University of Oklahoma Athletics

Baseball's Recruiting Class Ranked 11th Nationally :: Sooners' class of 2002 is tops in the Big 12 according to Collegiate Baseball.

Baseball's Recruiting Class Ranked 11th Nationally :: Sooners' class of 2002 is tops in the Big 12 according to <i>Collegiate Baseball</i>. Baseball's Recruiting Class Ranked 11th Nationally

Sooners' class of 2002 is tops in the Big 12 according to Collegiate Baseball.




OUI Head Coach Larry Cochell's most recent recruiting class was chosen by Collegiate Baseball as the eleventh best in the nation.

Sept. 28, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma baseball team's recruiting class of 2002 was ranked 11th nationally by Collegiate Baseball as the publication announced its top 30 today. In terms of the Big 12, OU had the top class in the league. Conference foes Texas (12th), Oklahoma State (15th), Texas Tech (16th), Baylor (25th) and Texas A&M (30th) are ranked among the nation's best. Oklahoma's recruiting classes have risen sharply in the polls, improving from 29th in 2000 and 17th last year to 11th in season.

"We're excited about how others see the players in this program," said Oklahoma Head Coach Larry Cochell. "But recruiting is only part of the equation. Now, these players must go out on the field and perform the way our coaching staff and other people think they can."

The Sooners have 23 newcomers participating in fall practice this season. The strength of Oklahoma's recruiting again showed with the number and quality of junior college transfers with 13 this season including three All-Americans (juniors Matt Arkison, Tony Calderon and Jason Fransz). OU also has one NCAA Division I transfer (sophomore Spencer Wyman from California) and nine freshman.

Arkison produced two outstanding seasons at Texarkana College where he hit 18 home runs, scored 148 runs and batted over .350 in both years combined. Fransz, from Riverside Community College, hit .385 with 17 home runs, 25 doubles and 78 RBI in 2001. Fransz was a 38th-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.

One of the top high school players beginning their career at Oklahoma is freshman David Purcey. Drafted in the 20th round by the Seattle Mariners this year, the Dallas, Texas, native led Texas Christian Academy to back-to-back state titles in 1999 and 2000. Greg Kish is another promising freshman. The Redondo Beach, Calif. product hit .398 as a senior with 30 runs batted in and played on the USA Junior Baseball Team.