Local Olympians David Lee USA Olympic Men's Volleyball Team (Granite Hills HS) Stephen Strasburg USA Olympic Baseball Team (West Hills HS) Alpine's David Lee captures gold in men's volleyball USA df. Brazil, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 BOXSCORE - STORY - - Courtesy, NBC.com Stephen Strasburg handed the ball, will start in semifinals vs. Cuba STORY/VIDEO -- Courtesy, NBC.com USA takes bronze medal, downs Japan, 8-4 STORY

Stephen Strasburg (SDSU courtesy photo)

Courtesy, SDSU Media Relations
SAN DIEGO (7-16-08) -- San Diego State pitcher STEPHEN STRASBURG (West Hills HS) has been selected to play on the U.S. baseball team at next month’s Olympic Games to be held in Beijing, China. Strasburg is the lone amateur named to the 24-man squad that consists of primarily of professional players not currently on the active roster of a major league club.

A right-hander who will be a junior at SDSU in the fall, Strasburg is the first college player to be named to the U.S. team since the decision was made to use minor leaguers beginning in 2000. The 2008 roster contains14 players currently at the AAA level, seven in Double-A and one in Single-A. One more player will be added to the roster in the near future to bring the team to its full complement of 24 athletes for the games.

Strasburg will become the fourth Aztec to compete with the U.S. Olympic baseball team, following in the footsteps of former Aztecs in outfielder Chris Gwynn (1984), shortstop Flavio Alfaro (1984), first baseman Travis Lee (1996) and former Monte Vista HS standout pitcher Royce Ring (2003 Olympic qualifying tournament).

Strasburg made national headlines this year following a 23-strikeout performance against Utah on April 11, 2008, that was part of a breakthrough sophomore campaign. The 19-year-old from San Diego (West Hills HS), who turns 20 on Sunday, is currently anchoring the pitching staff on the 2008 USA Baseball National Team. The team of collegiate all-stars is fresh off a first-place finish at Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands, which included two victories over the Cuban National Team.

Since joining the U.S. national collegiate squad in June, Strasburg has made five starts and compiled a record of 3-0 with a 1.33 earned run average. Over his 27 innings of work, he has struck out 40 and walked four while limiting opponents to a .160 batting average. Included in his win total are victories over Japan and Chinese-Taipei at the Haarlem Baseball Week tournament.

Team USA is currently in the Czech Republic preparing to play in the FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championship that runs from July 17-27. That tourney includes teams representing Korea, Japan, Chinese-Taipei, Lithuania, India and Canada along with the host country. Strasburg is expected to start the USA’s opening contest in the tournament against Korea on Friday (July 18).

Following that event, he will join up with the U.S. Olympic team as it plays a four-game series against Canada (Aug. 1-4) in North Carolina before departing for Beijing. The U.S. will open play in China against Korea on Aug. 13 at Wukesong Baseball Stadium. That contest begins the round robin portion of the schedule during which the USA will also face Netherlands, Cuba, Canada, China, Chinese-Taipei and Japan. The top four teams in the standings will then be paired in the semifinals of the medal round.

Fans can follow the progress of the Team USA national collegiate squad and the U.S. Olympic team at the USA Baseball web site (www.usabaseball.com).

The 2008 USA Baseball National Team will compete next month in the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands and at the FISU World Championships in the Czech Republic. It will also play exhibition contests in Germany and the Czech Republic as part of its European tour.

Strasburg, the 2008 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year, District IX Co-Player of the Year and consensus All-American, turned in a record of 8-3, a 1.57 earned run average and a .181 opponent batting average. His 133 strikeouts (in 97.1 innings) were second in the nation in 2008, while his ERA and strikeouts per nine innings (12.30) ranked third. In league play, he compiled a mark of 6-0 with 92 strikeouts while opponents hit just .136 against him.

Strasburg set MWC records for strikeouts, ERA and opponent batting average in both overall and league games. He had a string of six consecutive games with double figure strikeouts, including a 23 K performance vs. Utah on April 11, which is the third most ever in a college game and the most since 1981.Strasburg was named MWC Pitcher of the Week a record seven times this season, including a stretch of five consecutive weeks when he picked up the award. He also garnered three national player of the week nods in 2008. (The complete list of his 2008 honors appears at bottom of this page.)

The National Team roster was selected following a two-week trials period, during which time the trials participants played 10 games and had two intrasquad scrimmages. Comprised of the top non-draft-eligible college players in the United States, the National Team plays six games against the Chinese Taipei National Team before beginning competition in Europe.

