For the first time ever, Conference USA has the number one national seed in the NCAA Championship, as top-ranked Tulane hosts the New Orleans Regional. The Green Wave are joined in the NCAA's by TCU, Southern Miss and East Carolina, the same four teams that represented C-USA in last year's championship. It is the fourth straight season that the league has produced at least four NCAA teams and the conference has 31 NCAA appearances in its first 10 seasons.


2005 C-USA TOURNAMENT
Presented by POWERade
(Hattiesburg, Miss.)

Wed., May 25
(4) East Carolina 6, (5) Houston 5
(1) Tulane 8, (8) UAB 6
(2) TCU 4, (7) Louisville 2
(3) Southern Miss 5, (6) USF 3

Thu., May 26
Houston 7, UAB 5
USF 11, Louisville 1
Tulane 16, East Carolina 3
TCU 8, Southern Miss 0

Fri., May 27
Houston 6, East Carolina 4
Southern Miss 9, USF 3

Sat., May 28
Tulane 10, Houston 1
TCU 13, Southern Miss 7

Sun., May 29
Championship Game
TCU vs. Tulane (cancelled due to weather)


ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

All-Tournament Team
C Brian Baisley, USF
IF Brad Emaus, Tulane
IF Chad Huffman, TCU
IF Dustin Kingsbury, Houston
IF Trey Sutton, Southern Miss
OF Keith Conlon, TCU
OF Jason Lowery, Southern Miss
OF Nathan Southard, Tulane
DH Mike Grace, East Carolina
P Brian Bogusevic, Tulane
P Lance Broadway, TCU
P Sam Demel, TCU
P Micah Owings, Tulane

Tournament MVP: Nathan Southard, Tulane


C-USA SENDS FOUR TEAMS TO NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Conference USA has received four bids to the 2005 NCAA Baseball Championship, as announced by the Division I baseball committee on Monday. Tulane will host the New Orleans Regional as the No. 1 national seed, while TCU will be the No. 2 seed in Waco, Texas, Southern Miss will be the No. 2 seed in Oxford, Miss. and East Carolina will travel across the country to Tempe, Arizona where it will compete as the No. 3 seed. Only the SEC (9), ACC (7), Big 12 (5) and Pac 10 (5) had more selections than C-USA and no other league had more than two bids.

Tulane (50-9) has owned the best record in college baseball nearly all season and has spent all but three weeks ranked as the No.1 ranked team in at least one of the polls. The Green Wave won the regular season Conference USA title by four games, matching the largest margin in league history and were co-champions of the C-USA Tournament. Tulane will be hosting a regional for the first time since 2001, when it hosted a regional and a Super Regional en route to the school's first College World Series appearance. Tulane will face SWAC champion Southern (29-16) in its first game on Friday. The Wave will then play either No. 2 seed Louisiana-Lafayette (47-17), regular season champions of the Sun Belt Conference, or No. 3 seed Alabama (38-21), an at-large choice from the SEC, in the next round.

TCU (40-19) will be making back-to-back NCAA appearances for the first time in school history and just the fourth time ever after sharing the Conference USA Tournament title on Sunday. The Horned Frogs will play Stanford (32-23), an at-large choice from the Pac-10, in the Waco regional. Number four national seed Baylor (39-21), Big 12 regular season co-champions, will play Southland Conference tournament champion Texas-San Antonio (27-32) in the other Friday game in that regional.

Southern Miss (41-19) has won 40 games for a school-record third in a row and will also be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight time. The Golden Eagles will be the No. 2 seed in the Oxford Regional and will open play against Oklahoma (33-24), an at-large selection from the Big 12 Conference, on Friday. Host Ole Miss (44-18) will play America East champion Maine (34-17) in the other game on Friday.

East Carolina (35-24) overcame numerous injuries to make its seventh consecutive NCAA appearance. The third-seeded Pirates are matched up with second-seeded Arizona State (34-22), the only one of the 16 regional hosts that is not a number one seed. Coastal Carolina (48-14), Big South Conference regular season champions, will play UNLV, champions of the Mountain West Conference in the other first-day game.

