Completed Event: Baseball versus (2) Georgia Tech on May 31, 2026 , Win , 15, to, 8
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Baseball
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Baseball Newcomers Ranked Fourth
September 22, 2006 | Baseball
NORMAN, Okla. -- For the third time in the last four years, the Oklahoma baseball team's incoming class was ranked in the nation's top 10, coming in at No. 4 as released by Collegiate Baseball on Friday. The 2007 class trailed South Carolina, Miami (Fl.) and Florida.
In addition to the Sooners' top five billing, the Big 12 Conference had three other schools listed in the top 10. Baylor was listed at No. 7 and was followed by Texas and Oklahoma State at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
Oklahoma's 2007 class consists of 22 newcomers and features two players drafted highly in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, freshman outfielder Devin Shepherd (fifth-round) out of Oxnard Union High School in California and freshman right-handed pitcher Antwonie Hubbard (12th-round) from Hooks High School in Texas.
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“The coaching staff is extremely proud of this recruiting class and this national ranking,” said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. “Being ranked No. 4 is a direct result of the combined efforts of our outstanding coaching staff and the work they continue to do for the University of Oklahoma baseball program. Our recruiting coordinator, Tim Tadlock, with assistance from pitching coach Fred Corral and Ryan Gaines, our director of baseball operations, have worked countless hours to put this class and future classes of this caliber together.
“This is a great honor for our program, but this team fully understands that this is only recognition for what it could become. We have a lot of work ahead of us in order to live up to this ranking and to achieve our goals of getting this program back to the College World Series.”
Since Golloway returned to Oklahoma in 2004, the Sooners have garnered three top ten rankings. In 2005, the class, highlighted by current Sooners Brad Burns, Joe Dunigan, Jarod Freeman and Jackson Williams, was tabbed the 10th best in the nation. One year earlier, OU's newcomers, which included former Sooners Ryan Rohlinger and Ole Sheldon, were ranked the ninth best class in the country.
In addition to Shepherd, who was ranked as one of the top high school recruits in the country, and Hubbard, a number of the members of OU's newest class have had decorated playing careers, including four others that were drafted in the last three years. Six of the 12 freshmen garnered All-State honors last year, while five of the junior college transfers were All-America or all-conference selections at their institutions last season.
Aaron Baker (Denton High School in Texas), Vincent Biancamano (Chandler-Gilbert JC in Arizona), Aljay Davis (Northeast Oklahoma A&M) and Andrew Doyle (Alleman High School in Ilinois) complete the group of newcomers drafted in their careers.
Baker, a freshman utility player, and Doyle, a right-handed pitcher, were both selected in the 2006 Draft in the 37th and 39th rounds, respectively.
In addition, Davis, a junior utility player, was selected in the 29th round of the 2005 draft. Davis was recently named the most valuable player of the Texas Collegiate League, a summer league featuring some of the country's top collegiate players. Biancamano, selected in the 35th round of the 2004 draft, is an infielder that originally started his collegiate career at Arizona State.
The OU coaching staff will look to the talented group of newcomers to step in right away and fill the void left by 12 departing seniors. The 2006 Sooners finished the season at 45-22 overall (17-10 Big 12) and put together the program's most successful run in the postseason since its last appearance in the College World Series in 1995.
As a result of the Sooners' success last season, they were ranked as high as No. 9 (Baseball America) in the final top 25 polls and finished the season as the nation's leader in fielding percentage (.983). Returning this season from the 2006 squad are 15 letterwinners, including five position starters and two starting pitchers.
Below is a brief look at the Sooners' newcomers for 2007:
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OTHER NEWCOMERS
Kyle Biery (Jr., OF), Drew Roberts (Jr., OF), Elliot Blair (Fr., OF), Zach Sawyer (Jr., LHP), Hunter London (So., OF), Patrick Green (Fr., RHP) and Joseph Newman (Sr., OF).
Thursday, June 25
Wednesday, June 24
Monday, June 22
Monday, June 22