The National Team begins competition this evening (June 25), opening a six-game series against the Chinese Taipei National Team in Greenville, S.C. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT at West End Field. Strasburg is expected to start that contest.

Strasburg’s 2008 Honors and Awards:
Member of 2008 USA National Team
American Baseball Coaches Assn. (ABCA) First Team All-American
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association First-Team All-American
Baseball America First-Team All-American
Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American
Rivals.com First-Team all-American
All-Ping Baseball First Team All-American
ABCA All-West Region First Team
NCBWA District IX Player of the Year
MWC Pitcher of the Week (seven times including five straight)
Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (three times)
USA Baseball Golden Spikes National Player of the Week
CollegeBaseballInsider.com West Region Player of the Week (twice)
CollegeBaseballInsider.com National Player of the Week
College Baseball Foundation National Team of the Week (four times)
NCBWA Pro-Line National Pitcher of the Week
Perfect Game USA National Pitcher of the Week (twice)
InsidePitching.com West Region Pitcher of the week
S.D. Hall of Champions Star of the Month (April)

Strasburg was a semifinalist for the following national awards:
Golden Spikes Award; Roger Clemens Award; Brooks Wallace Award; and Dick Howser Trophy.

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (5-30-08) -- San Diego State's baseball program is quickly realizing it is recruiting players from the wrong part of the country -- ballplayers from the East County are fitting in quite nicely.

The West Hills High product is the first SDSU player to receive such laurels since pitcher ROYCE RING (Monte Vista HS) was a third-team honoree in 2006. The last Aztec to gain first-team honors was Travis Lee in 1996.

Strasburg, a right-hander, was a Freshman All-America in 2007. He completed the 2008 season with a record of 8-3, a 1.57 earned run average and a .181 opponent batting average. His 133 strikeouts (in 97.1 innings) lead the nation this week and he also ranks fourth in the country in earned run average and strikeouts per nine innings (12.30).

Strasburg earned the attention of the nation on April 11 when he struck out 23 batters in the Aztecs’ contest against Utah in San Diego . It was the third-most strikeouts ever in a college game and the most since 1981. That contest came during a run of six straight games in which he reached double figures in strikeouts.

His strikeout total also broke the SDSU single-season record of 122 set by Rob Brown during the 1989 campaign.

© East County Sports.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (5-29-08) -- San Diego State pitcher STEPHEN STRASBURG has accepted an invitation to tryout for the 2008 National Team Trials, USA Baseball announced Tuesday (May 27). The series will be held June 11-23 throughout the northeast and southeast United States.

Strasburg, a sophomore right-hander, is one of 26 players to be invited from a list that includes 17 sophomores and 9 freshmen athletes. In all, 32 players will be invited to the National Team Trials with 22 of those players being selected for the National Team roster which will be announced on June 24.

Strasburg, a product of West Hills, recently concluded the 2008 Aztecs season with a record of 8-3 and a 1.57 earned run average. He finished among the national leaders with 133 strikeouts in 97.1 innings while issuing just 17 walks. Opponents batted .181 against him in his 13 starts. He set new SDSU and Mountain West Conference records with 23 strikeouts vs. Utah on April 11.

Strasburg is currently among the semifinalists for four national awards as well, including the Golden Spikes Award, the Roger Clemens Award, the Dick Howser Trophy and the Brooks Wallace Award.

USA Baseball’s 2008 National Team schedule includes a six-game friendship series against Chinese Taipei and a month-long tour of Europe, where the team will compete in the Haarlem Baseball Week in The Netherlands and the IV FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championship in the Czech Republic.

To follow the progress of the National Team, visit: www.usabaseball.com.

Special to East County Sports.com
DURHAM, N.C. (5-22-08) -- USA Baseball has announced that San Diego State sophomore right-hander STEPHEN STRASBURG is among the 50 semifinalists for the 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award (GSA). He is the first Aztec to reach this stage in the balloting since Travis Lee won the award in 1996 as the nation's premier amateur baseball player.

The names of the 50 semifinalists will now be forwarded to a voting body of 125 who will select the five finalists and the eventual 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award winner.

Fans can follow online at www.GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 50 players is narrowed to five finalists on Tue., June 3, en route to the announcement of this year's winner on Wed., July 16.

"USA Baseball is proud to recognize these 50 athletes and their respective baseball programs as semifinalists for the 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "As in 2007, we see 40 different schools represented on this year's semifinalist list -- this again speaks to the level of baseball talent among college programs across the country."