Future C-USA member Rice (41-17), which joins Conference USA for the 2006 baseball season, received an at-large bid for the Baton Rouge Regional. The Owls, who will be making their 11th straight NCAA appearance, will face Northwestern State in their first game on Friday.

All four regionals will be held between Friday, June 3 and Monday, June 6. Winners will advance to two-team super-regionals, which will be played June 10-13 at sites to be determined. The 56th College World Series will take place June 17-27 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

The four bids to the 2005 NCAA Championship gives Conference USA 31 NCAA appearances in its first 10 seasons, including four straight years of at least four bids. Five straight years a C-USA team has advanced to a Super Regional and once a team has reached the College World Series. Last year, two C-USA teams reached Super Regional play for the first time.


Conference USA in the 2005 NCAA Championship

New Orleans Regional
Friday, June 3
No. 1 Tulane (50-9) vs. No. 4 Southern (29-16) 2:30p
No. 2 Alabama (38-21) vs. No. 3 Louisiana-Lafayette (47-17) 6:30p

Waco Regional
Friday, June 3
No. 2 TCU (40-19) vs. No. 3 Stanford (32-23) 2:00p
No. 1 Baylor (39-21) vs. No. 4 Texas-San Antonio (27-32) 6:00p

Oxford Regional
Friday, June 3
No. 2 Southern Miss (41-19) vs. No. 3 Oklahoma (33-24) 3:00p
No. 1 Mississippi (44-18) vs. No. 4 Maine (34-17) 7:00p

Tempe Regional
Friday, June 3
No. 1 Coastal Carolina (48-14) vs. No. 4 UNLV (34-27) 4:00p
No. 2 Arizona State (34-22) vs. No. 3 East Carolina (35-24) 9:00p

All times Central


YEAR BY YEAR NCAA SELECTIONS
2005 East Carolina, Southern Miss, TCU Tulane
2004 East Carolina, Southern Miss, TCU Tulane
2003 East Carolina, Houston, Southern Miss, Tulane
2002 East Carolina, Houston, Louisville, USF, Tulane
2001 Hosuton, USF, Tulane
2000 Houston, Tulane
1999 Houston, Southern Miss, Tulane
1998 Charlotte, Tulane
1997 Houston, USF
1996 Tulane, USF

SUPER REGIONAL TEAMS
2004 East Carolina, Tulane
2003 Houston
2002 Houston
2001 Tulane
2000 Houston

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES TEAMS
2001 Tulane


C-USA NOTEBOOK

CHARLOTTE
The 49ers concluded their season with a four-game win streak, including a sweep of Memphis on the road. The team capped off its best campaign since winning 32 games in 2000, and also posted its highest C-USA win total since that year. Several 49ers put their names into the school and C-USA record books, including closer Erik Walker. He led C-USA in saves, became both the single-season (12) and career (16) saves leader at Charlotte, and ranks fourth on the C-USA all-time single-season list, and tied for sixth on the C-USA career saves chart. Senior Adam Willard went out in style, finishing the regular season as the only player among the C-USA top 12 in batting average, hits, RBI, doubles, triples, and stolen bases. Sophomore 2B Cory Lane tied the C-USA record with 11 triples, and broke the record for triples in league games (7). As a team, Charlotte broke the league mark with 29 triples, as 10 different players recorded at least one.

CINCINNATI
The Bearcats turned their first triple play since 1964 in the May 20 game at USF. With runners on first and second, shortstop Mark Haske caught a line drive, stepped on second base for the second out, then tagged the runner going to second to complete the unassisted triple play. The last time UC turned a triple play was in 1964 vs. Louisville, prior to the birth of any of the Bearcat players or coaches. Senior RHP Josh Kay recorded a save vs. Eastern Kentucky on May 17 to give him nine for the year, tying him for second on UC's single season list. Kay ranks fifth in school history in career saves. Junior 1B Logan Parker had at least one RBI in eight of the Bearcats' final 10 games. The Bearcats stole a season-high six bases vs. Eastern Kentucky on May 17, just four off of the school record. The total was UC's highest since grabbing six on Feb. 23, 2003 at Vanderbilt. Senior C Jim Olds hit safely in his final 13 collegiate games. During the streak, Olds batted .444 (20-for-45) with three doubles, four RBI and seven runs scored.

