June 25, 2002

DURHAM, NC.- BASEBALL AMERICA announced that Old Dominion University freshman righthander Justin Verlander (Goochland, VA.) has been selected first team Freshman All-American. The CAA Rookie of the Year was selected for the same honor earlier in the month by COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWS. The 6-4, 195-pounder led the CAA with a 1.90 earned run average. He ranked second in the league with 137 strikeouts in 113.2 innings. He had eight complete games and was involved in all four Monarch shutouts.

Verlander fanned ten or more batters five times, including an ODU record 17 in a 2-0 victory over James Madison. His season strikeout total is second highest in ODU history and third in CAA history. Opponents hit only.207 against him and only 15 of the 83 hits he gave up were for extra bases. He averaged 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, catching 53 batters looking.

Verlander earned a tryout with the USA National squad, but was not selected to the final 22-man squad released on Monday. In two outings at the tryouts, Verlander pitched six innings, allowed nine hits, two runs, three walks and struckout nine batters.

PAST ODU FIRST TEAM FRESHMEN ALL AMERICANS

1985	Wiley Lee		Collegiate Baseball
1991	Wayne Gomes	        Collegiate Baseball & Baseball America
1993    Kevin Gibbs		Collegiate Baseball & Baseball America
1994	Brett Wheeler		Collegiate Baseball
1998	Tim Hummel		Collegiate Baseball & Baseball America
2002	Justin Verlander	Collegiate Baseball & Baseball America