Sports

HAC names Sully best college player

Cougar Sports Staff

The preseason for the UH baseball teamis 2003 campaign has been filled with accolades and top-10 rankings. Chief among those being recognized weeks before the first pitch is thrown is junior pitcher Brad Sullivan. And heill have at least one more moment in the spotlight when heis honored by the Houston Athletic Committee on Friday.

Brian Viney/The Daily Cougar

Sullivan was named the Houston Area Preseason College Player of the Year and will be presented with the award during the 18th annual HAC dinner at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Astros outfielder Lance Berkman, first baseman Jeff Bagwell, pitchers Roy Oswalt and Ricky Stone, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kip Wells and New York Mets manager Art Howe will also be honored at the event. They all either played here or have Houston connections.

Sullivan was named the 2002 Conference USA Pitcher of the Year and was a consensus First-Team All-American after compiling a 13-1 record, a 1.82 ERA and 157 strikeouts. He was the ace of a staff that finished the 2002 season with a 3.20 team ERA.

The Cougars were ranked No. 11 by the ESPN Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll, No. 7 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, No. 10 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 11 by Baseball America going into the season.

They will begin play Feb, 7 in Malibu, Calif., at the Battle of the Beach against Pepperdine, California-Santa Barbara and Washington.

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