Feb. 13, 2009

click here for Stephen Strasburg Feature

click here for CBI Mountain West Preview

TCU is expected to win its fourth consecutive regular-season title in the Mountain West Conference, in voting by the league’s head coaches and a select media panel and released by the conference office.

The Horned Frogs had nine of 11 first-place votes and 75 points to out-distance second-place San Diego State, which had one first-place vote and 56 points. New Mexico received the remaining first-place vote and got 52 points for third, followed by BYU, Utah, UNLV and Air Force.

TCU was 44-19 overall in 2008 and 19-5 in conference play. The Horned Frogs return six position starters, including four All-MWC performers from a season ago in catcher Bryan Holaday, third baseman and former CBI journalist Matt Carpenter (pictured left), second baseman Ben Carruthers and outfielder Chris Ellington.

The Aztecs have the top pitcher in the nation in junior right-hander Stephen Strasburg. SDSU went 31-28 in 2008 and tied for second in the MWC with a 16-8 mark.

The Lobos will be led by senior outfielder Brian Cavazos-Galvez, a preseason All-American.

All seven teams start the season on Feb. 20. The conference slate begins on March 12. The MWC Championship will be held May 19-23 at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

MWC Preseason Poll

1. TCU (9) 75

2. San Diego State (1) 56

3. New Mexico (1) 52

4. BYU 47

5. Utah 31

6. UNLV 30

7. Air Force 14

Preseason All-MWC Team

P – Stephen Strasburg, Jr., San Diego State (pictured right)

P – Tyler Lockwood, Jr., TCU

C – Rafael Neda, So., New Mexico

1B – Kevin Atkinson, Sr., New Mexico

2B – Mike Brownstein, Sr., New Mexico

2B – Ben Carruthers, Sr., TCU

3B – Matt Carpenter, Sr., TCU

SS – Michael Beltran, So., Utah

OF – Sean McNaughton, Jr., BYU

OF – Brian Cavazos-Galvez, Sr., New Mexico

OF – Chris Ellington, Sr., TCU

UT/DH – Matt Alexander, Jr., Air Force

UT/DH – Jesse Wight, Sr., UNLV

(photos courtesy of TCU and SDSU Media Relations Office)