May 22, 2007

GREENVILLE, N.C. - After batting .375 in Conference USA play, tops among league freshman and seventh overall, Marshall second baseman Josh Valle (Brentwood, N.Y.) has been named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team, the league office announced today.

Valle started 38 of the 46 games he appeared in as a true freshman and was second on the team in on-base percentage (.413) and third in RBI (24). He ranked second on the team with six multiple-RBI games and third in multiple-hit games with 14.

Despite battling a leg injury down the stretch, Valle finished the 2007 season red hot by hitting safely in 18 of the last 23 games he appeared in. He also recorded multiple hits in eight of the last 15 games.

Valle becomes the second Marshall player to earn all-league laurels from C-USA. Senior Brendan Murphy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), who played his final game in a Thundering Herd uniform on Saturday at UCF, was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team in 2006 - Marshall's first season as a C-USA member.

Regular season champion Rice dominated the C-USA awards, claiming Player of the Year (1B/P Joe Savery), Pitcher of the Year (Ryne Tacker), Freshman of the Year (P Ryan Berry) and Coach of the Year (Wayne Graham). Outfielder Jimmy Cesario of Houston was named the inaugural C-USA Newcomer of the Year.

Rice, ranked No. 2 in the nation, placed a league-high seven players on the all-conference first and second teams.

All-Conference USA Teams
First Team
IF - Brian Friday, Sr., Rice
IF - Joe Savery, Jr., Rice
IF - Trey Sutton, Sr., Southern Miss
IF - Kiko Vazquez, So., UCF
OF - J.R. Bond, Sr., UAB
OF - Jimmy Cesario, So., Houston
OF - Harrison Eldridge, Jr., East Carolina
C - Danny Sawyer, Sr., UAB
DH/UT - Joey Lieberman, Sr., Memphis
P - Ryan Berry, Fr., Rice
P - Shooter Hunt, So., Tulane
P - Wes Musick, Fr., Houston
P - Ryne Tacker, Sr., Rice
RP - Shane Mathews, Jr., East Carolina

Second Team
IF - Adam Amar, Sr., Memphis
IF - Dale Mollenhauer, Jr., East Carolina
IF - Bill Moss, Sr., Memphis
IF - Michael Murray, Sr., Memphis
OF - Tyson Auer, Jr., UCF
OF - Jared Gayheart, So., Rice
OF - Ryan Tousley, Sr., East Carolina
C - Luis Flores, So., Houston
DH/UT - Aaron Luna, So., Rice
P - Ryan Belanger, Sr., Southern Miss
P - T.J. Hose, Jr., East Carolina
P - Sean Morgan, Jr., Tulane
P - Joe Savery, Jr., Rice
RP - Patrick Ezell, Sr., Southern Miss

All-Freshman Team
JP Ballinger, P, Southern Miss
Ryan Berry, P, Rice
Preston Claiborne, P, Tulane
Shay Crawford, P, UAB
Chris Duffy, 3B, UCF
Jonathan Merritt, SS, UAB
Wes Musick, P, Houston
Zak Presley, OF, Houston
Kyle Roller, DH, East Carolina
Diego Seastrunk, IF, Rice
Josh Valle, IF, Marshall