EAST CAROLINA
The Pirates will be making their seventh straight trip to the NCAA championship when they play at No. 20 Arizona State on Friday night. East Carolina has made 21 all-time NCAA appearances, more than any other C-USA team. After starting league play at 0-5, East Carolina posted an 18-7 record in conference games to finish fourth in the regular season standings. Injuries forced head coach Randy Mazey to use 39 different starting lineups this season and ECU went the entire season without the services of five pitchers that were a combined 22-3 in 2004. Junior OF Brian Cavanaugh heads into the NCAA Tournament leading the league in batting at .379. He also has 12 doubles, a team-high 14 stolen bases and 35 RBI. Righthander T.J. Hose leads all Conference USA freshmen in victories with seven. He is 7-3 with a 3.96 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 20 appearances (nine starts). ECU has three freshmen starting in the field that are batting over .300 - Dale Mollenhauer (.337), Ryan Peisel (.320) and Harrison Eldridge (.311).

HOUSTON
Junior OF Travis Tully, who closed out the season having made 144 consecutive starts entering the conference tournament, led the league with a .430 batting average in conference games, 30 points higher than any other player. His 52 hits in C-USA play tied for the second-most in conference history. Sophomore RHP/1B Brad Lincoln ended the season with a strikeout total of 106, becoming just the ninth player in UH history to record 100 strikeouts in a season. At the plate, Lincoln hit .337 with 15 doubles and 52 RBI. Junior P/IF Kevin Roberts is also a two-way performer for the Cougars. He was 6-3 with a 4.00 ERA and 79 strikeouts on the mound, while he batted .346 with 16 doubles, nine homers and 38 RBI at the plate. Junior SS Dustin Kingsbury, who was named to C-USA All-Tournament team, finished with a team-high 58 RBI on the season.

LOUISVILLE
The Cardinals finished 15-14 in C-USA play, their best league record since the 2002 squad went 21-9 en route to the school's first NCAA appearance. Senior IF J.T. LaFountain finished his U of L career in eighth place in school history with 229 career hits. He ranks in the top 10 of seven different career categories at U of L. Junior OF Boomer Whiting stole 26 bases on the season, the sixth-highest single-season total in school history. He was just four short of the single-season record. Senior RHP Brian Halford closed out his career with eight saves on the season and 15 in his career, placing him fifth and third, respectively, in the U of L record books. He also made 71 career appearances, placing him sixth all-time. Louisville has played a league-high 17 one-run games this season, posting an 8-9 record in those games.

MEMPHIS
The Tigers failed to qualify for the Conference USA Tournament for just the third time in 10 seasons in the league. Freshman CF K.K. Chalmers, who hit safely in ten of his last 12 conference games, had eight multi-hit, six multi-RBI and four multi-stolen base performances in league play. He hit .311 in C-USA play, while stealing 11 bases in 13 attempts. Sophomore 1B Adam Amar was one of two Tigers to play in all 55 games, batting .301 with seven homers and 53 RBI. Junior RHP Drew Jaudon had a team-low ERA of 3.27 and was 3-3 with two saves in 19 appearances on the year.

SAINT LOUIS
The Billikens closed out their 10-year tenure in Conference USA with a 6-0 shutout victory at East Carolina on May 21. Sophomore RHP Ryan Bird allowed just three hits in tossing his only shutout of the year. Bird, who finished 5-5 overall, was 4-4 in league play with a 2.16 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings pitched. Senior IF Drew Eder closed out his career with two hits and two RBI in the win. Junior OF Johnny Sweeney led the team in batting this season at .340, hitting a team-best 15 doubles and driving in 30 runs. Senior IF Scott Peden's 12 home runs this season were the most by a Billiken since Brett Bredensteiner hit 12 in 1998, which tied for eighth on the school's single-season list. Peden also set a school record this season by hitting safely in 30 consecutive games.

