Pence, Roberts Voted to All-Time Sun Belt Roster
4/23/2020 11:19:00 AM | Baseball
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two former Mavericks landed on the All-Time Sun Belt Conference Roster announced by the league on Thursday. Hunter Pence (2003-04) and Ryan Roberts (2002-03) were selected to the team by fans in a poll conducted by the Sun Belt. Pence was one of the top six vote getters, along with Ron Guidry (Louisiana), Jonathan Lucroy (Louisiana), Paul Goldschmidt (Texas State), Blake Trahan (Louisiana) and David Freese (South Alabama).
Â
Though neither player played in the Sun Belt Conference during their time at UT Arlington, the team is consisted of the best all-time players from current Sun Belt teams.
Â
OF Hunter Pence (2003-2004) - .371, 23 2B, 11 3B, 16 HR, 77 RBI
Hunter Pence was the 2004 Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year after leading the conference with a .395 batting average. Pence, a two-time first team All-SLC pick, ranks fifth on the UTA career list in batting (.371), seventh in slugging (.585) and eight in triples (11).  He began his career at UTA in 2003 batting .347 with 83 hits, 15 doubles, six triples, eight home runs and 42 RBI. The Mavericks won 37 games in 2003 and finished the season in the championship game of the SLC Tournament. In 2004, hit .395 at the plate, the ninth-best single-season batting average in Maverick history. Pence helped guide the Mavs to wins over nationally-ranked Oklahoma (5-4 & 18-12) and Texas A&M (5-4) while leading the league in hitting. In addition, Pence became the first UTA player to ever receive the SABR Metroplex Collegiate Player of the Year. Following his junior campaign, Pence was drafted in the 2nd round by the Houston Astros and made his Major League debut 2007. He is a four-time MLB All-Star (2009, 2011, 2014, 2019) and a two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants (2012, 2014). In the 2014 World Series, Pence had at least one hit in every game of the seven-game series. After a one-year stop with the Texas Rangers, Pence is back in the Bay Area after signing a one-year contract with the Giants in February.
Â
3B Ryan Roberts (2002-2003) - .393, 26 HR, 129 RBI, 42 2B, .695 SLG
One of the top hitters in UTA history, Roberts has his named plastered all over the Maverick history books. His 2003 season was a masterpiece, batting .422 with 16 home runs, 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, 97 hits, 176 total bases while slugging .765. Every category put Roberts in the Top Two in single-season batting records. That season led to Roberts becoming the second All-American in UTA history after earning honors from four publications. Roberts was the 2003 SLC Hitter and Player of the Year and was named 2002 SLC Newcomer of the Year. He was a two-time All-SLC pick and was tabbed ABCA first team All-Region in 2003. He led the SLC in batting (.422) and home runs (16) and his 69 RBI were two shy of giving him the SLC Triple Crown, although his 97 base hits were also the most in the league. He was tabbed SLC All-Tournament team after ending his UTA career batting .500 (11-for-22) with seven runs, four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in six SLC Tournament games. During a three-game stretch in the tourney, Roberts went 9-for-11 with four extra-base hits. He currently owns or is tied for four single-season UTA records and his name appears in a total of 17 single-season or career top-10 school record books. Roberts was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2003 MLB Draft and played in the show for nine season with the Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox
Â
Â
Though neither player played in the Sun Belt Conference during their time at UT Arlington, the team is consisted of the best all-time players from current Sun Belt teams.
Â
OF Hunter Pence (2003-2004) - .371, 23 2B, 11 3B, 16 HR, 77 RBI
Hunter Pence was the 2004 Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year after leading the conference with a .395 batting average. Pence, a two-time first team All-SLC pick, ranks fifth on the UTA career list in batting (.371), seventh in slugging (.585) and eight in triples (11).  He began his career at UTA in 2003 batting .347 with 83 hits, 15 doubles, six triples, eight home runs and 42 RBI. The Mavericks won 37 games in 2003 and finished the season in the championship game of the SLC Tournament. In 2004, hit .395 at the plate, the ninth-best single-season batting average in Maverick history. Pence helped guide the Mavs to wins over nationally-ranked Oklahoma (5-4 & 18-12) and Texas A&M (5-4) while leading the league in hitting. In addition, Pence became the first UTA player to ever receive the SABR Metroplex Collegiate Player of the Year. Following his junior campaign, Pence was drafted in the 2nd round by the Houston Astros and made his Major League debut 2007. He is a four-time MLB All-Star (2009, 2011, 2014, 2019) and a two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants (2012, 2014). In the 2014 World Series, Pence had at least one hit in every game of the seven-game series. After a one-year stop with the Texas Rangers, Pence is back in the Bay Area after signing a one-year contract with the Giants in February.
Â
3B Ryan Roberts (2002-2003) - .393, 26 HR, 129 RBI, 42 2B, .695 SLG
One of the top hitters in UTA history, Roberts has his named plastered all over the Maverick history books. His 2003 season was a masterpiece, batting .422 with 16 home runs, 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, 97 hits, 176 total bases while slugging .765. Every category put Roberts in the Top Two in single-season batting records. That season led to Roberts becoming the second All-American in UTA history after earning honors from four publications. Roberts was the 2003 SLC Hitter and Player of the Year and was named 2002 SLC Newcomer of the Year. He was a two-time All-SLC pick and was tabbed ABCA first team All-Region in 2003. He led the SLC in batting (.422) and home runs (16) and his 69 RBI were two shy of giving him the SLC Triple Crown, although his 97 base hits were also the most in the league. He was tabbed SLC All-Tournament team after ending his UTA career batting .500 (11-for-22) with seven runs, four doubles, two home runs and seven RBI in six SLC Tournament games. During a three-game stretch in the tourney, Roberts went 9-for-11 with four extra-base hits. He currently owns or is tied for four single-season UTA records and his name appears in a total of 17 single-season or career top-10 school record books. Roberts was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2003 MLB Draft and played in the show for nine season with the Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox
Â
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
3B/SS
/ BaseballFriday, August 28
Tuesday, April 21
Wednesday, March 06
Monday, February 05
