Huskers Sign 18 Players During Fall Signing Period

Lincoln - University of Nebraska Baseball Coach Dave Van Horn has announced that 18 players have signed National Letters-of-Intent during the early signing period that concluded Wednesday to play for the Huskers next season. The class, which consists of 14 high school athletes and four junior college players, hails from nine different states and is one of the most talented classes in school history. Five players earned all-state honors a year ago, while three players have been selected in the amateur baseball draft.

"One of the things we like about this class is that they all have a lot of natural athetic ability," Van Horn said. "I think six or seven of them play quarterback in high school and almost every one played two or three sports. We feel that every one of these kids who signed can step in right away and make in impact next season."

The class is highlighted by a pair of first-team All-Nebraska selections in Daniel Bruce and Chad Steele. A 5-10, 180-pound outfielder from Millard West, Bruce set a state record with 27 homers a year ago during the spring and summer seasons, while Steele, a 5-10, 180-pound catcher from Omaha Gross, batted .516 with 40 RBI last spring. Other first-team all-state performers include Jeffrey Bieker, a 6-4, 174-pound right-handed pitcher from Hays, Kan., Curtis Ledbetter, a 6-3, 205-pound catcher from Lawrence, Kan., who is currently enrolled at Garden City Community College and Brad Nelson, a 6-2, 225-pound third baseman/pitcher from Algona, Iowa, who was selected as one of the nation's top 100 high school prospects by Baseball America.

According to Van Horn, who is beginning his fourth season at NU, keeping the best players in the state was a priority in this recruiting class, as nine of the 18 players come from within the state, including seven players from the Omaha metro area. Other native Nebraskans who joined Bruce and Steele include Aaron Boettcher (Omaha), Nicholas Derr (Papillion), Brian Duensing (Omaha), Darren Hoffart (Omaha), Robert Horst (Gering), Matthew McMurtry (North Platte) and Chase Odenreider (Omaha). The Huskers also bolstered their pitching staff, signing nine pitchers, including four left-handers.

"We are extemely happy to sign as many in-state kids as we did," Van Horn said. "The high school and legion coaches in the state have really done an outstanding job of developing players in a short period of time. In the south, guys can play baseball for nine or 10 months a year, while many of the guys in the midwest play two or three sports. To have as many players from the state sign is a testament to the work they put in and the outstanding job they do of developing players for the college and pro level."

Last spring, Nebraska posted the finest season in school history, finishing with a 51-17 record, winning its second straight Big 12 Tournament title and and advancing to the NCAA Super Regional in Palo Alto, Calif. The Huskers finished second in the Big 12 during the regular season with a 21-9 mark in league play and finished 11th in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Name	Pos	Ht.	Wt.	B/T	Hometown (Last School)
Jeffrey Bieker	RHP	6-4	174	R/R	Hays, Kan.
Aaron Boettcher	RHP	6-3	205	R/R	Omaha, Neb. (Burke)
Daniel Bruce	OF	5-11	180	R/R	Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
Nicholas Derr	LHP	6-3	226	L/L	Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-LaVista)
Brian Duensing	LHP	6-1	165	L/L	Omaha, Neb. (Millard South)
Scott Hairston	INF	6-1	185	R/R	Oro Valley, Ariz. (Canyon de Oro/Central Arizona CC)
Darren Hoffart	C/1B	6-1	185	R/R	Omaha, Neb. (Burke)
Tag Horner	LHP	6-2	180	L/L	Duncan, Okla.
Robert Horst	OF	6-2	200	R/R	Gering, Neb. (Butler County CC)
Jason Huss	RHP	6-2	170	R/R	Fresno, Calif. (Bullard)
Curtis Ledbetter	C/OF	6-3	205	R/R	Lawrence, Kan. (Garden City CC)
Matthew McMurtry	LHP/OF	5-10	155	L/L	North Platte, Neb.
Brad Nelson	3B	6-2	225	L/R	Algona, Iowa (Bishop Garrigan)
Anthony Pannone	RHP	6-3	210	R/R	Colorado Springs, Colo. (Rampart/Seward County CC)
Chase Odenreider	SS/INF	6-1	175	R/R	Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)
Phillip Shirek	RHP	6-3	204	R/R	Minot, N.D.
Joe Simokaitis	INF	6-2	180	R/R	St. Louis, Mo. (St. Mary's)
Chad Steele	C/OF	5-10	180	L/R	Omaha, Neb. (Gross)

Recruiting Class Bios
Jeff Bieker - One of the top high school players in the state of Kansas, Jeff Bieker is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound pitcher/outfielder from Hays High School. An honorable mention All-American by USA Today last spring, Bieker is just the fifth player in school history to sign a Division I letter of intent in baseball. Last spring, Bieker compiled a 5-2 record with a 2.37 earned-run average, striking out 53 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings of work en route to earning first-team All-Kansas honors. A two-way standout, Bieker also batted .443 with a school-record 37 RBI, helping Hays High School to a 19-6 record and a state runner-up finish. Bieker starred for his legion team over the summer, batting .516 with 10 homers, while also compiling a 4-3 record with a 3.30 ERA on the hill. The son of Dave and Debbie Storer, Jeff selected Nebraska over Wake Forest and Fort Hays State.

