Salem, Hunter Named To Rivals.com Preseason All-American Team
1/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama senior center fielder Emeel Salem and sophomore right-handed pitcher Tommy Hunter were named to the 2007 Rivals.com Preseason All-American College Baseball squad on Tuesday.
Salem was a first-team preseason pick, while Hunter was a second-team preseason selection.
In 65 games last year, Salem (Mountain Brook) led the Crimson Tide with a .356 (101-for-284) batting average, with two home runs and 32 RBI. He also led the Crimson Tide with 67 runs scored and he paced the SEC with 36 stolen bases.
He was also named First-Team preseason All-American by the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) and National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA). Salem is also a candidate for the Brooks Wallace Award and Dick Howser Trophy, given annually to the college baseball player of the year.
Salem joins Rivals.com First-Team All-American outfielders Kellen Kulbacki (James Madison) and Corey Brown (Oklahoma State) on the team.
Hunter (Indianapolis, Ind.) posted a 10-3 record and 3.60 ERA in 20 appearances on the mound last season. He set Alabama freshman records for wins (10) and innings pitched (117 1/3). He was the winning pitcher against Tennessee when the Crimson Tide clinched a share of the 2006 SEC Championship.
He pitched this summer for the USA National Team and won the gold medal at the FISU (International University Sports Federation) World Championships in Cuba.
Hunter joins Rivals.com Second-Team All-American pitchers Nick Chigges (College of Charleston) and Tony Watson (Nebraska) on the squad.
Alabama will open the 2007 season with a three-game series against Georgia State. The series begins with the 2007 season opener on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. (CST).
