May 25, 2001
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State University senior catcher Casey Myers, the 2001 Pac-10 Player of the Year, was named to the second team Louisville Slugger All-American baseball team as announced by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper this morning from Tucson, Ariz.
The All-America honor marked the third year of his stellar four-year career that he has earned some type of All-American consideration. Myers was a freshman All-American in 1998 and was also a third-team overall All-American that year by the NCBWA in helping ASU to a second-place finish at the College World Series. After not earning All-America distinction during his sophomore year, Myers was a unanimous All-American on the field in 2000 after hitting .412, belting 18 home runs and knocking in 97 RBI. The second-team selection by Collegiate Baseball this year adds to an already impressive list of accolades earned by the senior catcher in 2001. Myers is a semifinalist for the Rotary Smith Player of the Year Award, Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year Award and NCBWA Dick Howser Award.
Myers is batting .386 with 83 hits, 49 runs scored, 16 doubles, six home runs and 66 RBI during his final season as a Sun Devil. He has been among the Pac-10 leaders in several hitting categories throughout the 2001 season and last week became only the third player in Pac-10 history to repeat as the Pac-10 Player of the Year. Heading into NCAA Tournament play for the third time in his four-year ASU career, Myers needs just 12 RBI to break the Pac-10 and ASU career record of 283 set by former Sun Devil Andrew Beinbrink (1996-99). Myers also recently became only the third Sun Devil to record 300 hits in a career and with 308 is within striking distance of the school record of 322 set by former ASU great Clay Westlake.
Myers, who was also a second-team pick by Collegiate Baseball last year, has received numerous accolades for his Academic abilities as well as his baseball skills. Named to the Verizon District VIII Acadmeic All-America team for the third straight year in early May, Myers is looking to repeat as the Baseball Academic All-American of the Year. He received two degrees from Arizona State (Mathematics/Economics) when he graduated with honors in early May.
Myers was the only Sun Devil named to the 70-player team. Relief pitchers Andy Torres (12-4, 4.16) and Drew Friedberg (4-1, 1.88) were not selected to the, but have still been an instrumental part of ASU's success on the mound as ASU heads into its 25th NCAA Tournament in a 3 p.m. game today against Texas Tech at Goodwin Field in Fullerton, Calif.. Both pitchers were named All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention last week. Freshman left fielder Rod Allen, a first-team All-Pac-10 selection, along with a host of other players that make up what is being tabbed as the best freshman class in school history, will find out if they are named freshman All-Americans when the team is announced early next week.
Career statistics for: Casey Myers
Year AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB-ATT 1998.... .386 51-48 184 35 71 17 0 8 58 20 36 1-1 1999.... .329 51-46 170 39 56 11 0 6 51 25 24 1-4 2000.... .412 59-59 238 71 98 19 0 18 97 34 24 4-5 2001.... .386 55-55 215 49 83 16 0 6 66 34 19 2-3 TOTALS.. .382 216-208 807 194 308 63 0 38 272 113 103 8-13
The following are the first, second and third team Louisville Slugger All-Americans for the 2001 season.
FIRST TEAM
RHP -- Mark Prior, Southern California RHP -- Justin Pope, Central Florida RHP -- Dewon Brazelton, Middle Tennessee St. RHP -- Aaron Heilman, Notre Dame RHP -- Kirk Saarloos, Cal. St. Fullerton RHP -- Shane Komine, Nebraska Relief -- Lee Gronkiewicz, South Carolina C -- Kelly Shoppach, Baylor 1B -- John VanBenschoten, Kent St. 2B -- Michael Woods, Southern SS -- Chris Burke, Tennessee 3B -- Jeff Baker, Clemson OF -- John-Ford Griffin, Florida St. OF -- Ryan Brunner, Northern Iowa OF -- Shelley Duncan, Arizona OF -- Jason Law, Monmouth DH -- Brian Baron, UCLA UT -- Cory Sullivan, Wake Forest
SECOND TEAM LHP -- Noah Lowry, Pepperdine RHP -- Kenny Baugh, Rice RHP -- Nic Ungs, Northern Iowa RHP -- Mike Rogers, Oral Roberts RHP -- Todd Pennington, S.E. Missouri St. RHP -- Nate Fernley, Brigham Young Relief -- Randy Corn, The Citadel C -- Casey Myers, Arizona St. C -- Chris Shelton, Utah 1B -- Dan Johnson, Nebraska 2B -- Daniel Uggla, Memphis SS -- Javy Rodriguez, Miami (Fla.) SS -- Andy Cannizaro, Tulane 3B -- Jake Gautreau, Tulane OF -- Matt Davis, Virginia Commonwealth OF -- OF Billy McCarthy, Rutgers OF -- Jason Knoedler, Miami (Ohio) OF -- Greg Dobbs, Oklahoma DH -- Jason Brooks, Marshall UT -- Mark Pedersen, Valparaiso
THIRD TEAM LHP -- Willie Collazo, Florida International RHP -- Jason Arnold, Central Florida RHP -- James Garcia, U.C. Santa Barbara LHP -- Scott Nicholson, Oregon St. RHP -- Rik Currier, Southern California RHP -- Jeremy Herauf, Winthrop RHP -- Steve Reba, Clemson LHP -- Lenny DiNardo, Stetson LHP -- Andy Dickinson, Illinois LHP -- Lane Mestepey, Louisiana St. Relief -- Jeff Carswell, Georgia Relief -- Dave Bush, Wake Forest Relief -- Casey Shumaker, Jacksonville C -- Jeremy Brown, Alabama C -- Alex Trezza, SUNY-Stony Brook 1B -- Phillip Hartig, The Citadel 1B -- Kevin Mitchell, McNeese St. 1B -- Aaron Clark, Alabama 1B -- Ernie Durazo, Arizona 2B -- Ryan Kyes, Ohio 2B -- Clemente Bonilla, S.E. Missouri St. 2B -- Josh Renick, Middle Tennessee St. SS -- Jeremy Kurella, Central Florida SS -- Bobby Crosby, Long Beach St. SS -- Josh Labandeira, Fresno St. 3B -- Jack Hannahan, Minnesota 3B -- Kevin Youkilis, Cincinnati 3B -- Willie Core, Louisiana-Monroe OF -- John Cole, Nebraska OF -- Gregg Davies, Towson OF -- Chris May, Pennsylvania UT -- Dan Harren, PepperdineNational Player Of The Year 2001: RHP Mark Prior, USC
Copy By Jeff R. Evans
ASU Media Relations