoda and Verbick became the second and third SHSU baseball players to earn All-America recognition at the Division I level. In 1999, Kelly Eddlemon was a first-team selection after hitting a school-record 26 homeruns.
The American Baseball Coaches Association announced their All-America first, second and third teams this week and both Bearkats found their way on to that list as well. Prihoda, was named to the second team as a relief pitcher and Verbick was a third team outfielder.
“(The selection committee) does such a good job putting that team together,” Johnson said. “It certainly helps that we got to a regional final, because it makes it much easier to vote on those guys. So many times really good players get overlooked because they aren't seen, so it is great for us to be able to get both of those guys a much deserved recognition.”
The ABCA All-America Teams are collegiate baseball's oldest selections, dating to 1949. All Division I coaches have the opportunity to nominate and vote on these selections, which are initially compiled into eight All-Region teams. These teams are then finalized as the first, second and third All-America teams by the ABCA's NCAA Division I All-America and Coach of the Year Committee, chaired by Pat McMahon. This year, the committee selected 59 players as 2007 ABCA All-Americans.
The NCBWA 2007 All-America squad:
Pos. First Team School Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
1B Brett Wallace Arizona State 6-1 245 So. Sonoma, Calif.
2B Tony Thomas Jr. Florida State 5-10 180 Jr. Valrico, Fla.
3B Pedro Alvarez Vanderbilt 6-2 215 So. New York, N.Y.
SS Todd Frazier Rutgers 6-4 220 Jr. Toms River, N.J.
C Sean Coughlin Kentucky 6-1 215 Sr. Morrison, Colo.
OF Kellen Kulbacki James Madison 5-11 205 Jr. Palmyra, Pa.
OF Kyle Russell Texas 6-5 185 So. Tomball, Texas
OF Robbie Widlansky Florida Atlantic 6-2 210 Jr. Coral Springs, Fla.
DH Bobby Verbick Sam Houston State 5-7 205 Jr. Angleton, Texas
UT Joe Savery Rice 6-3 215 Jr. Bellaire, Texas
SP Brian Matusz San Diego 6-4 193 So. Cave Creek, Ariz.
SP Adam Mills Charlotte 6-0 195 Sr. Big Pool, Md.
SP David Price Vanderbilt 6-5 215 Jr. Murfreesboro, Tenn.
SP Jacob Thompson Virginia 6-6 205 So. Danville, Va.
RP Andrew Carignan North Carolina 5-11 215 Jr. Norwich, Conn.
RP Luke Prihoda Sam Houston State 6-5 230 Sr. Weimar, Texas
Second Team: 1B Matt LaPorta, Florida, Sr.; 2B Tyler Mach, Oklahoma State, Jr.; 3B Greg Sexton, William & Mary, Jr.; SS Brandon Turner, Mississippi State, Fr.; C Edward Easley, Mississippi State, Jr.; C Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech, Jr.; OF Corey Brown, Oklahoma State, Jr.; OF Maurice Davis, Alcorn State, Jr.; OF Dominic de la Osa, Vanderbilt, Jr.; OF Grant Desme, Cal Poly, Jr.; DH Kiel Roling, Arizona State, So.; UT Sean Doolittle, Virginia, Jr.; SP Adrian Alaniz, Texas, Jr.; SP Raymond Guilmet, Arizona, So.; SP Bryan Henry, Florida State, Sr.; SP Nick Schmidt, Arkansas, Jr.; RP Matt German, Northern Illinois, Sr.; RP Andy Masten, Creighton, Sr.
Third Team: 1B Dustin Ackley, North Carolina, Fr.; 1B Trey Sutton Southern Miss, Jr.; 2B Logan Johnson, Louisville, Sr.; 3B Blake Stouffer, Texas A&M, Jr.; C Jonathon Lucroy, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.; SS Derek Shunk, Villanova, Jr.; OF Brad McElroy, Charlotte, Jr.; OF Justin Jenkins, West Virginia, Sr.; OF Ryan Lavarnway, Yale, So.; OF Brian Rike, Louisiana Tech, Jr.; OF Emeel Salem, Alabama, Sr.; DH Phil Disher, South Carolina, Jr.; DH Aaron Luna, Rice, So.; UT Zach Putnam, Michigan, So.; SP Nick Chigges, College Of Charleston, Sr.; SP Barry Enright, Pepperdine, Jr.; SP Scott Gorgen, UC Irvine, So.; SP Corey Kluber, Stetson, Jr.; SP Kyle Nicholson Texas A&M, Sr.; SP Wes Roemer, Cal State Fullerton, Jr.; RP Daniel Edwards, Kansas State, Jr.; RP Eryk McConnell, N.C. State, Jr.; RP Casey Weathers, Vanderbilt, Sr.
