Jan. 18, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The TCU Horned Frogs have been picked to repeat as the regular season Mountain West Conference baseball champion in 2007. In a vote of the seven MWC head coaches and a select media panel, the Horned Frogs received nine of a possible 10 first-place votes and 69 points, while San Diego State (one first-place nod) received 52 points to finish second in the poll.
BYU tallied 47 points for a third-place standing in the poll, while UNLV (43 points) was fourth, New Mexico (34 points) fifth, Utah (22 points) sixth and Air Force (11 points) seventh. TCU placed four players on the preseason all-MWC team, followed by New Mexico with three, and BYU, San Diego State, UNLV and Utah with one apiece.
TCU, ranked as high as No. 15 in national preseason polls, returns six starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament squad, including preseason All-American Jake Arrieta (Jr., RHP) and 2006 all-MWC selections Andrew Walker (Jr., C), Austin Adams (Sr., OF), Sam Demel (Jr., RHP), Bryan Kervin (Jr., SS) and Matt Carpenter (Jr., 3B). The Horned Frogs were 39-23 overall last season (17-5 MWC) and captured the MWC postseason tournament title.
San Diego State returns one starter, sophomore Nick Romero (2B, second-team all-MWC last season), as well as first-team all-conference right-handed pitcher Bruce Billings. The Aztecs were 23-26 last season (14-8 MWC) finishing tied for second in the regular season standings. BYU will be led by freshman All-American Jordan Muir (So., RHP), 2006 all-league pick Jesse Craig (Jr., RHP) and preseason all-conference selection Apana Nakayama (Sr., DH). Nakayama returns to the Cougar lineup after redshirting the 2006 season due to a knee injury. BYU returns three starters from last year.
UNLV returns six starters from last year’s fourth-place MWC squad that finished 12-10 in conference play (29-30 overall), including 2006 all-conference member and preseason all-conference selection Keith Smith (Sr., OF) and Chris Bonnell (Sr., 1B). New Mexico returns seven starters (10 letterwinners overall), including preseason All-Americans Ian Hollick (Jr., 3B) Daniel Stovall (Sr., 1B) and Jordan Pacheco (Jr., 2B). Utah has 10 letterwinners back, including 2006 all-MWC pick John Welsh (Sr., OF) and Jay Brossman (Sr., IF), from last year’s squad that finished sixth in the MWC (9-13, 28-28 overall). Air Force has six starters back, including returning team batting leader Karl Bolt (Sr., 1B).
The regular season opens Jan. 26, with UNLV playing the first of a three-game series at Cal State Northridge. The conference season begins Thu., March 15 with BYU taking on UNLV. The MWC Championship is scheduled for May 23-26 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
2007 MWC PRESEASON POLL
(selected by MWC head coaches and select media)
Rk. – Team (1st place votes), Points
1. TCU (9), 69
2. San Diego State (1), 52
3. BYU, 47
4. UNLV, 43
5. New Mexico, 34
6. Utah, 22
7. Air Force, 11
2007 MWC PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(selected by MWC head coaches and select media)
Pos. – Name, Class, Institution
C – Andrew Walker, Jr., TCU
1B – Daniel Stovall, Sr., New Mexico
2B – Jordan Pacheco, Jr., New Mexico
3B – Ian Hollick, Jr., New Mexico
SS – Bryan Kervin, Jr., TCU
OF – Keith Smith, Sr., UNLV
OF – Austin Adams, Sr., TCU
OF – John Welsh, Sr., Utah
P – Bruce Billings, Sr., San Diego State
P – Jake Arrieta, Jr., TCU
UT/DH – Apana Nakayama, Sr., BYU