May 18, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas -

The Mountain West announced its 2009 Baseball All-Conference Team and postseason awards today as selected by the league's seven head coaches. New Mexico second baseman Mike Brownstein earned Player of the Year honors, while San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg was named Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season and Utah designated hitter C.J. Cron garnered Freshman of the Year accolades. TCU skipper Jim Schlossnagle earned his fourth consecutive Coach of the Year honor.

Brownstein, a 5-10, 165-pound senior second baseman from Tucson, Ariz., leads the MWC in batting average (.426), runs scored (72), hits (101), doubles (23) and triples (11). He also ranks in the top-10 in slugging percentage (.629), on base percentage (.496), RBI (49), stolen bases (20) and total bases (149). As of May 10, Brownstein leads the nation in triples and is sixth in hits. In conference games, he led the league lead in hits (46), triples (5) and total bases (67), while ranking second in batting average (.451) and on base percentage (.508). Brownstein also ranked in the top-10 in slugging percentage (.657), doubles (8) and stolen bases (5). He was also awarded MWC Player of the Week on March 16.

Strasburg, a 6-5, 220-pound junior from San Diego, Calif., posted a league-best 7-0 record in MWC games with an earned run average of 1.50 and 111 strikeouts. His strikeout total is an MWC all-time record in league play. He also led the conference with an opposing batting average of .171 in MWC play. Overall, he has tallied a 12-0 record and set new MWC records in ERA (1.34), opposing batting average (.167) and strikeouts (174). As of May 10, Strasburg leads the nation in strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (16.91) and hits allowed per nine innings (4.95). On the season, Strasburg has been named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week six times and National Baseball Writers Association Pro-Line Athletic National Pitcher of the Week twice. He was also named MWC Pitcher of the Week a record-tying seven times in 2009.

Cron, from Phoenix, Ariz., is batting .341 overall with MWC freshman-best totals of nine home runs, 47 RBI, 70 hits and 112 total bases. In league games, he was tied for third in doubles (9), fifth in RBI (25) and tied for seventh in total bases (58), while also totaling four home runs.

Schlossnagle, in his sixth season with TCU, led the Horned Frogs to their fourth consecutive regular-season title and No. 1 seed in the MWC Championship. He has TCU on the verge of its third-straight 40-win season, as the Horned Frogs head into the tournament as the 10th-ranked team in the nation. Schlossnagle has an overall record of 246-118 with TCU and a career record of 323-163.

2009 All-Mountain West Conference Baseball Team
FIRST TEAM
Position	Name	Team	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown (Previous School)
Catcher	Rafael Neda!	New Mexico	6-0	205	So.	Obregon, Sonora, Mexico (Tucson Amphitheater HS)
First Base	Kevin Atkinson!	New Mexico	6-0	205	Sr.	Surrey, B.C., Canada (New Mexico JC)
First Base	Matt Vern*	TCU	6-3	215	Sr.	Lake Jackson, Texas (Brazoswood HS)
Second Base	Mike Brownstein!	New Mexico	5-10	165	Sr.	Tucson, Ariz. (Pima CC)
Third Base	Steve Parker	BYU	6-2	195	Jr.	American Fork, Utah (American Fork HS)
Shortstop	Anthony Morel	UNLV	6-1	190	Sr.	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Riverside CC)
Outfield	Brian Cavazos-Galvez!	New Mexico	6-1	215	Sr.	Albuquerque, N.M. (New Mexico JC)
Outfield	Cory Vaughn	San Diego State	6-4	230	So.	Elk Grove, Calif. (Jesuit HS)
Outfield	J.J. Sferra	UNLV	5-10	165	Sr.	Phoenix, Ariz. (Arizona State)
DH/Utility	Kent Walton!	BYU	6-0	185	Sr.	Yucaipa, Calif. (Yucaipa HS)
Pitcher	John Hesketh	New Mexico	5-11	180	Sr.	Langley, B.C., Canada (Vernon College)
Pitcher	Stephen Strasburg*!	San Diego State	6-5	220	Jr.	San Diego, Calif. (West Hills HS)
Pitcher	Trent Appleby	TCU	6-2	185	So.	McKinney, Texas (McKinney North HS)
Relief Pitcher	Addison Reed	San Diego State	6-3	215	So.	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Los Osos HS)
SECOND TEAM
Position	Name	Team	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown (Previous School)
Catcher	Bryan Holaday!	TCU	5-11	190	Jr.	Dallas, Texas (North Central Texas)
First Base	Brandon Meredith	San Diego State	6-2	245	Fr.	San Diego, Calif. (Montgomery HS)
Second Base	Corey Shimada*	Utah	5-10	175	Sr.	Murray, Utah (Murray HS)
Third Base	Matt Carpenter%!	TCU	6-3	208	Sr.	Sugar Land, Texas (Elkins HS)
Shortstop	Taylor Featherston	TCU	6-1	175	Fr.	Houston, Texas (Taylor HS)
Outfield	Stetson Banks	BYU	6-1	185	So.	Mesa, Ariz. (Mountain View HS)
Outfield	Max Willett	New Mexico	5-10	190	Jr.	Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Thunder Ridge HS)
Outfield	Chris Ellington!	TCU	6-1	195	Sr.	Weatherford, Texas (Grayson CC)
DH/Utility	Erik Castro	San Diego State	6-3	210	Jr.	Fallbrook, Calif. (Arizona)
Pitcher	Blake Torgerson	BYU	6-5	220	Jr.	Westminster, Calif. (Westminster HS)
Pitcher	Tyler Lavigne	San Diego State	6-0	190	Jr.	Las Vegas, Nev. (College of Southern Nevada)
Pitcher	Jordan Whatcott	Utah	6-0	200	Jr.	Gilbert, Ariz. (South Mountain CC)
Pitcher	Brian Budrow	Utah	6-3	215	Sr.	Glendale, Ariz. (Oregon State)
Relief Pitcher	Jordan Muir	BYU	6-0	190	Sr.	Las Vegas, Nev. (Cimarron-Memorial HS)
Relief Pitcher	Taylor Cragin	TCU	6-1	170	Sr.	Friendswood, Texas (Friendswood, Texas)
Player of the Year - Mike Brownstein, New Mexico
Pitcher of the Year - Stephen Strasburg, San Diego State
Freshman of the Year - C.J. Cron, Utah
Coach of the Year - Jim Schlossnagle, TCU
!2008 All-MWC selection *2007 All-MWC selection %2006 All-MWC selection

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