June 2, 2006

HOUSTON -- Rice senior Eddie Degerman and sophomores Brian Friday and Cole St.Clair were named to Collegiate Baseball magazine's 2006 Louisville Slugger all-America team the publication announced on June 2, the opening day of NCAA regional action across the country including the Owls' home at Reckling Park.

Degerman was named first team all-America while Friday and St.Clair were selected to the publication's third team. He backed up his preseason all-America with one of the best collegiate seasons in the country. The senior is 11-1 with a 1.80 and 136 strikeouts in 105 innings. The standout from Granada Hills, Calif., ranks among the NCAA leaders in ERA, wins and strikeouts per nine innings (11.7 per game). When facing nationally-ranked teams Degerman maintained a 1.32 ERA and held those elite opponents to a composite .173 batting average. He was a first team all-Conference USA selection and earlier this week he was tabbed as a 2006 all-America by the College Baseball Foundation and a first team Academic all-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Friday's sensational season at shortstop is a reason the Owls (50-10) are the number one team in the country. The sophomore from Houston led the team and ranks among the C-USA's best in batting average (.379), hits (88), doubles (20), runs scored (62), total bases (135), on-base percentage (.464) and stolen bases (16). He is one of three Owls to start all 60 games and he had two or more hits in a game 24 times. Friday had a 20-game hitting streak during the year but his defense was just as steady up the middle. He registered a .959 fielding percentage and turned or started 36 of the Owls' 56 double plays.

St. Clair followed up freshman all-America accolades a year ago with third team honors in his sophomore campaign. The left-handed pitcher emerged as the team's closer where he has saved 10 of the Owls' games. St.Clair is 5-2 with a 1.59 ERA in 62.1 innings. The Santa Ana, Calif., native is second among the NCAA leaders in strikeouts per nine innings (12.7 pg) and ERA. He leads C-USA in appearances (32), and opponents' batting average (.137). Earlier the year he was on the watch list of the Clemens Award and on June 1 he was named as one of five national finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award.

Rice baseball has had at least one all-America selection in each of the last 13 years. The Owls host Prairie View, Arizona State and Baylor and in an NCAA Regional this weekend (June 2-5) at home Reckling Park.