SOUTHERN MISS
The Golden Eagles will be making their third straight NCAA appearance for the first time in school history. Southern Miss also posted its third straight season with 20 or more wins in Conference USA play and its third year in a row with more than 40 wins. Senior C Brad Willcutt leads C-USA in RBI (82), is tied for the lead in home runs (16), while ranking fourth in doubles (21) and second in slugging percentage (.613). Willcutt became the school's career leader in runs with 202 and also owns the school record for doubles (72) and RBI (236). With 289 career hits, he needs four more to pass Jeff Cook for the all-time leader in that category. At .354, second baseman Trey Sutton has the top batting average among all C-USA freshmen, a figure that ranks eighth overall. Junior IF Marc Maddox is batting .356 with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, 58 RBI and a team-best 14 stolen bases. Junior RHP Daniel Best is 3-0 with 11 saves (second-most in school history and two shy of Tony Phillips' record set in 1991), while posting a 0.50 ERA and 36 strikeouts with seven walks.

TCU
For the first time in school history, the Horned Frogs will be making back-to-back NCAA appearances when they play in the Waco Regional. TCU also set a new school record for victories this season with 40, breaking last year's record of 39. Being declared co-champions of the Conference USA Tournament allowed the Frogs to repeat their C-USA Tournament title. Junior RHP Lance Broadway has set new school single-season records for victories (14) and strikeouts (144). The nation-leading 14 wins are also a new Conference USA record for victories in a season, while he needs 13 more strikeouts to tie the league's single-season mark. Sophomore IF Chad Huffman has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 outings and is batting .348 with 12 doubles, and team highs of 12 home runs and 51 RBI. Sophomore IF Shelby Ford tops the team in batting at .377 with 16 doubles and a club-best 12 stolen bases. In four years as a member of Conference USA, TCU won 31 of its 40 league series.

TULANE
The Green Wave will host the New Orleans Regional as the No.1 national seed, the first time that Conference USA has produced the top national seed. Tulane earned its fourth Conference USA regular season championship and its fifth tournament title. The Wave has a pair of pitchers that have each recorded more than 100 strikeouts on the season. Utility athletes Micah Owings and Brian Bogusevic have each topped the century mark, with Owings recording 117 and Bogusevic 114. They are the first Green Wave duo to post 100 strikeouts in the same season since 1996 when Jack Cressend and Jason Navarro posted 123 and 110 strikeouts, respectively. Owings, the Conference USA Player of the Year, is batting .326 with 15 doubles, 16 home runs and 54 RBI, while Bogusevic is hitting .324 with seven doubles and 20 RBI in 108 at-bats. Third baseman Brad Emaus (.346, 13 homers, 52 RBI) was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year, while head coach Rick Jones won the Keith LeClair Coach of the Year award. It marks the first time that the same team produced the Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year since 2001, when Tulane accomplished the feat during its run to the College World Series.

UAB
The Blazers posted their highest win total in conference play since 1998 and UAB recorded 30 wins for the second straight season, the first time it has accomplished that feat in back-to-back years since 1996-97. Senior RHP Eric Roberts closed out his career tied for third place all-time in saves (13), while ranking fifth in appearances (69) and 10th in strikeouts (135), despite pitching just two seasons for the Blazers. Senior IF Seth Rollin hit his eighth home run of the season in the regular season finale at Louisville, tying him with Cole Helms and Nathan McCorkle for the team lead. Freshman CF Clint Toomey led UAB in batting (.341). The Blazers tied with Cincinnati for the second-best fielding percentage in Conference USA this season (.972).

USF
The Bulls closed out the season with a 33-31 record, marking the 16th time in head coach Eddie Cardieri's 20 seasons at USF that the team has won 30 or more games. Senior 3B Jeff Baisley smacked a league-leading and USF single-season record 26 doubles, while ranking third in the conference in hits (89). He also became just the fourth player in school history to record more than 200 career RBI (209). Righthander Daniel Thomas became the second straight freshman to lead USF in victories, winning nine games. Sophomore RHP Casey Hudspeth recorded eight victories last year during his freshman season and also picked up eight wins this season.


