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UH Baseball�s Goodnight, Ramsey Flourishing In Cape Cod League

No Author — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:12:00 CST

Goodnight Named Pitcher of the Week, Ramsey Named All-Star Game Starter

HOUSTON � A pair of University of Houston baseball players are beginning the final weeks of a successful summer in the Cape Cod League after earning a pair of honors.

Caleb Ramsey, who will begin his senior season at UH in 2011, was recently named a starter for the 48th annual All-Star game on July 28 at Fenway Park in Boston. Ramsey will protect the outfield, representing Yarmouth-Dennis. The Houston native is batting .317 in 35 games with seven doubles, a triple and 15 RBI.

Ramsey is one of two C-USA players to advance to the All-Star game. He will share the outfield with Drew Martinez of Memphis as members of the Eastern Division.

Five Houston Cougars Earns Places on Preseason All-Conference USA Team

No Author — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:59:00 CST

HOUSTON � Senior quarterback Case Keenum and junior return specialist Tyron Carrier highlighted the University of Houston football team�s selections on the Preseason All-Conference USA Team.

Keenum was named the league�s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Carrier was recognized as the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year. They were two of the Cougars� five picks on the Preseason Team announced by the league office Wednesday morning.

Senior wide receiver James Cleveland joined Keenum on the Offensive First Team, while junior Marcus McGraw and senior defensive back Jamal Robinson were named to the Defensive First Team. Carrier was selected as a kick returner on the Special Teams First Team.

Houston and Tulsa tied for the most players on the Preseason Team with five each. UCF had four preseason honorees and Southern Miss added three.

Baseball Rules Committee Announces Changes - Rules to be implemented that address the pace of play and proposed an alteration to the rules governing obstruction by fielders

No Author — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:24:00 CST

INDIANAPOLIS -The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee has voted to implement rules that address the pace of play and proposed an alteration to the rules governing obstruction by fielders.

After allowing the use of a pitch and between innings clock experimentally last year, the committee voted to mandate the use of a timing device and implemented penalties for non-compliance. Current rules require pitchers to start their delivery in no more than 20 seconds without runners on base. This rule remains and an umpire will be required to monitor and enforce this time limit. Additionally, in non-televised games, umpires will enforce a 90 second limit between innings. The committee recommended a time limit for televised games of 108 seconds, which the Southeastern Conference used experimentally during the 2010 season. However, the committee acknowledged that the time between innings will continue to be a negotiable point in television agreements.

�The committee was pleased with the results of the clock experimentation last year,� said Gary Overton, chair of the committee and associate athletics director at East Carolina University. �We believe that enforcing these time limits will keep the pace of the game moving without artificially altering the game.�

Houston Athletics Announces Dates and Sites for Coaches� Road Tour

No Author — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:16:00 CST

HOUSTON �University of Houston fans are invited to six area restaurants throughout the summer to meet with Cougar coaches, administrators and alumni as part of the annual Coaches� Road Tour.

The Coaches� Road Tour begins at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 22 at the Ragin� Cajun in Sugar Land. Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades, football head coach Kevin Sumlin and golf head coach Jonathan Dismuke are scheduled to attend and discuss the upcoming seasons as well as the future of Houston Athletics.

�This is such an exciting time in Houston Athletics, and these visits in the community give us a chance to build the passion throughout our loyal fan base,� Rhoades said. �The more our fans have a chance to enjoy fellowship with our coaches and staff, the more they truly see the hard work being invested to make UH a championship program.

Houston Quarterback Case Keenum Earns Place on Davey O�Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List

No Author — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:17:00 CST

HOUSTON � University of Houston senior quarterback Case Keenum received another preseason honor Wednesday when he was named to the 2010 Davey O�Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List.

The O'Brien Award is presented annually to the best college quarterback of the year and is the nation's oldest and most prestigious quarterback award. The O'Brien honors candidates who exemplify Davey O'Brien's enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics.

The watch list was compiled by a subset of The O'Brien National Selection Committee, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2010 college football season.

