June 14, 2009
ARLINGTON, Texas - In just two seasons in a UT Arlington uniform, center fielder Michael Choice has become the school's all-time career batting average leader (.396), and on Sunday he left the Metroplex and boarded a plane destined for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport as he starts a new chapter in his baseball career. Choice is one of 41collegiate players who have been invited to the 2009 USA Baseball National Team Trials that are set for June 15-24 at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
"USA Baseball is very excited to begin our 2009 National Team trials," said Eric Campbell, General Manager of USA Baseball National Teams. "We look forward to building off the success of last season by welcoming these players to the National Training Complex."
As difficult as it was, Choice had a more successful sophomore campaign after earning five Freshman All-American awards and being named the 2008 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year while taking the team triple crown (.376-7 HR-51 RBI) in his initial collegiate season.
Choice batted .413 with 93 base hits, 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 52 RBI as he finished in the top five in the SLC in batting average for the second straight season in 2009.
"I'm really excited to get out there," Choice said before his flight left on Sunday. "Ever since our season ended I've been waiting on this moment. I've been working out and staying in shape to get ready for everything."
Choice's performance on the diamond this past season proves he's ready for the competition at the National Training Complex. He was one of two players on the team to start in all 56 games and his single-season totals put him in seven UT Arlington single-season record books.
"We are all just really excited for Mike," UT Arlington head coach Darin Thomas said. "It is a great honor for him and for everyone invited. I'm really excited for him."
Choice becomes the first player from UT Arlington to receive an invite to the USA Baseball National Team trials. In fact, the day after he was announced as one of the 17 initial invitees, Choice joined a small group in UT Arlington history as the sixth Maverick to hit for the cycle as he went 4-for-4 with five RBI against Northwood at Clay Gould Ballpark in Arlington on April 21.
He finished the season with a pair of multi-home run games (at Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts) and will enter his junior season tied for 10th place on the school's all-time career home runs list (18).
The two-time All-SLC selection is one of eight outfielders who will be competing at the USA Baseball Trials to solidify a spot on the final 22-man roster that will be announced on June 24. Players will participate daily in practices and drills at the trials and will play in modified intrasquad Blue vs. Red games.
The 2009 National Team Trials roster features 41 players from colleges across the country. Once the official roster has been announced, the National Team will stay in Durham and Cary, N.C., as it competes in two international friendship series against Canada and Guatemala from June 25-29 and July 1-4, respectively.
Team USA will then travel to Japan to participate in the 37th annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championships before traveling to Price George, British Columbia, Canada for the 2009 Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge.
2009 USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate) Trials invitees
Name (Pos.), College
Trevor Bauer (RHP), UCLA
Chad Bettis (RHP), Texas Tech
Bryce Brentz (RHP/OF), Middle Tennessee State
Michael Choice (OF), UT Arlington
Gerrit Cole (RHP), UCLA
Christian Colon (INF), Cal State Fullerton
Gauntlett Eldemire (OF), Ohio University
Blake Forsythe (C), Tennessee
Micah Gibbs (C), LSU
Tom Girdwood (RHP), Elon
Yasmani Grandal (C), Miami (Fla.)
Sonny Gray (RHP), Vanderbilt
Jedd Gyorko (INF), West Virginia
Rick Hague (INF), Rice
Casey Harman (LHP), Clemson
Tyler Holt (OF), Florida State
Danny Hultzen (LHP/INF), Virginia
Matt Jensen (INF), Cal Poly
Casey McGrew (OF), Wright State
Brad Miller (INF), Clemson
Hunter Morris (1B), Auburn
Matt Newman (OF/LHP), Arizona State
Jarrett Parker (OF), Virginia
Nick Pepitone (RHP), Tulane
Drew Pomeranz (LHP), Mississippi
Anthony Ranaudo (RHP), LSU
Anthony Rendon (INF), Rice
Daniel Renken (RHP), Cal State Fullerton
Jeremy Schaffer (C), Tulane
Rob Segedin (INF/RHP), Tulane
Tony Thompson (INF), Kansas
Preston Tucker (INF), Florida
Logan Verrett (RHP), Baylor
Cody Wheeler (LHP), Coastal Carolina
Ross Wilson (INF), Alabama
Alex Wimmers (RHP), Ohio State
Kyle Winkler (RHP), TCU
Asher Wojciechowski (RHP), The Citadel
Kolten Wong (OF/C), Hawaii
Phil Wunderlich (UTL), Louisville
Logan Zych (RHP), Louisville
source: USA Baseball
