Wade LeBlanc Named Preseason All-American
12/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Another preseason honor has come the way of University of Alabama sophomore left-hander Wade LeBlanc.
The Lake Charles, La., native has been named to the 2005 Collegiate Baseball newspaper preseason All-American baseball team as a second-team selection.
Earlier this month, LeBlanc was named a second-team preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association.
Last year, LeBlanc became the first player in Alabama baseball history to be named the National Freshman of the Year by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball newspaper. He was also the first UA rookie to win SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
"Wade LeBlanc had a solid freshman season and we are expecting more great things from him this year," Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. "He is a hard worker and is deserving of this honor."
In 16 games last season, including 15 starts, LeBlanc was 8-4 with a 2.07 ERA. The Lake Charles, La., native worked 112.2 innings and allowed 87 hits, 37 runs, 26 earned runs, with 26 walks and 98 strikeouts.
He set UA rookie records for innings pitched, strikeouts, complete games and tied the freshman record with eight wins on the mound.
In addition to his freshman records, LeBlanc also ranks among the school's Top 10 single-season leaders in several categories.
His eight complete games tied Gene Lary (1955) for second place on the school's single-season list. The three shutouts also tied Mike Innes (1968) and Drew Blocker (1974) for third-place on the single-season shutout charts.
LeBlanc's 112 2/3 innings pitched tied Dean Hayes (1983) for seventh place on the single-season innings list. The 98 strikeouts tied Jarrod Kingrey (1998) and Steve Shoemaker (1994) for 10th place on the single-season charts at UA.
The 2005 Collegiate Baseball preseason All-American teams include:
FIRST TEAM PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS
RHP Tim Lincecum, Washington (10-3, 3.53 ERA, 161 K, 82 BB)
RHP Mike Pelfrey, Wichita St. (11-2, 2.18 ERA, 125 K, 24 BB)
RHP Cesar Carrillo, Miami (Fla.) (12-0, 2.69 ERA, 91 K, 43 BB)
RHP Dennis Bigley, Oral Roberts (13-1, 2.91 ERA, 100 K, 25 BB)
LHP Cesar Ramos, Long Beach St. (12-4, 2.29 ERA, 97 K, 35 BB)
LHP Ricky Romero, Cal. St. Fullerton (14-4, 3.37 ERA, 126 K, 42 BB)
Relief Jon Wilson, Winthrop (11-0, 1.88 ERA, 6 SV, 79 K, 17 BB)
C Jeff Clement, Southern California (.293, 10 HR, 12 2B, 43 RBI)
1B John Mayberry, Stanford (.333, 16 HR, 11 2B, 62 RBI, 9 SB)
2B Jed Lowrie, Stanford (.399, 17 HR, 19 2B, 68 RBI, 6 SB)
3B Alex Gordon, Nebraska (.365, 18 HR, 18 2B, 75 RBI, 12 SB)
SS Cameron Blair, Texas Tech. (.371, 14 HR, 23 2B, 81 RBI, 19 SB)
OF Chris Rahl, William & Mary (.389, 20 HR, 10 2B, 70 RBI, 42 SB)
OF Brad Corley, Mississippi St. (.380, 19 HR, 12 2B, 55 RBI, 4 SB)
OF Daniel Carte, Winthrop (Cape Cod League MVP, .339, 10 HR, 14 2B, 54 RBI, 16 SB)
UT Stephen Head, Mississippi (.346, 13 HR, 13 2B, 53 RBI, 6-3 as pitcher, 2.82 ERA, 5 SV)
UT Caleb Moore, East Tennessee St. (.455, 31 2B, 45 RBI, 6 SV, 2-0, 3.60 ERA)
SECOND TEAM PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS
LHP Jason Meyer, Texas A&M
RHP Sam LeCure, Texas
RHP Mark Romanczuk, Stanford
LHP Wade LeBlanc, Alabama
LHP Rowdy Hardy, Austin Peay St.
LHP Zach Zuercher, Rhode Island
RHP Ian Kennedy, Southern California
Relief J. Brent Cox, Texas
C Taylor Teagarden, Texas
C Jared Greenwood, Western Carolina
1B Josh Morris, Georgia
2B Warner Jones, Vanderbilt
3B Steve Pearce, South Carolina
SS Ryan Braun, Miami (Fla.)
SS Tyler Greene, Georgia Tech.
OF Drew Stubbs, Texas
OF Chad Huffman, Texas Christian
OF Steve Caravati, Ohio St.
UT Micah Owings, Tulane
THIRD TEAM PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS
LHP Andrew Miller, North Carolina
RHP Daniel Bard, North Carolina
LHP Nick Hill, Army
RHP John Meloan, Arizona
RHP Jason Urquidez, Arizona St.
RHP Danny Gil, Miami (Fla.)
RHP Aaron Rawl, South Carolina
LHP Ryan Mullins, Vanderbilt
RHP P.J. Walters, South Alabama
RHP Mark Holliman, Mississippi
Relief Blair Erickson, U.C. Irvine
Relief Craig Hansen, St. John's (N.Y.)
Relief Will Startup, Georgia
Relief Anthony Rea, Santa Clara
Relief Ryan Doherty, Notre Dame
C Kiel Thibault, Gonzaga
C Jordan Abruzzo, San Diego
1B Felipe Garcia, Cal. St. Fullerton
1B Erik Lis, Evansville
1B Jeff Larish, Arizona St.
1B Andy Hunter, Minnesota
1B Mike Costanzo, Coastal Carolina
1B Brad Miller, Ball St.
2B Michael Griffin, Baylor
2B Jim Negrych, Pittsburgh
2B Xardiel Cotto, New Mexico St.
3B Jim Geldhof, Central Michigan
3B Ryan Zimmerman, Virginia
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Long Beach St.
SS Brent Lillibridge, Washington
OF Michael Paulk, Cal. St. Northridge
OF Trvis Buck, Arizona St.
OF Byron Barber, Coll. of Charleston
UT Brian Bogusevic, Tulane
WADE LeBLANC CAREER HONORS AND AWARDS
*2005 2nd Team Preseason All-American (NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball)
*2004 Baseball America National Freshman of the Year
*2004 Collegiate Baseball National Freshman of the Year
*2004 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year (SEC Coaches)
*2004 SEC Freshman of the Year (SEBaseball.com)
*2004 First-Team Freshman All-American (Baseball America)
*2004 Third-Team All-American (Baseball America)
*2004 Third-Team All-American (National Collegiate Baseball Writers)
*2004 First-Team All-South Region (American Baseball Coaches Assn)
*2004 First-Team Freshman All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
*2004 First-Team All-SEC (SEBaseball.com)
*2004 Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches)
*SEC Pitcher of the Week (March 28, 2004)