© East County Sports.com
FORT WORTH, Texas (5-21-08) -- San Diego State sophomore STEPHEN STRASBURG led a group of five Aztecs named to the 2008 all-Mountain West Conference baseball team, announced Monday night (May 20) at the pre-tournament dinner for the conference's championship tournament

Shortstop Troy Hanzawa and third baseman Nick Romero along with Strasburg received first-team all-league honors, while outfielder Pat Colwell and pitcher Shane Kaufman earned second-team accolades.

In addition, Strasburg picked up MWC Pitcher of the Year honors after a standout 2008 campaign. The right-hander from West Hills High went 6-0 in league play and set new conference season records for strikeouts (92), earned run average (0.63) and opponent batting average (.136) in league contests. He was named the MWC Pitcher of the Week seven times this season including an unprecedented five straight.

Hanzawa and Romero were repeat first-team all-league selections, while Strasburg was a second-team selection in 2007 as well as the co-Freshman of the Year.

San Diego State, the third seed, opens play at the Mountain West Conference Tournament on Tuesday (May 20), meeting 6th-seeded UNLV at 1 p.m. (PT) at TCU’s Lupton Stadium.

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (5-17-08) -- San Diego State sophomore right-hander STEPHEN STRASBURG (West Hills HS) has been named a semifinalist for the 2008 Dick Howser Trophy and the Roger Clemens Award, both award committees announced Thursday (May 15).

Strasburg is 8-2 on the season with a 1.59 earned run average. His NCAA-best 128 strikeouts have come in just 90.1 innings pitched and he surrendered only 13 walks. This season, he set a new MWC record for strikeouts in conference games with 92 and finished league play with a 0.63 ERA to set another all-time mark.

Strasburg is one of 10 semifinalists for the fifth annual Roger Clemens Award, which is given to the best college pitcher in America. The voters for the Roger Clemens Award are broken down into three groups. All Division I head baseball coaches are issued ballots, as are a selected group of writers and broadcasters who cover the college game.

In addition, the 16 winners of the R.E. Bob Smith Award, which was presented in Houston in 1998-2003, are asked to vote, along with the 13 finalists from the first four years of the Clemens Award. The Clemens Award is named after pitching legend Roger Clemens. Voting to determine the three finalists for the 2008 award will begin on May 26.

Strasburg is also one of 16 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the top player in collegiate baseball. The Dick Howser Trophy, regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award, is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop, and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987.

The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy recipient based on three rounds of voting. Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities based on Dick Howser's life. The Dick Howser Trophy winner will be announced June 14.

Courtesy, SDSU media relations
SAN DIEGO (4-28-08) -- San Diego State sophomore Stephen Strasburg has been named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball magazine and is the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance in the Aztecs' 4-1 win over TCU on Friday, April 25.

It marks the third straight week and fifth time in 2008 that he has won the conference award. It is also his second national pitching honor in the past three weeks.

Strasburg threw a one-hit complete-game in the Aztecs' win over the Horned Frogs this past weekend. It was his second complete-game one-hitter in his last three starts. He retired the first 18 batters he faced before a leadoff double in the seventh. A wild pitch and ground out to second scored the run. He later surrendered his only walk of the game in the same inning.

Strasburg went on to retire the side in order in both the eighth and ninth with the seventh being the only frame in which a runner reached base against him. He finished the night with 13 strikeouts including three of the game's final four outs as TCU (which came in having won 13 of its last 15) hit .034 for the contest. The run he allowed in the seventh was the first run he had given up in 34 consecutive innings going back to the Aztecs' contest at Utah on March 20.

Over his last four starts, Strasburg has recorded 61 strikeouts over 33 innings, an average of almost two K's per inning. His season total of 99 strikeouts is tied for the national lead in Division I entering this week.

© East County Sports.com
DENVER (4-21-08) -- For the fourth time this season and second consecutive week, San Diego State pitcher STEPHEN STRASBURG has been named Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week. He earned the award for his 13-strikoeut performance in SDSU’s series-opening victory at UNLV last weekend.

With one out and a runner on third in the third inning, Strasburg struck out two hitters to get out of the jam. Only one other Rebel runner reached as far as second base against him for the rest of the contest.

With the seven shutout innings, Strasburg lowered his overall earned run average to 1.73 to led all MWCC pitchers. He has recorded an amazing 86 strikeouts and only eight walks in 57.1 innings this season.