Houston Golfer Jordan Rumora Teams with Father to Win State Father-Son Title

No Author — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:47:00 CST

BRYAN, Texas � University of Houston sophomore golfer Jordan Rumora and his father Craig recently captured the title at the State Father-Son Championship at Miramont Country Club.

With a score of 17-under-par 271 for the tournament, the Rumoras ran away with the championship, winning by 12 strokes.

The younger Rumora fired an impressive 33 on the back nine with two birdies and added an eagle on the 577-yard 14^th hole in the final round. His father overcame a double bogey on the first hole to finish with his total.

Rumora made his collegiate debut with the Cougars in 2009-10 out of Cy-Fair High. The Houston native competed in seven tournaments and fired a career-low 68 in the second round of the Husky Invitational on Oct. 18, 2009.

He posted a 70 in the second round of the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic on the way to a career-best 10^th place finish in his first collegiate event in early October 2009.

Houston Athletics Enters Partnership with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers

No Author — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:02:00 CST

sptrem:UH Athletics Holding Contest to Rename Gift StoreHOUSTON �In an effort to provide improved merchandise with higher quality and customer service, the University of Houston Athletics Department recently entered into a partnership with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers to manage the Cougars� gift and apparel store, Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades recently announced.

Located on the first floor of the Athletics/Alumni Center near the Athletics Ticket Office, the new store will offer more brand names from which fans can choose. Barnes & Noble personnel also will sell merchandise at home events.

�We are very excited about working with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers in the management of our gift and apparel store,� Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations Darren Dunn said. �Barnes and Noble has earned a well-deserved reputation with its work on college campuses across the country, and we look forward to seeing how it will reenergize our merchandise sales, both in the store and online.�

Merrifield's Single In 11th Gives Gamecocks CWS Title South Carolina wins its first CWS in the last game at historic Rosenblatt Stadium

No Author — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:58:00 CST

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -Whit Merrifield's RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning gave South Carolina its first baseball national championship with a 2-1 victory over UCLA in the College World Series on Tuesday night.

The Gamecocks (54-16) won six straight games after losing their CWS opener against Oklahoma. They also won the last championship played at Rosenblatt Stadium, the CWS' home since 1950.

"I don't know how I feel," coach Ray Tanner said. "I've never been in this situation. I know one thing, I'm extremely proud of these guys and my coaches. It's unbelievable.

"I'm off the ground right now."

It was the fifth championship decided in an extra-inning final, and first since Southern California topped Florida State - also 2-1 - in 15 innings in 1970.

Cooper Leads South Carolina Past UCLA, 7-1 The Gamecocks (53-16) and Bruins (51-16) play Game 2 on Tuesday night.

No Author — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:13:00 CST

OMAHA - South Carolina starter Blake Cooper dominated UCLA and the Gamecock offense followed suit, capturing a 7-1 win over the Bruins in the first game of the College World Series championship finals on Monday night at Rosenblatt Stadium. The two teams will square off again on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT with South Carolina playing for its first national title.

Cooper (13-2) matched a CWS finals record with 10 strikeouts as he tossed eight innings of three-hit ball and didn't walk a batter until the ninth. The righty held the Bruins hitless through 4.1 innings and blanked UCLA through eight before giving up a run on two hits in the ninth. The South Carolina pitching staff has now held its last four opponents to three runs or less.

Bauer Shuts Down TCU, UCLA Advances To CWS Finals With 10-3 Win Trevor Bauer strikes out 13 as Bruins advance to CWS Finals for first time in school history

No Author — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:18:00 CST

OMAHA, Neb. �The UCLA Bruins jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first and cruised to a 10-3 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday afternoon in game 13 of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium. The Bruins will play for their first national title beginning Monday at 6:30 p.m. CT against the winner of tonight�s contest between Clemson and South Carolina.

UCLA rode the coattails of starter Trevor Bauer�s 13-strikeout performance, making him the nation�s leader with 165 strikeouts this year. Bauer (12-3) retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced, fanning the last four hitters he faced before exiting after eight innings. He held the Frogs to three runs on four hits, as the Bruins held TCU to its lowest hit total of the year.

