Kevin Kouzmanoff was named 2003 WAC Player of the Year.

May 27, 2003

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DENVER - The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2003 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league's head coaches. Nevada senior third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff was named the Player of the Year, Rice sophomore Jeff Niemann earned Pitcher of the Year honors, and the Freshman of the Year award went to Nevada catcher Brett Hayes. Nevada head coach Gary Powers and Rice head coach Wayne Graham were selected as Co-Coaches of the Year.

Kouzmanoff, a senior from Evergreen, Colo. (Arkansas-Little Rock), hit .388 with 38 RBI, seven doubles, nine home runs and scored 31 runs in 28 conference games. He led the WAC in hits (47), RBI, home runs and total bases (81). In all games, he hit .361 and led the conference in RBI (67), home runs (17) and total bases (147).

Niemann, a sophomore from Houston, Texas (Lamar HS), earned the WAC's Pitcher of the Year award after putting together a record of 10-0 in 10 WAC starts. He had an ERA of 1.19 and led the conference with 85 strikeouts. In all games, he was 14-0 in 18 appearances with a 1.68 ERA and 120 strikeouts.

Hayes, a native of Calabasas, Calif. (Notre Dame HS), hit .373 in 29 conference games. He had 29 RBI, seven doubles and three home runs. In all games, he was second in the WAC in hitting with a .365 batting average and hit eight home runs with 63 RBI.

Powers, in his 21st season with Nevada, led the Wolf Pack to a second place finish in the WAC with a 19-10 record. Overall, Nevada was 32-24. Graham is in his 12th year with Rice. The Owls won their seventh straight WAC title with a 25-5 record. Overall, Rice is 48-10 and is hosting a regional this weekend, its eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Its Powers' first WAC Coach of the Year award and Graham's fourth.

Rice led the conference with nine players on the all-WAC first team. Nevada was second with three players followed by Fresno State with two and Hawai'i and San Jose State with one. Repeat selections from 2002's first team included Rice's Vincent Sinisi, Chris Kolkhorst, Austin Davis and Philip Humber. This is Davis' third consecutive year on the first team.

Nevada placed five players on the second team, followed by Fresno State with three, Hawai'i and Rice with two and Louisiana Tech and San Jose State with one.

  

2003 ALL-WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM



First Team
Name               Team       Ht.   Wt.   Yr.  Pos.    Hometown (Last School)

Brett Hayes        Nevada     6-1    170   Fr.   C     Calabasas, Calif. (Notre Dame HS)

*Vincent Sinisi    Rice       6-0    195   So.  1B     The Woodlands, Texas (Texas)

Enrique Cruz       Rice       5-10   185   Jr.  2B     Houston, Texas (Bellaire HS)

Chris Patrick      Fresno St. 5-10   185   Jr.  SS     Fresno, Calif. (Clovis HS)

Kevin Kouzmanoff   Nevada     6-1    200   Sr.  3B     Evergreen, Colo. (Arkansas-Little Rock)

*Chris Kolkhorst   Rice       5-10   180   Jr.  OF     Houston, Texas (Blinn College)

*&Austin Davis     Rice       5-10   170   Jr.  OF     Houston, Texas (Spring Branch Memorial HS)

Scott Beshears     Fresno St. 5-8    175   Sr.  OF     Fresno, Calif. (Bullard HS)

Jeff Jorgensen     Rice       5-11   185   Jr.  OF     Houston, Texas (Spring Branch Memorial HS)

Chris Gimenez      Nevada     6-1    205   So.  OF     Gilroy, Calif. (Gilroy HS)

#Dane Bubela       Rice       5-10   190   Sr.  DH     Houston, Texas (Blinn College)

Brent Cook         Hawai'i    5-10   185   Sr.  UTI    Alamo, Calif. (California)

Jeff Niemann       Rice       6-9    260   So.  SP     Houston, Texas (Lamar HS)

#Matt Durkin       SJSU       6-4    210   So.  SP     San Jose, Calif. (Willow Glen HS)

*Philip Humber     Rice       6-4    210   So.  SP     Carthage, Texas (Carthage HS)

#Wade Townsend     Rice       6-4    225   So.  RP     Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs HS)



Second Team

Name               Team       Ht.    Wt.   Yr.  Pos.  Hometown (Last School)

#Justin Ruchti     Rice       6-2    200   Sr.   C    Houston, Texas (San Jacinto-North College)

Erick Streelman    Nevada     6-5    240   Jr.   1B   Bellflower, Calif. (Valley Christian HS)

Ryan Haag          Fresno St. 5-10   180   Jr.   2B   Newhall, Calif. (Cal State Northridge)

*Paul Janish       Rice       6-2    180   So.   SS   Cypress, Texas (Cypress Creek HS)

*%Casey McGehee    Fresno St. 6-1    190   Jr.   3B   Santa Cruz, Calif. (Soquel HS)

Jacob Butler       Nevada     6-2    175   So.   OF   Yelm, Wash. (Yelm HS)

Jaziel Mendoza     Hawai'i    6-0    207   Jr.   OF   Tracy, Calif. (Delta College)

John Brandon       LTU        5-11   180   Sr.   OF   Bastrop, La. (Panola JC)

Aaron Bates        JSU        6-4    213   Fr.   DH   La Selva Beach, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty)

Taylor Pullins     Nevada     5-11   170   Sr.   UTI  Orem, Utah (Dixie JC)

Mateo Miramontes   Nevada     6-4    200   Jr.   SP   Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista HS)

Cody Smith         Fresno St. 6-3    200   Jr.   SP   Santa Maria, Calif. (Hancock CC)

Chris George       Hawai'i    6-2    176   Sr.   SP   Santa Cruz, Calif. (Cypress JC)

Zachary Basch      Nevada     6-3    185   Sr.   RP   Sylvania, Ohio (Hofstra)



WAC Player of the Year:   Kevin Kouzmanoff, Sr., 3B, Nevada

WAC Pitcher of the Year:   Jeff Niemann, So., Rice

WAC Freshman of the Year: Brett Hayes, C, Nevada

WAC Co-Coach of the Year: Gary Powers, Nevada and Wayne Graham, Rice



*2002 First Team All-WAC

#2002 Second Team All-WAC

&2001 First Team All-WAC

%2001 Second Team All-WAC