San Diego State will visit USC on Tuesday (Apr. 22) for a 7 p.m. contest before hosting first-place TCU in the three-game series at Tony Gwynn Stadium this weekend. Strasburg is expected to be on the mound in the opener against the Horned Frogs, who lead SDSU by one game in the MWC standings, on Friday (Apr. 25) at 7 p.m.

Courtesy, SDSU Media Relations
LAS VEGAS (4-18-08) -- In support of another standout pitching effort by sophomore STEPHEN STRASBURG, San Diego State's bats came alive as they struck for season highs in runs (17) and hits (20) in the Aztecs' 17-1 win over UNLV at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

SDSU's run total exceeded the previous season best of 15 against the University of San Diego during the opening weekend. The team's season high of 18 hits came in that same weekend as well as in the 12-3 win over Oklahoma State.

Strasburg, who struck out 23 in a one-hit shutout of Utah in his last outing, began the contest by striking out the first six Rebel batters he faced. He ended up pitching seven innings, holding UNLV (16-20, 5-8 MWC) scoreless while scattering four hits and striking out 13 with no walks. The win improved his season record to 5-1 as he lowered his earned run average to 1.73 overall and 0.90 in Mountain West Conference games.

The Aztecs (23-15, 10-3 MWC) took the lead in the second inning as Nick Romero led off with a single and was balked to second base by UNLV starter Matt Hutchison. Garett Green then laced a double to right center field to bring home Romero. It was the first of eight runs allowed by the Rebel sophomore right-hander on the evening as he would eventually be tagged with the loss to drop to 1-3.

Courtesy, SDSU Media Relations
SAN DIEGO (4-14-08) -- San Diego State sophomore STEPHEN STRASBURG has been named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the week by Collegiate Baseball magazine and is the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week after his record-setting performance against Utah last Friday (Apr. 11). It marks the third time in 2008 that he has won the conference award and he is the first Aztec national pitcher of the week since the 2001 season.

Strasburg threw a one-hit complete-game shutout in SDSU's 1-0 win over Utah last Friday, setting a new San Diego State and Mountain West Conference record with 23 strikeouts. He struck out the side in the first inning as well as the fifth through eighth. A total of 16 of the final 17 outs he recorded came via the strikeout.

Strasburg did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, a chopper up the middle that went for a single. He allowed only three other Ute base runners (walk, hit by pitch and error) with none advancing past second base. Utah, which came into the contest with a .322 team batting average, hit just .038 on the night.

The Aztec right-hander broke the school record of 18 strikeouts by John Hemmerly, who accomplished the feat vs. Colorado State during the 1988 campaign. The previous MWC mark was also set by a former SDSU pitcher when Marcos Mendoza fanned 17 vs. New Mexico in 2001.

Strasburg's 23 K's ties for the third-most ever in a Division I game and are the most in a game since the 1981 season. The NCAA record is 26 by Buddy Schultz of Miami (Ohio) against Wright State in 1973. LSU's Butch Mixon struck out 24 in a contest vs. Louisiana-Lafayette during the 1959 season. Three others recorded 23 K's in a game, the most recent being Neal Heaton of Miami (Fla.) vs. Indiana State in 1981. Each of those games was a nine-inning affair.

Courtesy, SDSU Media Relations
SAN DIEGO (4-11-08) -- San Diego State sophomore right-hander STEPHEN STRASBURG etched his name in the record books as he struck out 23 batters in the Aztecs' 1-0 win over Utah Friday evening (Apr. 11) at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Strasburg set both the SDSU and Mountain West Conference marks for strikeouts in a game as he allowed only four base runners on the night, none of which passed second base.

The win improved the Aztecs to 19-15 overall as they maintained a hold on first place in the league standings at 7-3. The Utes, meanwhile, fell to 13-15 on the season and 3-3 in conference play.

Strasburg's effort shattered the San Diego State record of 18 K's set by John Hemmerly against Colorado State during the 1988 season. He also established a new MWC standard, breaking the record of former Aztec Marcos Mendoza, who struck out 17 hitters against New Mexico in 2001.

Strasburg's performance almost went for naught as the SDSU offense was held in check by Utah starting hurler Stephen Fife (4-3), who pitched into the seventh inning but would eventually be tagged with the loss.

The Aztecs had their chances, getting a runner to third base with two outs in the first, third and fifth innings. They had a golden opportunity in the sixth, putting men on first and third with no outs, but again they came up empty.

