Three C-USA Baseball Players Named As First Team All-Americans

Clint King

Three Conference USA players were named as first team all-Americans by USA Today/Sports Weekly, the publication has announced. Houston sophomore reliever Ryan Wagner was joined by Southern Miss outfielders Jeff Cook and Clint King as first team selections. Tulane junior first baseman Michael Aubrey was named as a second team All-American.

Wagner set a school record with 14 saves this season and his 137 strikeouts (in just 73 1/3 innings pitched) rank third on the school’s single-season list. With an average of 16.7 strikeouts per nine innings, he is one pace to break the 39-year old NCAA record in that category.

King and Cook are the top two home run producers in Conference USA, with both players matching the school record with 23 homers this season. King closed out his 203 campaign ranked in the school’s single-season Top 10 in batting average (6th at .394), slugging percentage (3rd at .772), doubles (tied for 5th at 23) and RBI (4th with 77). Cook batted .374 for the season with 76 RBI and a .728 slugging percentage (both fifth on USM’s single-season charts).

Aubrey, the Conference USA Player of the Year, is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy and the Smith Award, all representing the best player in collegiate baseball. He leads Conference USA with a .420 batting average and a .505 on-base percentage, while also topping the circuit in hits (102) and RBI (79), while smacking 18 home runs and 20 doubles.

2003 USA TODAY/SPORTS WEEKLY BASEBALL ALL-AMERICANS

FIRST TEAM
SP Jeff Niemann, Rice
SP Tim Stauffer, Richmond
SP Wade Townsend, Rice
RP Ryan Wagner, Houston
C Ryan Garko, Stanford
1B Billy Becher, New Mexico St.
2B Rickie Weeks, Southern
3B Jamie D'Antona, Wake Forest
SS Dustin Pedroia, Arizona St.
OF Jordan Foster, Lamar
OF Jeff Cook, Southern Miss
OF Clint King, Southern Miss
OF Dustin Majewski, Texas
UT/DH Scott Beerer, Texas A&M

SECOND TEAM
SP Randy Beam, Florida Atlantic
SP Scott Lewis, Ohio State
SP Jered Weaver, Long Beach State
RP Steven Register, Auburn
C Tony Richie, Florida St.
1B Michael Aubrey, Tulane
2B Marc Tugwell, Virginia Tech
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, Nevada
SS Aaron Hill, Louisiana St.
OF Brian Anderson, Arizona
OF Josh Anderson, Eastern Kentucky
OF Shane Costa, Cal. St. Fullerton
UT/DH Stephen Head, Mississippi