Dec. 15, 1999
University of Kentucky baseball standout John Wilson has been named a first-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Louisville Slugger, the organizations announced Wednesday.
Wilson, a junior catcher from Northridge, Calif., was a second-team All-American in 1999 and led the SEC in home runs with a school-record 23 round-trippers. Over the summer, Wilson was the starting catcher for the USA National Team that toured the U.S. and Japan.
?Based on what John accomplished last season, this is a well-deserved honor,? UK Assistant Coach Jan Weisberg said. ?He is one of the hardest-working players I?ve ever seen at Kentucky.?
Wilson, who led UK with a .356 batting average in 1999, is the first Wildcat to be named an All-American in back-to-back seasons and is just the 12th Cat ever selected as an All-American.
Wilson and the Cats begin their season on Feb. 11 when UK travels to South Carolina to face Charleston Southern.
Collegiate Baseball and Louisville Slugger Preseason All-Americans
First Team
RHP – David Gil, Miami (Fla.),RHP – Jon McDonald, Florida St.,RHP – Aaron Heilman, Notre Dame,LHP – Matt Smith, Oklahoma St.,RHP- Jason Young, Stanford,RHP- Adam Johnson, Cal. St. Fullerton,Relief – Brandon Belanger, Tulane,C – John Wilson, Kentucky,1B – Don Price, Nevada,2B – Marshall McDougall, Florida State,SS – Kelly Eddlemon, Sam Houston St.,3B – Taggert Bozied, San Francisco,3B – Xavier Nady, California,OF – Daylan Holt, Texas A&M,OF – Bill Scott, UCLA,OF – Jeff Stallings, Oral Roberts,UT – Larry Bowles, Virginia Tech
Second Team
LHP – Cory Vance, Georgia Tech,RHP – Jason Anderson, Illinois,RHP – Henry Bonilla, Tulane,RHP – Kyle Crowell, Houston,RHP – Brandon Sloan, Wichita St.,Relief – Chris Russ, Texas A&M,Relief – Derrick DePriest, North Carolina,C – Mike Tonis, California,C – Dane Sardinha, Pepperdine,1B – Jeremy Brown, Alabama,2B – James Jurries, Tulane,SS – Seth Davidson, Southern California,SS – Keoni DeRenne, Arizona,3B – Mark Teixeira, Georgia Tech,OF – Patrick Boyd, Clemson,OF – Tyrell Godwin, North Carolina,OF – Joe Borchard, Stanford,OF – Jason Grove, Washington St.,UT – Hayden Gliemmo, Auburn
Third Team
RHP – Justin Wayne, Stanford,RHP – Charlie Isaacson, Arkansas,RHP – Scott Sturkie, Coastal Carolina,RHP – Blair Varnes, Florida St.,RHP – Chris Bootcheck, Auburn,RHP – Kip Bouknight, South Carolina,RHP – Daniel Haren, Pepperdine,RHP – Jay Adams, Pepperdine,RHP – Jeff Nichols, Rice,RHP – Kenny Baugh, Rice,LHP – Greg Montalbano, Northeastern,Relief – Brandon Roberson, Texas Tech,Relief – Dan Adams, Kent,C – Ryan Duncheon, Illinois St.,C – Brad Cresse, LSU,C – David Parrish, Michigan,1B – Brad Hawpe, LSU,1B – Pat Magness, Wichita St.,1B – Garrett Atkins, UCLA,1B – Lee Chapman, Eastern Kentucky,2B – David Bacani, Cal. St. Fullerton,2B – Chase Utley, UCLA,2B – D.J. Svihlik, Illinois,SS – Jeremy Kurella, Northwestern,SS – Tim Hummel, Old Dominion,3B – Koyie Hill, Wichita St.,3B – Josh Pride, Middle Tennessee,3B – Aaron Sisk, New Mexico,OF – Ryan Neill, Oral Roberts,OF – Mike Scott, Connecticut,OF – Shelley Duncan, Arizona,OF – Jason Gray, Rice,UT – Jason Dubois, Virginia Commonwealth
