January 5, 1999

LAS VEGAS - The 1999 pre-season All-American baseball team, selected by Baseball America, was released today.

UNLV outfielder Ryan Ludwick was selected as a first-team pre-season All-American. Last month (Dec. 17), he was chosen pre-season second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. It marks the second straight season that he was selected as a pre-season All-American. Last season, he was chosen to the pre-season second-team by Baseball America. He becomes the sixth UNLV player in history to be selected as either a pre-season or regular season first-team All-American (Dan Murphy, 1980; Randy Ward, 1980; Matt Williams, 1986; Kevin Lofhtus, 1989; Donovan Osborne, 1989).

Ludwick, a 6-foot-4 junior, returns to UNLV for his third season. He has appeared in 109 games and has a career average of .353 (155-for-439), which ranks him 11th all-time in UNLV history. He also has 35 doubles, 30 home runs and 125 RBI. Last season, he was selected to the All-WAC Second-Team. He appeared in 54 games and batted .353 with 21 doubles, 14 home runs and 57 RBI.

He enjoyed an outstanding summer with the USA Baseball National Team. He appeared in 36 games and was the teams second-leading hitter with a .386 average and had 14 doubles, tied for the team lead with 9 home runs and 27 RBI.

Ludwick, a local product from Durango High School, was also chosen as a 1997 First-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America.

The UNLV baseball team will open the 1999 season against UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Feb. 5, at 3:05 p.m. at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.