Jan. 28, 2002
LAS VEGAS - A new era in Rebel baseball began with the hiring of head coach Jim Schlossnagle on July 6, 2001. Schlossnagle joined the UNLV family after eight successful years at Tulane University, including the 2001 season, which saw the Green Wave advance to the College World Series.
It is Schlossnagle's desire to bring this type of success to the Rebel baseball program in the near future and this season holds great promise with 14 returning starters, seven in the field and seven on the mound.
PITCHING
The 2002 Rebels have the ability to be successful on the mound after losing only one pitcher who saw considerable time last season. All-conference honoree Ryan Olson chose to forgo his senior season after being selected in the 10th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets.
Sophomore Robbie Van has tremendous ability and may very well fill the void left by Olson. The left-handed Van has good command of three pitches and has good physical size as well. He is coming off of an outstanding summer campaign and a good fall.
Senior Courtney Hall and junior Jared Bonnell are experienced right-handers who should pitch high in the rotation. Hall compiled seven wins last season and is a formidable presence on the mound. He had minor arm surgery in the fall after an extremely successful summer in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Bonnell made a team-high 20 appearances for the Rebels last season and will likely contend for a conference starting position.
Giovanni Pupo, David Seccombe, Doug Thorton, and James Wickman look to strengthen the pitching staff in a variety of roles. Pupo is a crafty lefty who gives the team a consistent strike thrower. Seccombe, a right-handed transfer from the University of San Francisco, is an outstanding athlete and could literally pitch in any role on the staff. Thorton has good physical talent and has the ability to overpower hitters. Wickman, a red-shirt freshman who was injured early in fall practice, threw extremely well over the summer and late in the fall. He has good command of the strike zone and is very competitive.
Seniors Joe Maruffi and Jeremy Weinberg look to pitch in short or set-up relief roles. Maruffi is a co-captain who led the 2001 Rebels in saves with six and had an opponent batting average of only .235. Weinberg, a transfer from Santa Ana College, has a deceptive delivery and a good arm. He could also see action in different roles, including as a hitter.
Ben Scheinbaum, Jason Guerra, Chad Harris, Donnie Watts and Dean Berman all have significant college experience and will compete for mound time in spring practice.
Senior Jake Gann could hold the key to a successful season by the Rebel pitchers. One of the premier pitchers in the nation going into last season, Gann had Tommy John surgery in May and is continuing a strenuous rehab. He could be ready for use by mid-to-late season and may provide a boost on the mound when he returns.
INFIELD
The Rebels return six infielders from the 2001 season, including all four starters. Freshman All-American and local product Brent Johnson is a versatile athlete who could see action anywhere in the field. He will likely begin the season at third base, but could also see time in the outfield.
Sophomore Ryan Ruiz returns at shortstop after gaining a great amount of experience and playing time in 2001. The Silverado High School star is a good defender and hit well over .300 in fall practice.
Senior co-captain David Trujillo returns at first base. Trujillo led the team in hitting last season with a batting average of .371 and will likely be a middle-of-the-order hitter.
Garett Shitanishi, a junior, returns at second base after hitting .351 for UNLV last season. He battles at the plate, runs well and should return to the leadoff position in the batting order.
Senior Tony Schuler, red-shirt freshman Joe Wickman and senior transfer Steve Goldberg round out the infielders. Schuler was hurt most of last season and this fall but, when healthy, can play all of the infield positions. Wickman provides the team with a good left-handed bat while Goldberg, a transfer from Iowa State, is versatile enough to play everything from shortstop to first base.
OUTFIELD
The outfield will see the most shakeup from last season with only senior Jason Reuss returns in right field. Reuss has been drafted twice by major league teams and has tremendous ability both at the plate and in the field.
Junior Brad Hertel had an outstanding fall at the plate and is very athletic for his size. His progress could allow the Rebel lineup to have a powerful middle.
Returnee Eric Nielsen, along with newcomers John Uriegas, Bobby Arruda and Derek Amundsen, will compete for time in the outfield and provide depth. Nielsen is a strong, versatile player who can provide occasional power off the bench. Amundsen is an experienced left-handed hitter, while Arruda joined the program in January from American River Junior College.
CATCHER
The departure of four-year letterman and all-conference honoree Brad Beasley opens the door at the starting catcher spot.
Junior James Nepa had a great fall, showing superb catching and throwing skills, while also hitting for power at the plate. Nepa, who performed at local power Cimarron High School, will compete with two newcomers for the job.
Juniors Robert VanKirk (Broward Community College, FL) and David Hafiz (Fresno State) transferred to UNLV in January. Both bring a wealth of Division-I playing experience.
SCHEDULE
The Rebels will play 17 games against teams that participated in the 2001 NCAA Baseball Championship, including Arizona State, Cal-Berkley, Cal-State Fullerton, Oklahoma State and BYU among others. The first 20 games for the Rebels may be the most challenging as 14 of their opponents during that stretch are ranked in the top 30 of the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll.
Each season also brings the tough grind of Mountain West Conference play. The Rebels will play home-and-home, three-game series against five conference foes for a total of 30 conference games. The conference tournament, to be held this year in Provo, UT, will decide the conference's automatic bid into the 2002 NCAA Baseball Championship.