THE POLLS

Baseball America (May 30)
1. TULANE (50-9)
2. Oregon State (41-9)
3. Nebraska (51-13)
4. Cal State Fullerton (41-15)
5. Georgia Tech (42-16)
6. Texas (45-14)
7. Arizona (37-19)
8. Baylor (39-21)
9. Mississippi (44-18)
10. Tennessee (41-19)
11. Florida (40-20)
12. Long Beach State (36-20)
13. Louisiana State (38-20)
14. Rice (41-17)
15. Clemson (39-21)
16. Missouri (39-21)
17. Miami (Fla.) (38-17-1)
18. Alabama (38-21)
19. Mississippi State (41-20)
20. Florida State (50-18)
21. Southern California (37-19)
22. North Carolina State (40-17)
23. Arizona State (34-22)
24. TCU (40-18)
25. Coastal Carolina (48-14)

Collegiate Baseball (May 30)
1. TULANE (50-9)
2. Cal State Fullerton (41-15)
3. Oregon State (41-9)
4. Nebraska (51-13)
5. Georgia Tech (42-16)
6. Baylor (39-21)
7. Texas (45-14)
8. Florida (40-20)
9. Arizona (37-19)
10. Tennessee (41-19)
11. Mississippi (44-18)
12. Clemson (39-21)
13. Miami (Fla.) (38-17-1)
14. Florida State (50-18)
15. Long Beach State (36-20)
16. Louisiana State (38-20)
17. Rice (41-17)
18. Alabama (38-21)
19. Southern California (37-19)
20. Arizona State (34-22)
21. North Carolina (40-17)
22. College of Charleston (47-13)
23. Louisiana-Lafayette (47-17)
24. Coastal Carolina (48-14)
25. South Carolina (38-21)
26. North Carolina State (40-17)
27. TCU (40-18)
28. Wichita State (49-22)
29. St. John's (39-14)
30. Mississippi State (41-20)


Sports Weekly (May 30)
1. TULANE (50-9)
2. Oregon State (41-9)
3. Cal State Fullerton (41-15)
4. Nebraska (51-13)
5. Texas (45-14)
6. Georgia Tech (42-16)
7. Rice (41-17)
8. Florida (40-20)
9. Arizona (37-19)
10. Baylor (39-21)
11. Mississippi (44-18)
12. Louisiana State (38-20)
13. Miami (Fla.) (38-17-1)
14. Florida State (50-18)
15. North Carolina (40-17-1)
16. Long Beach State (36-20)
17. Tennessee (41-19)
18. Southern California (37-19)
19. Clemson (39-21)
20. Louisiana-Lafayette (47-17)
21. Mississippi State (41-20)
22. College of Charleston (47-13)
23. South Carolina (38-21)
24. Arizona State (34-22)
25. North Carolina State (40-17)
ARV:
TCU

NCBWA (May 30)
1. TULANE (50-9)
2. Oregon State (41-9)
3. Cal State Fullerton (41-15)
4. Nebraska (51-13)
5. Texas (45-14)
6. Florida (40-20)
7. Georgia Tech (42-16)
8. Arizona (37-19)
9. Baylor (39-21)
10. Florida State (50-18)
11. Miami (Fla.) (38-17-1)
12. Louisiana State (38-20)
13. Louisiana-Lafayette (47-17)
14. Long Beach State (36-20)
15. Rice (41-17)
16. Alabama (38-21)
17. North Carolina State (40-17)
18. North Carolina (40-17)
19. Tennessee (41-19)
20. College of Charleston (47-13)
21 Mississippi (44-18)
22. Missouri (39-21)
23. Arizona State (34-22)
24. Coastal Carolina (48-14)
25. TCU (40-18)
26. Southern California (37-19)
27. Arkansas (37-20)
28. St. John's (39-16)
30. SOUTHERN MISS (41-19)
31. Clemson (39-21)
32. Wichita State (49-22)
33. Mississippi State (41-20)
34. Ohio State (39-18)
35. Northwestern State (40-18)