The breakthrough came in the bottom of the seventh when SDSU loaded the bases with a one-out on a single by Erik Castro, walk to Brandon Decker and hit by pitch to Pat Colwell. Troy Hanzawa then hit a grounder to third, but when DC Legg's throw to the plate sailed past the catcher, Castro scored the unearned run. It was cruel fate for Fife, who ended his night after 6.2 innings in which he allowed the lone run on five hits while striking out four.

However, the night belonged to Strasburg (4-1), who did not allow a base runner until the fourth inning with a base on balls to Corey Shimada. After Shimada was caught stealing, Strasburg got 16 of the Utes' final 17 outs via the strikeout with the other coming on a sacrifice bunt in the final frame. Utah's lone hit of the contest was a chopper by Michael Beltran that got through the middle of the diamond in the sixth.

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (2-23-08) -- Many experts believe USD pitcher Brian Matusz, a Baseball America preseason All-America selection, may be the first choice in the Major League Baseball free agent draft come May.

If the Toreros' Matusz is so highly prized, then how good is San Diego State sophomore pitcher STEPHEN STRASBURG?

Strasburg, the hard-throwing right-hander out of West Hills High, made his conversion from bullpen ace to starting pitcher a successful one Friday (Feb. 22) at Tony Gwynn Stadium, out-dueling Matusz as the Aztecs stunned the 5th-ranked Toreros, 11-2, in the first of a 4-game, season-opening series.

Strasburg, who is rated as the third-best prospect among the nation's sophomores by Baseball America because of a fastball clocked in the high 90s, walked the first batter he faced, but settled in after that, going eight solid innings with seven strikeouts while giving up two runs on five hits.

Both of those runs came in the top of the 3rd as a safety squeeze by Ryan Davis brought home the opening run and a steal of home by Kevin Muno accounted for the second. Among the five hits, only one ball was hit hard -- a triple by USD centerfielder Josh Romanski in the 6th.

Romanski was a second-team All-America pick by the same publication.

San Diego State rallied from a 2-0 deficit when Eastlake High product Nick Romero slugged a 3-run homer to left in the 3rd. Romero finished with a 3-or-4 outing with four RBI. The Axtecs put the game away with five runs in the 7th.

The teams continue their series on Saturday (Feb. 23) with a split doubleheader. The teams will square off at 1:00 p.m. at USD's Cunningham Stadium, then move back to Tony Gwynn Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. contest.

Notes -- Former Grossmont High standout A.J. GRIFFIN, the closer for USD, highlights the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Stopper of the Year Award watch list. Griffin is listed among 39 other players in Division I.

The award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Griffin, a first-team All-West Coast Conference selection last year and preseason All-American, quickly became a big help for the Toreros as a freshman, as he served as USD's primary closer in 2007.

The right-hander from Grossmont High etched his name into the single-season record books at USD having recorded 11 saves on the season to place second in the category, only trailing Tony Perez's 13 saves set during the 2003 season. Griffin posted an overall record of 6-2 with a team-leading 2.70 ERA. Griffin also fanned 65 batters and issued only 23 walks in 34 appearances.

Courtesy, SDSU Media Relations
LUBBOCK, Texas (12-10-07) -- San Diego State sophomore pitcher STEPHEN STRASBURG and senior second baseman Garett Green have been named to the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch list. The initial list contains a total of 224 nominees with the Aztec twosome among the five players representing the Mountain West Conference.

Strasburg returns to SDSU for his second season after being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in 2007. He finished the season with a record of 1-3, seven saves and a 2.43 earned run average as the Aztecs' closer. He struck out 47 and walked only 15 over 37 innings and was named the MWC co-Freshman of the Year.

This past summer, Strasburg pitched for the Torrington Twisters in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, compiling a mark of 1-0 with eight saves and a 1.29 ERA. He was a first-team all-NECBL selection and was named the league's top reliever. He was invited to join Team USA for its five-game series against Chinese Taipei in late June, making two appearances resulting in one save and a 1.80 earned run average.

The Wallace Award is presented to the nation's top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction festivities. The 2008 award banquet will be held Thursday, July 3, in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.

Dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach, Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District Six his senior year when he led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984 he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27.

The selection committee for the Wallace Award is comprised of a national panel of preeminent coaches, sports information directors, former winners and beat media who most closely follow the sport. The list of players will expand and contract during the regular season and additional Wallace Watch candidates may be added as the season progresses.