May 19, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - UNLV junior Xavier Scruggs was named the Mountain West Conference's Player of the Year, the league announced today on the eve of the Phillips 66 MWC Baseball Championship.
Scruggs put together one of the most dominating seasons at the plate in recent Rebel history, hitting his way to the MWC Triple Crown with 20 home runs, 65 RBI and a .389 batting average. He also led the MWC in slugging percentage (.778), on-base percentage (.489) and total bases (168), while ranking in the top five in runs scored (60), doubles (20), hits (84) and walks (38).
The 20 home runs slugged thus far this season by Scruggs marks the first time that a Rebel has hit at least 20 home runs in a season since Kevin Lofthus hit a school-record 26 in 1989. Scruggs is also just the second player in MWC history to earn the Triple Crown, joining former Rebel great Eric Nielsen, who accomplished the feat in 2004. Nielsen also earned MWC Player of the Year as well that year, the first Rebel to earn the award.
San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named the Pitcher of the Year, Rafeal Neda of New Mexico was named the freshman of the year and Jim Schlossnagle of TCU garnered Coach of the Year honors.
The MWC All-Conference team was also announced and regular-season champion TCU and second-place New Mexico headlined this year's all-conference squad with eight selections apiece, while San Diego State has five honorees. This year's team was made up of 13 juniors, six sophomores, five seniors and two freshmen. Scruggs was the only UNLV representative on the all-league team.
UNLV is the sixth seed in the upcoming Phillips 66 MWC Baseball Championship and will play third-seeded San Diego State on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. (PST) at Lupton Stadium on the campus of TCU. The game will be carried live by The Mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network and also on KSHP 1400 AM.
2008 All-Mountain West Conference Baseball Team
FIRST TEAMPosition Name Team Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School)Catcher Brian Holaday TCU 5-11 190 So. Dallas, Texas (North Central Texas)First Base Xavier Scruggs UNLV 6-1 215 Jr. San Diego, Calif. (Poway HS)Second Base Ben Carruthers TCU 5-10 155 Jr. Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown HS)Shortstop Troy Hanzawa* San Diego State 5-9 155 Sr. Wahiawa, Hawai`i (Yavapai JC)Third Base Nick Romero!* San Diego State 6-1 200 Jr. Chula Vista, Calif. (Eastlake HS)Outfield Sean McNaughton BYU 5-9 190 So. Lakewood, Wash. (Curtis HS)Outfield Brian Cavazos-Galvez New Mexico 6-1 215 Jr. Albuquerque, N.M. (New Mexico JC)Outfield Clint Arnold* TCU 5-9 190 Sr. Grand Prairie, Texas (Arkansas)Designated Hitter Cody Guymon Utah 6-1 200 Jr. Livermore, Calif. (St. Mary's)Pitcher Stephen Strasburg* San Diego State 6-4 220 So. San Diego, Calif. (West Hills HS)Pitcher Tyler Lockwood TCU 6-0 170 So. Sugar Land, Texas (Kempner HS)Pitcher Stephen Fife Utah 6-3 215 Jr. Boise, Idaho (Everett CC)Relief Pitcher Andrew Cashner TCU 6-6 180 Jr. Montgomery, Texas (Angelina JC)
SECOND TEAMPosition Name Team Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School)Catcher Rafael Neda New Mexico 5-11 205 Fr. Obregon, Sonora (Amphitheater HS [Ariz.])First Base Kevin Atkinson New Mexico 6-0 205 Jr. Surrey B.C. (New Mexico JC)Second Base Mike Brownstein New Mexico 5-10 165 Jr. Tucson, Ariz. (Pima CC)Shortstop Scott Gracey New Mexico 6-2 195 So. Albuquerque, N.M. (La Cueva HS)Third Base Ian Hollick! New Mexico 6-2 205 Sr. Corona, Calif. (Santiago HS)Third Base Matt Carpenter! TCU 6-3 208 Jr. Sugar Land, Texas (Elkins HS)Outfield Kent Walton BYU 6-0 185 Jr. Yucaipa, Calif. (Yucaipa HS)Outfield Pat Colwell San Diego State 5-10 180 So. Lakewood, Calif. (Mayfair HS)Outfield Chris Ellington TCU 6-1 195 Jr. Weatherford, Texas (Grayson CC)Pitcher Bobby LaFromboise* New Mexico 6-4 195 Sr. Downey, Calif. (Rio Hondo CC)Pitcher Shane Kaufman San Diego State 6-0 180 Sr. San Diego, Calif. (Grossmont JC)Pitcher Sean Hoelscher TCU 6-3 196 Fr. Robstown, Texas (Calallen HS)Relief Pitcher Clinton Cox New Mexico 6-2 205 Jr. Rock Springs, Wyo. (Vernon College)
Player of the Year - Xavier Scruggs, UNLVPitcher of the Year - Stephen Strasburg, San Diego StateFreshman of the Year - Rafael Neda, New MexicoCoach of the Year - Jim Schlossnagle, TCU
*2007 All-MWC Selection!2006 All-MWC Selection