C-USA ANNOUNCES ALL-DECADE TEAM
Conference USA is celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2004-05 season. In conjunction, the league has named a Team of the Decade for each of the conference's 19 sports. Baseball is the latest sport to have its All-Decade team released and the squad is led by former Tulane All-American Jake Gautreau, the league's only two-time Player of the Year, who was named the Player of the Decade. The Baseball Coach of the Decade award was won by Tulane's Rick Jones, who has led the Green Wave to four Conference USA regular season championships and four C-USA Tournament titles. Voting on the awards was done by each of the league's current baseball coaches. Tulane produced a league-high four selections on the 11 member All-Decade team. Houston was the only school to have three, while Cincinnati, Louisville, Southern Miss and USF each had one player named to the squad.

ALL-DECADE TEAM
Jake Gautreau, Tulane (1999-2001)
Kevin Youkilis, Cincinnati (1998-2001)
Brad Sullivan, Houston (2001-03)
Shane Nance, Houston (1997-2000)
Kyle Crowell, Houston (1998-2000)
Mark Jurich, Louisville (2001-2004)
Jeff Cook, OF, Southern Miss (2000-03)
Michael Aubrey, Tulane (20001-03)
James Jurries, Tulane (1999-2002)
Chad Sutter, Tulane (1996-99)
Ross Gload, USF (1995-97)

PLAYER OF THE DECADE
Jake Gautreau, Tulane (1999-2001)

COACH OF THE DECADE
Rick Jones, Tulane (1996-present)

NOTING C-USA IN 2005
* Tulane (50-9) owns the best record in college baseball. This marks the second year in a row that Conference USA has produced the team with the best regular season record in Division I (East Carolina last year).
* Eight Conference USA teams have won at least one game against a nationally-ranked, non-conference opponent.
* C-USA teams have posted a total of 26 wins over nationally-ranked, non-conference opponents during the regular season.
* In games played against the five conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-10, Big West) ranked ahead of Conference USA in the pseudo-conference RPI rankings, C-USA teams have a combined record of 32-40.
* Among the teams that C-USA has defeated this season are: Cal State Fullerton (Tulane), Florida (USF), LSU (Tulane, Houston, UAB), Baylor (TCU, Houston), Long Beach St. (Houston), Rice (Houston), Alabama (Southern Miss, UAB), Arizona St. (Tulane), Georgia (ECU and Louisville) and Coll. of Charleston (East Carolina).
* Of the 24 teams other than Tulane ranked in this week's Sports Weekly Coaches Poll, C-USA teams have faced 14 of them, winning at least once against 10 of them.
* Eight C-USA teams have won at least 30 games.
* Conference USA has seven players that have earned National Player of the Week honors this season.

C-USA AWARDS
Here's a look at the 2005 Conference USA postseason awards:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Micah Owings, Tulane

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Lance Broadway, TCU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Brad Emaus, Tulane

KEITH LeCLAIR COACH OF THE YEAR
Rick Jones, Tulane

FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
IF Shelby Ford, TCU
IF Brad Emaus, Tulane
IF Marc Maddox, Southern Miss
IF Tommy Manzella, Tulane
OF Brian Cavanaugh, East Carolina
OF Nathan Southard, Tulane
OF Travis Tully, Houston
C Brad Willcutt, Southern Miss
DH/UT Micah Owings, Tulane
P Brian Bogusevic, Tulane
P Lance Broadway, TCU
P Ricky Brooks, East Carolina
P Matt Farrington, Houston
RP Daniel Best, Southern Miss

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
IF Jeff Baisley, USF
IF Chad Huffman, TCU
IF J.T. LaFountain, Louisville
IF Mark Minicozzi, East Carolina
IF Trey Sutton, Southern Miss
OF Jason Lowery, Southern Miss
OF Boomer Whiting, Louisville
OF Adam Willard, Charlotte
C Greg Dini, Tulane
DH/UT Kevin Roberts, Houston
P Ryan Bird, Saint Louis
P J.R. Crowel, Tulane
P T.J. Hose, East Carolina
P Casey Hudspeth, USF
RP Erik Walker, Charlotte

