Rice's Ratterree & Kubitza Named To Collegiate Baseball's 2012 Preseason All-America Teams
Preseason Baseball Honors
Go C-USA! Michael Ratterree
Go C-USA!
Michael Ratterree
 Go C-USA!

Dec. 20, 2011

The Rice tandem of Michael Ratterree and Austin Kubitza have both been named to Collegiate Baseball's 2012 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America teams, the publication announced Tuesday (Dec. 20) from its headquarters in Tucson, Ariz. On Monday (Dec. 19) Collegiate Baseball tabbed the Owls as the preseason No. 7 team in he country for 2012.

Ratterree was named to Collegiate Baseball's preseason All-America squad as a second team outfielder, his new position on the team after starting 58 games at second base last season. The 6-foot-1 junior from Houston led the team (and finished third in Conference USA) in both RBI (53) and total bases (125), while sharing the team lead in hitting (.327) and home runs (6). His hitting in the second half of the season helped pave the way to Rice's C-USA regular season co-championship and the league's postseason tournament title. In addition to having at least one base hit in 30-of-32 games from April 3 until the end of the year, Ratterree hit an eye-opening .421 (48-of-114) with a .640 slugging percentage and 25 runs scored over the team's final 25 games.

The preseason honors continue to stream-in for Kubitza, a third team preseason All-America selection by Collegiate Baseball. Last week the Owls' right-handed starter was named a third-team preseason All-America by the College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). A year ago Kubitza had an outstanding debut season at the Division I level where he was named a Freshman All-America. He went 6-5 on the mound in his role as the Owls' Friday night starter (where he was often matched against the opposing team's ace pitcher). The Colleyville, Tex., native led the Owls' and ranked among the C-USA leaders in ERA (2.34), innings (100.0) and strikeouts (102). Early in his rookie season he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the annual Houston College Classic tournament held downtown at Minute Maid Park. He was named the C-USA 2011 Freshman of the Year and to the All-Freshman Team on a vote of the league's head coaches and media members.

 

 

Under the direction of head coach Wayne Graham the Owls had another outstanding season in 2011. Rice (42-21) won the C-USA Tournament title and regular season co-championship, the 16th-straight year for Rice baseball to claim a league championship. The program also posted its 17th-consecutive season with at least 40 wins advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 17th-straight year. Rice opens the 2012 campaign at home at Reckling Park on Feb. 17-19 against NCAA Regional participant Florida International.

Who will win this week's C-USA Baseball Championship?