University of Tennessee Athletics
Luke Hochevar Named Preseason First-Team All-America
January 06, 2005 | Baseball
Jan. 6, 2005
Tennessee baseball player Luke Hochevar has been named to the 2005 Baseball America Preseason College All-America Team, which was announced Thursday by the publication. The junior right-handed pitcher from Fowler, Colo., is one of four starting pitchers and two Southeastern Conference players named to the first team.
"Having worked with Luke for the past two years, it comes as no surprise that he's been named a preseason All-America," Tennessee head coach Rod Delmonico said. "Luke has a tremendous work ethic and the ability to dominate opposing batters. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season."
This past summer, Hochevar enjoyed an impressive stint with the 2004 USA Baseball National Team, fashioning a 2.73 ERA while leading Team USA with 33.0 innings pitched and 38 strikeouts. In the FISU II World University Baseball Championship gold-medal game, Hochevar retired 18 straight batters while leading the Americans to a 4-2 victory over Japan.
As Tennessee's ace last year, Hochevar returned from two separate injuries during the season to pitch the Vols to a 1-0 win over Stony Brook in NCAA Regional action in Kinston, N.C., and was named to the All-Regional Team.
The Baseball America preseason All-America team was voted on by the publication's editors and major league scouting directors. Votes were based on player performance, talent and major league potential.
Nine members of last season's preseason squad were first-round draft picks last June.
The SEC, which sent four teams to the College World Series in 2004, provides seven preseason All-Americas from six schools. First-team selections from the SEC include Hochevar and Ole Miss first baseman Stephen Head.
Hochevar is UT's first Baseball America preseason All-America since Chris Burke earned second-team status prior to the 2001 season.
Tennessee opens the season Feb. 11 against Texas A&M in the Minute Maid College Classic in Houston. The Vols are ranked No. 34 in the Baseball America preseason team rankings.
