Nov. 20, 2007
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball received signed national letters of intent from six student-athletes who will enroll at UNLV next fall and be ready to play during the 2009 season for the Rebels, head coach Buddy Gouldsmith announced Tuesday.
"We are extremely excited by the level of talent in what has the makings of a great recruiting class," Gouldsmith said. "These kids come from great programs as well as great families and we look forward to the day they arrive on campus."
It is a group that is made up of four high school athletes and two junior college transfers. The prep athletes include Andy Beresford, Kyle Conroy, Trent Fuller and Tanner Peters. The two junior college transfers are Tyson Mehlhoff of nearby College of Southern Nevada and Glenn DeWeese of American River College in Sacramento, Calif.
This year's recruiting class is made up of individuals from three different states, including four from California and one each from Arizona and Nevada.
"I would like to commend our recruiting coordinator, Dave Martinez, and the entire staff on several months of hard work," Gouldsmith said. "We still have a few needs that we will look to fill in the spring, but those needs are greatly diminished by the quality of this class."
UNLV's 2007 Recruiting Class
Andy Beresford ... A senior right-handed pitcher at Corona Santiago HS in Corona, Calif. ... a three-time letterwinner in baseball ... earned first team All-Mountain View League honors as a junior ... named to the All-Riverside Country second team last year as well ... set the school record for strikeouts in a season with 75 in 73.1 innings of work ... tossed just the school's second no-hitter of al time last year ... pitched in the Mariner Cup in Seattle, Wash., last summer ... chose UNLV over Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and UC Riverside.
"Andy is a quality young man with a bright future in this game," Gouldsmith says. "He has a tremendous upside on the mound and will no doubt be someone to be reckoned with as he continues to develop. He is the future of UNLV on the mound and we couldn't be more excited."
Kyle Conroy ... A senior at Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale, Ariz. ... a left-handed pitcher ... holds five school records: innings pitched, wins, strikeouts, complete games and shutouts ... three a complete-game no-hitter last year ... earned first team all-region honors in 2007 and second team all-region honors in 2006 ... earned honorable mention all-state in 2007 ... plans to study business at UNLV ... comes from the same prep program that produced current Rebel catcher Michael Brenly ... chose UNLV over Portland and Santa Clara.
"Kyle is from the same high school as our catcher, Michael Brenly, so we know he can compete at a high level," Gouldsmith says. "He adds much needed depth from the left side of the mound and he is an excellent student with a very high ceiling."
Glenn DeWeese ... Currently a sophomore at American River College in Sacramento, Calif. ... a left-handed pitcher ... appeared in 10 games as a freshman, making three starts ... went 2-0 with one save and a 3.60 ERA for the Beavers ... struck out 11 and walked four in 25.0 innings of work ... went to high school at Bishop Manogue HS in Reno, Nev.
"Glenn is a left-handed pitcher who commands the strike zone," Gouldsmith says. "He has been on our radar since high school and we are always excited to welcome players from Nevada to our program, whether it is from high school or via junior college. Glenn pitches at the top of the rotation for a junior college that competes in one of the premier conferences in California so he will be well seasoned and gain valuable experience prior to attending UNLV."
Trent Fuller ... Currently a senior at Fairfield HS in Fairfield, Calif. ... a three-year starter at shortstop ... two time all-league selection and was named his team's 2007 Team MVP and Pitcher of the Year ... hit .421 as a junior in 19 games with an on-base percentage of .534 and a slugging percentage of .649 ... also threw 30.2 innings, posting a 0.91 ERA with 42 strikeouts against just two walks ... his brother Chais played for Texas and is currently in the Atlanta Braves' minor league system ... chose UNLV over Arizona, Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount.
"Trent is a talented player, both offensively and defensively," Gouldsmith says. "He will immediately impact the left side of our infield and is skilled enough offensively to hit in the top of the order. He comes from a long line of talented athletes."
Tyson Mehlhoff ... A sophomore at the College of Southern Nevada ... an outfielder who hit .283 with a home run, 15 RBI and 17 runs scored for the Coyotes ... stoles five bases and added two outfield assists ... a corner outfielder who could also play first base or be a designated hitter ... graduated from Pleasant Grove HS in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
"Tyson gives us the addition of a much needed left-handed bat," Gouldsmith said. "He is a mature player that will challenge to hit in the middle of the order and provide leadership for our club."
Tanner Peters ... Currently a senior at Royal HS in Simi Valley, Calif. ... a right-handed pitcher ... in 12 starts as a junior he tossed three complete game and a shutout on his way to a 5-3 record ... worked 64.1 innings, striking out 62 and walking just 24 while posting a 1.74 ERA ... also hit .351, driving in 14 runs to go along with 10 doubles ... chose UNLV over Arizona and Arizona State.
"Tanner is an extremely competitive young pitcher," Gouldsmith says. "He attacks the strike zone with three pitches and pitches much bigger than his frame. His ability will give him an opportunity to make an impact on our pitching staff as a freshman."
