DENVER - For the seventh year in a row, Rice has been selected to win the 2003 Western Athletic Conference regular season baseball crown in a vote by the league’s six head coaches. The coaches also voted on a preseason all-WAC team, and Rice led the way with nine players making the team including the preseason Player of the Year, sophomore first baseman Vincent Sinisi and Pitcher of the Year, senior Steven Herce.

Rice received 25 points and five first place votes after a 52-14 season in 2002, the regular season WAC title and a trip to its third College World Series in six years. Rice was 28-2 in WAC play last year. Fresno State and San Jose State tied for second with 19 points. The Spartans advanced to the NCAA postseason last year and was 45-17. Hawai‘i and Nevada tied for fourth with 11 points followed by Louisiana Tech with five.

The preseason all-WAC team included nine Rice players: junior outfielder Austin Davis, senior outfielder Dane Bubela, sophomore first baseman Vincent Sinisi, junior second baseman Enrique Cruz, sophomore shortstop Paul Janish, senior catcher Justin Ruchti, senior starting pitcher Steven Herce, sophomore starting pitcher Philip Humber (last year's WAC Freshman of the Year) and junior reliever David Aardsma. Sinisi was picked as the preseason Player of the Year after hitting .428 with 22 doubles, 11 home runs, 80 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 2002. Herce earned preseason Pitcher of the Year after posting a 13-3 record last year with a 2.79 ERA and 104 strikeouts. Fresno State had four players make the team: senior outfielder Joey Myers, junior second baseman Ryan Haag, junior third baseman Casey McGehee and senior utility player Scott Beshears. Nevada featured two players, outfielder Chris Dickerson and designated hitter Tony Cappuccilli. San Jose State and Louisiana Tech each had one player make the team in starting pitcher Matt Durkin and second baseman Brandon Haygood, respectively.

The 41st year of WAC baseball begins Friday, January 31, when Nevada plays at Pacific.

2003 WAC Baseball Coaches’ Poll
(Points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis as coaches not allowed to vote for their own team)
<pre>
Rk. Team 1 2 3 4 5 Total
1. Rice 5 – – – – 25
2. Fresno State 1 2 2 – – 19
San Jose State – 4 1 – – 19
4. Hawai‘i – – 1 4 – 11
Nevada – – 2 2 1 11
6. Louisiana Tech – – – – 5 5</pre>

Preseason All-WAC Team
OF Austin Davis, Jr., Rice
OF Chris Dickerson, Jr., Nevada
OF Dane Bubela, Sr., Rice
OF Joey Myers, Sr. Fresno State
1B Vincent Sinisi, So., Rice
2B Enrique Cruz, Jr., Rice
2B Ryan Haag, Jr., Fresno State
2B Brandon Haygood, So., Louisiana Tech
SS Paul Janish, So., Rice
3B Casey McGehee, Jr., Fresno State
C Justin Ruchti, Sr., Rice
UTI Scott Beshears, Sr., Fresno State
DH Tony Cappuccilli, Sr., Nevada
SP Steven Herce, Sr., Rice
SP Philip Humber, So., Rice
SP Matt Durkin, So., San Jose State
RP David Aardsma, Jr., Rice
Player of the Year: Vincent Sinisi, So., Rice
Pitcher of the Year: Steven Herce, Sr., Rice