Rice’s Cole St. Clair earns top honors for all-around excellence

A class act awarded
Rice’s Cole St. Clair earns top honors for all-around excellence

FROM RICE ATHLETICS 

Rice University pitcher Cole St. Clair, who returned for his senior season after being drafted by major league baseball and helped lead the Owls into this year’s College World Series, has been selected as the winner of the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the baseball division. The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of coaches, media and fans, is presented annually to college baseball’s outstanding NCAA Division I senior student-athlete.

Lowe’s, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, presented the award and trophy during the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., June 20. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award has grown into the nation’s premier tribute to college seniors. The award identifies personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete, with criteria including excellence in the classroom, character and community, as well as the candidate’s performance on the field.

	TOMMY LAVERGNE
	Rice University pitcher Cole St. Clair has been selected as the winner of the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the baseball division.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award with such a rich history,” St. Clair said. “I know that a lot of effort was expended in the voting process by the dedicated Rice fans, my friends and family, and I truly appreciate their efforts.”

Since moving to the bullpen full time in March, St. Clair became one of the nation’s most dominating closers, posting a Conference USA-leading 10 wins with a 2.09 earned run average in 21 relief appearances. During that span, he held opposing hitters to a .204 batting average. His strong performance down the stretch played a big role in Rice winning its Super Regional and earning its third consecutive trip to Omaha for the prestigious CWS.

St. Clair, an economics major at Rice with a 3.22 GPA, received his bachelor’s degree May 10.  His classroom achievements include becoming a three-time Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member. He was also named the recipient of the 2008 Bob Quin Award, given to the most outstanding senior student-athlete at Rice who exemplifies leadership and academic and athletic excellence.

In the community, St. Clair has raised money for a local Houston neighborhood center to sponsor a family for Christmas. He also assisted with the baseball team’s clothing drive for the Star of Hope Foundation in Houston. While in Omaha, he visited with and gave advice to several young men from the Omaha School for Boys, a residential group home for at-risk school-age boys.

“Having Cole return to the team after getting drafted last year was critical for the team,” said Wayne Graham, head coach of Rice baseball. “Everyone sees how well he can pitch and how he can change a game, but he is a leader for us whether he is in the game or not. His character, and how he prepares and carries himself, is important for younger players to see and be around every day. He is an outstanding student who graduated from Rice, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country, in four years — while playing Division I baseball. Cole is a positive influence, on the team and in the community. I don’t know if there could be a more deserving player of this prestigious award.”

TOMMY LAVERGNE
Cole St. Clair returned for his senior season after being drafted by major league baseball and helped lead the Owls into this year’s College World Series.

The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award also names an All-Senior All-America Team each year based on voting results of the finalists. Joining St. Clair on the 2008 first team are Josh Meents, Air Force Academy; Charlie Mellies, Wake Forest University; Rob Musgrave, Wichita State University; and Brett Scott, Kansas State University. The second team includes Eitan Barbalat, Bradley University; Jason Buursma, Bucknell University; Jarod Freeman, University of Oklahoma; Ryan Hastings, University of Illinois; and Tyler Stovall, Central Michigan University.

“The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is a prestigious award within collegiate athletics because it focuses on the total student-athlete,” said Bob Gfeller, senior vice president of marketing and advertising at Lowe’s. “Nationwide, talented athletes compete every day, but Lowe’s believes those individuals who are equally dedicated in the classroom and in their communities make the real difference with their abilities. Lowe’s salutes Cole, a true student-athlete, for using his platform in athletics to make an impact on those around him and congratulates him for being the 2008 award winner in baseball.”

Sportscaster Dick Enberg, honorary chairman of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, first conceived the idea of an award for seniors in 2001 in response to the growing trend of men’s basketball players leaving school early for the NBA. Lowe’s expanded the Senior CLASS Award program in 2007 to include NCAA Division I men’s and women’s soccer, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, baseball and softball in addition to men’s and women’s basketball.

“Recognizing the many achievements of student-athletes is a goal the NCAA proudly shares with our corporate partner, Lowe’s,” said Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies. “The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award places a spotlight on the quality attributes of our future student-athlete graduates. The NCAA is proud to honor student-athlete leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to excel on the field of competition while they earn their degrees.”

More information about St. Clair, Rice baseball and other Owls athletics can be found at http://riceowls.cstv.com/.

Love of baseball spans three generations

Jay St. Clair, father of Rice pitcher Cole St. Clair, discusses the importance of baseball to his family.

Some things ARE just meant to be
A reflection on the 2008 CWS and its stars

Tommy LaVergne takes a look back at the
the 2008 College World Series and performance and life of pitcher Cole
St. Clair and his teammates.