The Nevada Wolf Pack, one of the most storied teams in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), will look for a return to glory in the 2010 campaign.  The 28^th season for Head Coach Gary Powers hopes to add a new chapter to the long history of the program as the silver and blue look to rebound from last season.

Within the conference the expectations are not high as the Pack was picked to finish sixth in the Coaches’ Preseason Poll, the same spot where the Pack actually finished last season.  A year ago Nevada finished 25-31(.446) overall while finishing 10-13 in the conference.  Nevada has not made the NCAA tournament since 2000, but this squad has the talent to get back there.

In fact, after their first four games of the season, Nevada boasts a solid 3-1 record, beating Santa Clara two of three over the weekend, then topping Saint Mary’s in day game yesterday by a final of 3-1.

This edition of the Pack returns three All-WAC players: OF/DH Nick Melino (first team), 1B Shaun Kort (second team) and Westely Moss (second team) who were also selected to the 2010 All-WAC Preseason First Team.  Joining them on the first team is senior relief pitcher Tyler Graham.

Kort was selected to the team for the third consecutive year after leading the Pack with 62 RBI on only 70 hits a year ago while also being at the top of several other offensive categories.  Helping Kort bring the lumber will be sophomore designated hitter Nick Melino who earned a spot on the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team after leading Nevada in hitting with a .352 batting average.

With four preseason first team selections Nevada is tied with Fresno State, the Coaches Preseason Poll favorite to win the WAC, for the most selections to the first team.  The Bulldogs, who won the 2008 NCAA National Championship, also have the WAC Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year on their roster.

Here is one way the Pack will look to knock off the bulldogs and the rest of the WAC: Last season Nevada turned 71 double plays, fourth best in all of NCAA Division 1, and with three-year starter Kevin Rodland returning at shortstop there shouldn’t be a letdown in production there.

Playing solid defense relies on strong starting pitching, and Nevada returns two of their starters (who are both left-handed). Senior Chris Garcia and dual-threat junior Brock Stassi, who also plays outfield, will be counted on heavily.  Stassi has already got off to a terrific start this season, earning the Wolf Pack Student-Athlete of the Week award and the WAC Hitter of the Week after a blistering series against the Broncos.

Stassi could be in line for another WAC Player of the Week honors after his Monday performance against Saint Mary’s.  The Northern California native pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, finishing the game for the Pack while also adding two hits and walk after starting the game at DH.

Catcher is the biggest question mark for this edition of the Silver and Blue.  After losing veteran leader Tyson Jaquez the catching will be in the hands of three underclassmen:  Sophomore Michael Turay, freshman Carlos Escobar and freshman Shawn Walters.  Depending on how things work out behind home plate the guys in the outfield could have their hands full as well.

In the outfield, along with center fielder Westley Moss, Nevada will have strong-armed right fielder Brett Hart.  If Hart can improve on his offensive numbers (.286 BA, 29 RBI, 20 Runs) he may become Brett “the Hitman” Hart, which is exactly what the Pack will need from him to bring home a WAC title. If the early part of the season is any indication, Hart is going to be one tough out. He’s been hotter than the aforementioned Stassi.  The senior from Redwood City, who last year became the first Wolf Pack player since 2003 to hit for the cycle, hit .833 over the weekend against Santa Clara with two walks.

The extra spot in the outfield will be a heated competition between freshmen Ronnie Mitchell and Jamison Rowe, both of whom will be battling with veteran junior Waylen Sing Chow.

It will be an interesting season for the Silver and Blue, and hopefully one that won’t end at the WAC tournament in Mesa, Arizona.

Schedule Ahead

The schedule for Nevada isn’t stacked with heavyweights but the competition will be tough enough for the Pack to prove their mettle.   The opening weekend at Santa Clara, plus the one-day stop in Moraga, was solid WCC competition.

Nevada looks to return a favor from last year as they will play a tough Pacific team who came to Reno and beat the Pack a year ago, 10-7. This time around, Nevada will travel to Stockton and play a three-game series, followed by another single-game road trek to UC-Davis.

The silver and blue will open their home schedule against Central Arkansas of the Southland Conference for a weekend series on March 5^th.  If you’re looking to see two evenly matched teams, this would be a good weekend to come out and support the men at Peccole Park.

The remaining out of conference games have the pack traveling to take on CSU Bakersfield, Seattle and a four game set at Oregon.  Coming to Peccole Park will be UC-Irvine, UC-Davis, Seattle and the all important rivalry game against UNLV.  If you only make it to one game this season, it better be March 30 as the Pack will play for bragging rights against their rivals from the south.

Nevada begins WAC play on April 9 against New Mexico State in Las Cruces, NM.  Following New Mexico is the all important series against Fresno State here in Reno on April 23.  The four game set will have serious implications on the final standings so come on out and support the team.  The Pack will travel to the island to take on a very good Hawaii team and will come back to Reno the following weekend to play San Jose State.  Nevada then hits the road again to meet up with Sacramento State, the only team picked to finish worse than Nevada in the preseason WAC poll.

Following that will be Louisiana Tech at home as the Pack wind down the regular season, and hope for a run at the WAC tournament championship.   As previously mentioned the WAC tournament will be played May 26-30 in Mesa, Arizona.

Program History

If the player photos on the outfield fence of Peccole Park in Reno don’t say enough about the history of the program let SilverandBlueSports fill you in.  Coach Powers has had 73 players drafted by Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs.  Of those players, 17 have gone on to play in the major leagues with ten of them playing in the big leagues last season.  Here is a list of those players:  Corky Miller (Chicago White Sox/Cincinnati), Lyle Overbay(Toronto), Chad Qualls (Arizona), Ryan Church (NY Mets/Atlanta), Joe Inglett (Toronto), Kevin Kouzmanoff (San Diego), Eddie Bonine (Detroit), Chris Dickerson (Cincinnati), Brett Hayes (Florida) and Chris Gimenez (Cleveland).