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Brad Emaus, 3B, Tulane
T.J. Hose, RHP, East Carolina
Matt McGuirk, DH, TCU
Dale Mollenhauer, IF, East Carolina
Keith Moreland, RHP, Charlotte
Sean Morgan, RHP, Tulane
Ryan Peisel, OF, East Carolina
Trey Sutton, 2B, Southern Miss
Daniel Thomas, RHP, USF
Clint Toomey, OF, UAB
Andrew Walker, C, TCU

TWO C-USA PLAYERS NAMED TO HOWSER SEMIFINALIST LIST
Two Conference USA standouts have been named to among the 16 semifinalists for the 2005 Xanthus-Dick Howser Trophy, given to the nation's top collegiate baseball player. Tulane utility player Brian Bogusevic and TCU pitcher Lance Broadway are C-USA's players that are receiving National Player of the Year consideration.

C-USA HAS TWO OF 10 SEMIFINALISTS FOR ROGER CLEMENS AWARD
Two Conference USA hurlers have been named to among the 10 semifinalists for this year's Roger Clemens Award, given to the nation's top collegiate baseball player. Tulane lefthander Brian Bogusevic and TCU righthander Lance Broadway are C-USA's players that are receiving National Pitcher of the Year consideration.

PSEUDO-RPI REPORT
Four Conference USA teams are ranked in the Top 43 of the latest Pseudo-RPI's, and all eight C-USA Tournament participants are in the top 79, as published by Boyd Nation (www.boydsworld.com). Here's a look at where each C-USA school ranked in the May 30 ratings:

1. Tulane
28. TCU
33. Southern Miss
44. East Carolina
56. Houston
61. USF
71. Louisville
79. UAB
133. Charlotte
169. Cincinnati
212. Saint Louis
221. Memphis

WINNING WAYS
At 50-9, Tulane is putting up one of the highest victory totals in Conference USA history. Here's a look at the winningest teams in the league's first nine seasons.

56-13 Tulane 2001
51-13 East Carolina 2004
50-9 Tulane 2005
48-15 Tulane 1998
48-17 Houston 2002
48-17 Tulane 1999
48-18 Houston 2000
47-16 Southern Miss 2003
47-19 USF 1996
45-19 Southern Miss 2004

HAIL TO THE VICTORS
TCU junior RHP Lance Broadway has set a new TCU single-season record for victories with 14 and has also broken the C-USA record for wins that had been held by four other pitchers. Tulane's Brian Bogusevic is tied for the third-most victories in a season with 12. Here's a look at the top win totals in the league's first ten seasons:

14 Lance Broadway, TCU 2005
13 Brad Sullivan, HOU 2002
13 Kyle Crowell, HOU 2000
13 Jared Berkowitz, TUL 1999
13 Josh Bobbitt, TUL 1998
12 Brian Bogusevic, TUL 2005
12 John Maine, CHA 2001
12 Jared Berkowitz, TUL 2000
12 Scott Glaser, USF 1999
12 Scott Glaser, USF 1996
12 Jason Navarro, TUL 1997

RINGING 'EM UP
TCU's Lance Broadway has posted the third-highest single-season strikeout total in league history. With 144 strikeouts this season, he trails former Houston hurler Brad Sullivan, who posted the top two strikeout totals in league history, and ex-Cougar Ryan Wagner. Here's a look at the top single-season strikeout performances in league history:

SINGLE-SEASON STRIKEOUT TOTALS
157 Brad Sullivan, Houston 2002
152 Brad Sullivan, Houston 2003
148 Ryan Wagner, Houston 2003
144 Lance Broadway, TCU 2005
144 John Maine, Charlotte 2001
138 John McKay, Charlotte 1998

C-USA ALL-AMERICANS
TCU's Lance Broadway was named a second team All-American by Sports Weekly on May 25. Here's a look at the players from Conference USA that have received All-American recognition this spring:

SPORTS WEEKLY
SECOND TEAM
RHP Lance Broadway Jr. TCU