Houston Baseball Head Coach Rayner Noble Not to Return in 2011

No Author — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:40:00 CST

HOUSTON� University of Houston Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades announced Tuesday evening that baseball head coach Rayner Noble and the Athletics Department settled on a mutually agreeable resignation.

�My 16 years as baseball head coach at the University of Houston have been a tremendous experience and blessing,� Noble said. �I wish the team and program many years of success in the future. I only hope my next 16 years of coaching are as good as the last 16 have been.�

Noble, who was the seventh coach in school history, leaves as the program�s winningest coach with a 551-420 career record in 16 seasons at his alma mater. During his tenure, he led the Cougars to three NCAA Super Regional Appearances, eight NCAA Regional berths and six Conference USA regular-season and Tournament championships.

�We thank Rayner for his years of service to our baseball program and the University,� Rhoades said. �We wish him and his family the best in the future.�

Utah follows Colorado into Pac-10 Conference

No Author — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:19:00 CST

Utah became the 12th member of the Pacific-10 Conference Thursday, a week after Colorado joined the expanding league. The move takes effect for the 2011-12 academic year.

The school�s Board of Directors unanimously approved the switch from the Mountain West Conference, which will provide the Utes with an opportunity to play for an automatic bid to a Bowl Championship Series game.

�This is an absolutely great day to be a Ute,� said Athletics Director Chris Hill.

The move provides the Pac-10 with enough members to stage a championship game in football.

�The addition of the University of Utah as the conference�s 12th member continues to strengthen the Pac-10�s goals of becoming the country�s leader in college athletics,� said Commissioner Larry Scott.

Houston Linebacker Marcus McGraw Named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List

No Author — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:49:00 CST

HOUSTON �University of Houston junior linebacker Marcus McGraw was one of 74 players named to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List on Monday.

A product of Arlington�s Bowie High, McGraw has been a consistent performer for the Cougars during each of his first two seasons. As a sophomore in 2009, he led the team with 156 tackles, including 75 solo stops and added four sacks with three forced fumbles.

He finished with a career-high 23 tackles against Air Force during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl and added a season-high three tackles for a loss at Conference USA-rival UCF.

As a freshman, he topped all Cougar defenders with 103 tackles and enjoyed four games with double-digit tackles.

CBS Sports to Air 24th NCAA Seasonal Show on Saturday, June 19

No Author — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:10:00 CST

INDIANAPOLIS --- For the eighth consecutive year, all 88 NCAA championships will receive television exposure, including 17 spring championships being featured in a one-hour special.

CBS Sports Presents Championships of the NCAA will air at 4 p.m. Eastern, Saturday, June 19, on CBS Sports. Highlights and stories from NCAA baseball, golf, rowing, softball, tennis and outdoor track and field will be featured in the program. For the 2009-10 academic year, CBS Sports will feature nearly half (43) of the NCAA�s 88 championships in its three seasonal shows.

Lawmakers push for UH to join the Big 12

No Author — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:25:00 CST

HOUSTON - In a letter to the Big 12 Commissioner, several Texas lawmakers are making a push for the University of Houston to be admitted to the conference.

Houston-area State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Bill Callegari co-wrote the letter, asking Big 12 officials to consider adding the university to the conference. The letter, released to the media on Thursday, was also sent to the Big 12 school presidents along with Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus.

�As members of the Houston-area delegation, we write to express our firm support for the University of Houston's inclusion in a major Bowl Championship Series (BCS) conference, namely the Big 12,� stated the letter.

Saved Situation, Big 12 Survives! By Wendell Barnhouse

No Author — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:50:00 CST

To paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of the Big 12 Conference�s demise are greatly exaggerated.

Two weeks of meetings, rumors, negotiations, teleconferences and the departure of two original members has left the Big 12 with 10 schools that are committed to the Conference. Texas announced late Monday afternoon that it had rejected an invitation to join the Pacific-10 Conference and said it would "continue competing in the Big 12."

Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott issued the following statement: �University of Texas President Bill Powers has informed us that the 10 remaining schools in the Big 12 Conference intend to stay together.�

Texas A&M, which had been rumored to have been interested in the Southeastern Conference, issued the following statement Monday night: "Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future."

Six Cougar Baseball Players Selected In 2010 MLB Draft Ninth Consecutive Year Houston Represented In Draft

No Author — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:00:00 CST

HOUSTON � Six University of Houston baseball players were selected during the three-day Major League Baseball Draft, ending Wednesday. With their selections in the draft it marked the ninth consecutive season and the 12^th time in the last 13 years that at least one Cougar player was chosen in the annual draft.

The six selections in the draft also are the most in a single season since eight Cougars were taken in 2004.

Junior shortstop Blake Kelso was the Cougars� top selection by being taking in the 10^th round of the draft by the Washington Nationals. With his selection, Houston has now had three players taken in the first 10 rounds during the last two years.

Houston Football Running Back Charles Sims to Miss 2010 Season

No Author — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:10:00 CST

HOUSTON � University of Houston running back Charles Sims has been ruled ineligible for the 2010 season by the NCAA, school officials announced Tuesday afternoon.

Sims will remain a student at the University but will not compete in any games for the Cougars. When he returns, he will have two years of eligibility left.

Sims, who was expected to challenge for the starting spot, joined the Cougars out of Houston�s Westbury High School. A year ago, he competed in 14 games, rushing for 698 yards and nine touchdowns.

Head coach Kevin Sumlin praised Sims for his attitude during the situation and expects Sims to continue to have a positive impact on his teammates.

SOUTHERN MISS DOWNS RICE IN C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE GAME, 7-4 Golden Eagles� pitcher Scott Copeland tosses 4.1 scoreless innings down the stretch, named MVP

No Author — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:37:00 CST

HOUSTON � Coming into the 2010 Conference USA Baseball Championship, the Southern Miss team knew they had to put forth a good showing in the championship tournament in order to have a chance to advance to the postseason.

After splitting their first two games at the University of Houston�s Cougar Field, the Golden Eagles rattled off back-to-back wins, including a 7-4 victory over regular-season C-USA champion Rice to win the league�s postseason title and earn an automatic berth to next week�s NCAA Regionals.

With the win, Southern Miss earns its second C-USA Championship title-game victory and first since 2003 as the Golden Eagles improve to 35-22 on the year. The trip to the NCAAs will be USM�s 11th all time and their eighth in a row. Rice, which will likely earn an at-large bid to the NCAAs to extend its streak to 16, fell to 38-21 with the loss. The two teams will learn of their postseason destinations on Monday when the NCAA Selection Committee announces the field on Monday at 11:30 a.m. CDT on ESPN.

RICE ROUTS HOUSTON IN RECORD FASHION AS OWLS ROLL TO 24-3 WIN Owls set championship records in runs scored and run differential; Hague, Fuda post four hits each

No Author — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:14:00 CST

HOUSTON � Every Rice starter had at least one hit, scored at least one run, and all but one drew at least one walk as the Owls defeated cross-town rival and host Houston in record fashion, 24-3 in a 10-run-rule, seven-inning affair Thursday evening in day two of the 2010 Conference USA Baseball Championship at Cougar Field.

Eleven of Rice�s runs came in the top of the first, which is the highest run tally for an opening frame in C-USA Championship history. In addition, the Owls� 24 total runs and 21-run margin of victory are both C-USA Championship records, breaking the former marks of 23 by Charlotte vs. Louisville on May 16, 1996 and 20 in the same game, respectively, and Rice�s six home runs on the day ties the their own championship record, originally set against Memphis on May 26, 2007.

With the win, Rice improves to 37-20 on the year and can lock up a spot in Saturday�s C-USA Championship game with a win over Marshall tomorrow. The victory was the largest margin of defeat in the longstanding history between the two schools and also stands as the largest overall defeat in school history. Houston, meanwhile, falls to 25-31.