Jan. 5, 2006

Malibu, Calif. - Coming off a 41-23 season in which it advanced to the championship game of the Long Beach Regional and returning 24 letterwinners from last year's squad, the Pepperdine baseball team garnered a No. 11 preseason ranking by Baseball America, the publication announced on Thursday.

The Waves had previously been ranked No. 13 in both Collegiate Baseball and the Rosenblatt.Report.com's preseason polls.

Pepperdine's roster is highlighted by the return of the West Coast Conference's (WCC) "Player of the Year" (Chad Tracy), "Pitcher of the Year" (Paul Coleman) and "Freshman of the Year" (Barry Enright).

Tracy, a 2005 second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and a leading candidate for the 2006 Johnny Bench Award as the country's top collegiate catcher, batted .367 with 12 home runs and 61 RBI as a sophomore last season.

The junior catcher enters the upcoming season as a first team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, second team pick by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) and a third team selection by Baseball America.

As a junior in 2005, Coleman compiled a 9-3 record and 3.35 ERA. He established career-highs in innings pitched (110.0), strikeouts (91) and wins (9). In WCC play, Coleman went 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA, had one complete game and held conference opponents to a .192 batting average.

Coleman returns for his senior campaign after being a ninth-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in last June's First Year Player Draft.

Both Coleman and Tracy were named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List. The award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year.

Enright earned Freshman All-American honors after compiling a 10-1 mark in 2005.

Pepperdine, which concluded the 2005 season ranked No. 23 nationally, begins its 2006 season on February 3 when it opens a three-game series against UNLV at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu.

Defending national champion Texas tops Baseball America's Top 25 preseason poll and is followed by Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech and Cal State Fullerton. North Carolina, Rice, Oregon State, Tennessee and Missouri round out the Top 10.

A total of six teams on the Waves' 2006 schedule are ranked among the Top 25. Pepperdine's schedule includes Cal State Fullerton (No. 5), Oregon State (No. 8), Tulane (No. 12), USC (No. 17), Fresno State (No. 21) and Long Beach State (No. 22).

The completed 2006 Baseball America preseason Top 25 poll:

1. Texas
2. Clemson
3. Florida
4. Georgia Tech
5. Cal State Fullerton
6. North Carolina
7. Rice
8. Oregon State
9. Tennessee
10. Missouri
11. Pepperdine
12. Tulane
13. Mississippi State
14. South Carolina
15. Florida State
16. Arizona State
17. Southern California
18. Arkansas
19. Texas Christian
20. Louisiana State
21. Fresno State
22. Long Beach State
23. Mississippi
24. North Carolina State
25. California