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News Nuggets, 04.26.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Brooks rakes in accolades after mound masterpiece

It didn't take long for the honors to start coming in for East Carolina's Ricky Brooks after his weekend rendezvous with history.

The sophomore right-hander from Tonawanda, NY, fresh off an overpowering no-hit win over Memphis on Sunday, was named by Collegiate Baseball as the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week and was selected by Conference USA as the league's Pitcher of the Week.

Brooks' gem, the first nine-inning no-hitter in C-USA history, came within an eyelash of being a perfect game. It was marred only by a wild pitch strike out that allowed the batter to reach first base.

He fanned a career-high 14 batters in ringing up the 3-0 victory, his fourth of the season.

Earlier in the week, Brooks pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief against N.C. State, striking out two while allowing one run on two hits.

Saint Louis first baseman Scott Peden was named C-USA's Hitter of the Week after hitting .450 with 14 runs batted in over five games. The San Antonio, TX, senior extended his hitting streak to 29 games, a new Billikens record. A school-record eight of his RBI's came in the series finale against Louisville on Sunday.

Compiled from ECU, Conference USA and other reports.

Baseball America & Collegiate Baseball Polls

Released 04.25.05.
(View previous week's rankings)

[For both polls below, Conference USA teams — including future members — and Carolinas teams in bold; East Carolina opponents in red.]

BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 25

DURHAM — The top 25 teams in the Baseball America poll with records and previous rankings (voting by the staff of Baseball America):

 1. Texas 35-7 1
 2. Cal State Fullerton 30-11 2
 3. Tulane 35-7 3
 4. Florida 30-10 5
 5. Miami (FL) 30-10 7
 6. Oregon State 30-7 9
 7. Georgia Tech 30-10 4
 8. Nebraska 34-8 11
 9. Arizona 27-14 6
10. North Carolina 33-8 12
11. Baylor 27-6 8
12. Long Beach State 29-14 10
13. Alabama 29-13 18
14. Missouri 30-10 17
15. Rice 29-14 15
16. Louisiana State 29-13 20
17. Arizona State 28-15 21
18. Tennessee 28-12 16
19. South Carolina 30-11 13
20. Stanford 24-14 24
21. Louisiana-Lafayette 35-8 22
22. Southern Cal 26-12 25
23. Arkansas 31-11 14
24. Florida State 35-13 23
25. Vanderbilt 27-12 -

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL TOP 30

TUCSON — The top 25 teams in the 2005 Collegiate Baseball (Baseball News) poll with records and previous rankings (voting by coaches, sports writers and sports information directors):

 1. Tulane 35-7 1
 2. Texas 35-7 3
 3. Florida 30-10 6
 4. Cal State Fullerton 30-11 2
 5. Nebraska 34-8 7
 6. Georgia Tech 30-10 4
 7. Miami (FL) 31-10-1 8
 8. Arizona 27-14 5
 9. Oregon State 30-7 11
10. North Carolina 33-8-1 12
11. Long Beach State 29-14 9
12. Baylor 27-16 10
13. Alabama 29-13 15
14. Louisiana State 29-13 18
15. Florida State 35-13 14
16. Missouri 30-10 19
17. Arizona State 28-15 22
18. South Carolina 30-11 13
19. Tennessee 28-12 16
20. Southern Cal 26-12 24
21. Louisiana-Lafayette 35-8 21
22. Stanford 24-14 26
23. Arkansas 31-11 17
24. Cal Poly SLO 27-14 —
25. Central Florida 35-9 25
26. Mississippi State 27-11 29
27. Rice 29-14 —
28. Coastal Carolina 33-9 —
29. College of Charleston 31-9 20
30. Texas Christian 27-13 30

Duke's Williams chooses degree over NBA

DURHAM — Duke's Shelden Williams will skip this year's NBA draft and return to school for his senior year.

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year last season and a rugged inside presence who earned third-team AP All-America honors, Williams was considered a potential candidate for the draft.

He said in a statement Monday that he has decided to pursue his goal of earning a degree.

``For that reason along with others, I am going to pass on the opportunity to enter the NBA draft,'' Williams stated. ``I am looking forward to finishing off my academic career with a degree and also returning to the playing court to help Duke compete for the national championship next season.''

Williams averaged 15.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots while helping Duke to a 27-6 record and the ACC tournament championship last season.

The announcement means Duke will return two first-team all-conference performers in Williams and senior J.J. Redick, and add a strong recruiting class that includes forward Josh McRoberts and guard Greg Paulus.

The news also comes just days after rival North Carolina lost juniors Sean May and Raymond Felton, as well as freshman Marvin Williams, to the NBA draft. Another junior, Rashad McCants, had already announced that he would not return to help the Tar Heels defend their NCAA title.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:23 PM