June 13, 2006

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Seven Conference USA players have been named to the 2006 Pro-Line Cap/NCBWA All-American team, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced on Tuesday. Three players were named as first team All-Americans, one was honored on the second team and three were named to the third team.

Houston junior pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln, Rice senior righthander Eddie Degerman and Rice sophomore lefthander Cole St.Clair were the three C-USA players that earned first team All-America status. East Carolina senior catcher Jake Smith was named to second team, while Southern Miss senior third baseman Marc Maddox, Rice sophomore utility player Joe Savery and Southern Miss senior righthander Daniel Best earned third team status.

Lincoln emerged as one of the nation's finest all-around players in 2006. He compiled a sparkling 12-2 record with a 1.69 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 127.2 innings of work. Those numbers were even better in C-USA games only where he assembled a 7-0 record with a 1.28 ERA. Lincoln's strikeout total ranked as the third-best mark in UH single-season history and moved him into third in UH career history with 293 punchouts. He was named a C-USA Pitcher of the Week four times during the regular season and was honored as the Pro-Line Cap National Pitcher of the Week after tossing a five-hit shutout with nine strikeouts in the series opener at No. 1 Rice on May 12. However, Lincoln was one of the Cougars' leading hitters all season. In 2006, he compiled a .295 batting average with 14 home runs and a team-leading 53 RBIs.

Degerman has helped the Owls to the College World Series by posting a 13-1 record on the mound with a 1.81 ERA. The senior right-hander has broken the Conference USA single-season record for strikeouts and enters the CWS with 159 K's in 119.2 innings. Degerman is limiting the opposition to a miniscule .174 OBA and has issued only 47 walks all season. He has won a pair of NCAA Tournament games, combining for 23 strikeouts in victories over Baylor and Oklahoma.

St.Clair has come out of the Owls' bullpen to earn 11 saves, compile a 6-2 record and maintain a 1.82 ERA in 69.1 innings of work. He has struck out 94 batters to rank third in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.8. The runner-up for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, given to the nation's top relief pitcher, St.Clair has one of his longest appearances of the season (5.1 innings) in Monday's Super Regional game three, holding Oklahoma at bay to help the Owls to their fifth College World Series in 10 years.

Smith, who is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, led the Pirates in seven offensive categories including average, hits, doubles, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage, while ranking second in home runs with 13. The Greensboro, N.C. native finished his collegiate career with 29 home runs and 135 RBIs, which ranks in the top 12 on ECU's all-time charts.

Maddox was named a first-team All-Conference USA honoree as well as being named a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. He batted .313 with seven doubles, two triples, 18 home runs and a league-leading 70 RBI. Maddox scored 61 runs, walked 32 times and stole a team-high 14 bases. He closed out his Golden Eagle career as the school's all-time leader in hits (296) and home runs (53).

Savery has followed up his National Freshman of the Year season with a sensational sophomore campaign. The two-way performer is batting .335 with 19 doubles, nine home runs and 63 RBI, while splitting time between first base and designated hitter. Although he was unable to pitch for about six weeks due to injury, he still has put up solid numbers on the mound, going 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 13 appearances. In 62 innings pitched, he has 62 strikeouts and just 24 walks.

Best, a first-team All-American last season, was named a second-team All-Conference USA selection in 2006. He finished with a 6-2 record with 13 saves and a 2.22 ERA in 52.2 innings pitched. Best struck out 50, walked 11 and opponents hit .227 against him. He tied the school single-season save record this season and set the career save record with 25.