Preseason Disaster

The Wolf Pack have had to overcome some early season adversity.  In a preseason practice senior pitcher Mat Keplinger was seriously injured practicing throw downs on stolen bases.  After throwing to the plate Keplinger was accidentally struck in the head on the throw down to second base.  Keplinger spent time in a local hospital and is now in the early stages of recovery.  The timetable for his return is indefinite but everyone at SilverandBlueSports wishes Mat a healthy and speedy recovery.

Local Ties

This edition of the Nevada Wolf Pack boasts several products from local high schools.  There are nine players on the roster from Washoe County high schools and seven of them are pitchers.  Here are the players and where they played their high school ball: Brian Barnett(Reno, NV – WNC), Matt Rutledge(Carson City HS), Shawn Walters (Reno HS), Anthony Fagan (Carson City), Matt Gardner (Reno), Chris Garcia(Sparks), Jerad Harvey (North Valleys HS), Tom Jameson (Reno HS) and Jesse Rasner (Carson City).

Meet the Coach

Nevada head coach Gary Powers is entering his 28^th season with the Wolf Pack.  He is the longest tenured coach in the history of Nevada athletics.  Powers has had winning seasons in 17 of his 27 campaigns as leader of the silver and blue.  He has led the Pack to the four NCAA tournament appearances (’94, ’97, ’99, ’00) and has a career record of 820-652-4.  Powers has coached 15 All-Americans, 111 All-Conference players and his 43 wins in 1992 remains a school record.

Meet the Team

1   Westley Moss OF          R/R         6-2         175         Sr.           Irving, Texas(Santa Rosa JC)

2   Joe Kohan INF         R/R         6-1          195         So.          Juneau, Alaska(Jeneau-Douglas HS)

3   Waylen Sing Chow OF          L/L         5-9          165         Jr.           Mililani, Hawaii(Kamehameha Schools)

4   Branden Petrangelo RHP        R/R         5-8          175         So.          Oakley, Calif.(Freedom HS)

5   Ronnie Mitchell II OF          L/L          6-0         190         Fr.           Port Arthur, Texas(Southlake HS)

6   Cullen Mahoney INF         L/R         6-2          185         Fr.           Phoenix, Ariz.(Brophy College Prep)

7   Michael Turay C             R/R         5-10      190         So.          Davis, Calif.(Davis HS)

8   Kevin Rodland INF         R/R         6-0          190         Sr.           Snohomish, Wash.(Arizona)

9   Brian Barnett INF/OF R/R        6-0          200         Jr.           Reno, Nev.(Western Nevada)

10   Jamison Rowe OF          R/R         5-11       175         Fr.           Richland, Wash.(Richland HS)

11   Nick Leid INF         R/R         5-11       175         Jr.           Richland, Wash.(Richland HS)

12   Garrett Yrigoyen INF         R/R         6-2          190         So.          Manteca, CA(San Joaquin College)

13   Carlos Escobar Jr. C             R/R         6-3          200         Fr.           Northridge, Calif.(Chatsworth HS)

14   Matt Rutledge RHP        R/R         5-9          160         Fr.           Carson City, Nev.(Carson HS)

15   Jeremy Cole RHP        R/R         6-0          190         Jr.           Rocklin, Calif.(Sierra JC)

16   Shawn Walters C             R/R         6-1          198         Fr.           Reno, Nev.(Reno HS)

19   Anthony Fagan RHP        R/R         6-3          220         So.          Carson City, Nev.(Mesa CC)

20   Tyler Rogstad RHP        R/R         6-2          200         Sr.           Bothell, Wash.(Edmonds CC)

21   Brett Hart OF          R/R         6-3          210         Sr.           Redwood City, Cal.(Coll. Of San Mateo )

22   Brock Stassi LHP/OF L/L         6-2          190         Jr.           Yuba City, Calif.(Yuba City HS)

23   Matt Gardner RHP        R/R         6-0          190         Jr.           Reno, Nev.(Southern Nevada)

25   Chris Garcia LHP        L/L          6-3          200         Sr.           Sparks, Nev.(Feather River College)

26   Mat Keplinger LHP       R/L         6-1          195         Jr.           Stockton, Calif.(Lincoln HS)

27   Jerad Harvey RHP        R/R         6-2          220         Fr.           Reno, Nev.(North Valley HS)

28   Jayson McClaren RHP        R/R         6-1          175         So.          Las Vegas, Nev.(Durango HS)

29   Shaun Kort INF/P    L/L         5-9          190         Sr.           Woodland Hills, Cal.(El Camino Real HS)

30   Beau Witsoe RHP        R/R         6-1          200         Sr.           Belmont, Calif.(College of San Mateo)

31   Trent Soares RHP        R/R         6-3          200         Fr.           Hilo, Hawaii(Kamehameha HS)

32   Rickey Denham RHP        R/R         6-2          180         Jr.           Edmonds, Wash.(Edmonds CC)

33   Bryan Suarez RHP        R/R         6-3          210         So.          Riverside, Calif.(Arlington HS)

34   Nick Melino OF          S/R         6-0          205         So.          Las Vegas, Nev.(Green Valley HS)

36   Tom Jameson RHP        R/R         6-6          210         Fr.           Reno, Nev.(Reno HS)

37   Daniel Tinlin RHP        R/R         6-3          210         Sr.           South Lake Tahoe, Calif.(Chabot CC)

40   Tyler Graham RHP        R/R         6-4          240         Sr.           Shingle Springs, Calif.(Sierra JC)

42   Jesse Rasner RHP        R/R         6-3          205         Sr.           Carson City, Calif.(Lassen CC)

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