Aaron Boettcher - A senior at Burke High School in Omaha, Aaron Boettcher (pronounced bet 'ker) enters the year as one of the top pitching prospects in the state. Last summer in legion ball, he compiled a record of 6-2 with a 3.88 ERA, striking out 70 in 52 inning en route to earning Class A all-tournament team honors under Coach Marty Torrez. Over the last three years of American Legion ball for SportsQuest, the 6-3, 205-pound righthander has a 20-8 record and has struck out over a batter an inning. A two-year letterwinner on the diamond at BHS, Boettcher also quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a state playoff appearance this fall. The son of Rich and Mary Boettcher, Aaron picked Nebraska over Miami (Fla.), Tulane and Duke.

Daniel Bruce - A two-time first-team All-Nebraska selection, Daniel Bruce is one of the most prolific power hitters in state history. A senior at Millard West High School, Bruce earned all-state honors from the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal-Star last spring for Coach Frank Ryan, batting .417 with six home runs and 39 RBI. He followed up the performance during the summer, belting 21 homers, driving in 77 runs batting .422 in just 52 American Legion contests. The 27 homers established a state record for most combined homers during the spring and summer seasons. In all, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound outfielder had 38 extra bases hits and finished with a .968 slugging percentage. A strong-armed outfielder, Bruce also stars in both football in basketball at Millard West, helping the Wildcats to a state semifinals appearance this fall. The son of Dave and Marilyn Bruce, Dan selected Nebraska over Texas.

Nick Derr - One of the top closers in the state last spring, Nicholas Derr is one of eight in-state products to sign with Nebraska this fall. A 6-3, 225-pound lefty went 2-0 with 13 saves for Papillion-LaVista and Coach Jim Thomas last spring, earning second-team Super State honors by the Lincoln Journal Star. Derr's clutch performances out of the bullpen helped the Monarchs to a 31-6 record and a 20-game winning streak during his junior season. The son of Dennis and Glenna Derr, Nick was also recruited by Kansas, Allen Community College and Hutchinson Community College before selecting Nebraska.

Brian Duensing -A senior at Millard South High School, Brian Duensing (pronounced Done-zing) is a two-way performer who earned second-team All-Nebraska honors as an outfielder last spring. Offensively, he batted .434 with 15 stolen bases and 31 runs scored, while also going 3-2 with a 3.78 earned-run average on the mound for coaches Trevor Longe and Greg Geary in 2000. The 6-1, 165-pound lefthander also turned in an impressive summer in legion ball, going 7-2 with a 2.14 ERA and striking out 74 hitters. He also batted .368 with 46 runs scored last summer. The son of Kent and Shari Duensing, Brian selected Nebraska over Creighton.

Scott Hairston - One of nation's top junior college designated hitters, Scott Hairston earned all-region honors for Coach Clint Myers at Central Arizona College in 2000. As a freshman, he batted .412 with 11 homers and 48 RBI, helping Central Arizona to conference and regional titles. This past summer, Hairston earned first-team All-America honors for his efforts, batting .399 with nine homers and 50 RBI to help the Liberal BeeJays to the NBC World Series title. He played his high school ball at Canyon Del Oro High School in Arizona and was a 17th-round selection in the 1999 amateur baseball draft by the Chicago White Sox. Hairston's older brother Jerry, is a member of the Baltimore Orioles, while his father, Jerry Sr., who played in the major leagues for 14 season, and grandfather, who also played with the White Sox in the early 1950s, also played major league baseball. The son of Jerry and Esperanza Hairston, Scott selected Nebraska over Oklahoma.

Darren Hoffart - Darren Hoffart (pronounced Hah-fert) joins fellow Burke senior Aaron Boettcher as members of the Class A state champions in the Husker recruiting class. A two-time second-team All-Nebraska selection, Hoffart batted .443 with six homers and 31 RBI last spring for Coach Marty Torrez. Hoffart, who also plays football and basketball at Burke High School, was a first-team Class A selection and earned all-metro honors as a sophomore and junior. Over the summer, he was selected to the Class A Legion junior all-state team after driving in 42 runs and adding 24 extra-base hits. A member of the National Honor Society who carries a 4.0 grade-point average, Darren chose Nebraska over Creighton, Wichita State, Minnesota and Northwest Missouri State. He is the son of Rolly and Joanie Hoffart.

Mark "Tag" Horner - The final addition to the fall recruiting class, Mark "Tag" Horner is a 6-2, 180-pound left-handed pitcher from Duncan, Oklahoma. An all-area selection in each of the past two seasons for Coach Shane Coker at Duncan High School, Horner struck out 158 batters in 103 innings of work last spring, while also batting .427 with eight homers and 34 RBI. Horner threw a pair of no-hitters last spring while also striking out 15 batters in a six-inning game. During the summer, he played American Legion ball, going 6-3 with 71 Ks and a 0.92 ERA on the hill, while also putting up impressive numbers at the plate (.426-5-52). Horner was also selected to Sunset Series all-star team for his efforts during the summer. An honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society, Tag selected Nebraska over Oklahoma State. He is the son of Mark Horner and Betsy Horner.

Robert Horst - One of four junior college transfers in the Husker recruiting class, Robert Horst is a native of Gehring who attends Butler County Community College. A 6-2, 200-pound outfielder, Horst batted .340 with eight homers and 40 runs batted in as a freshman last spring. The son of Sue Bolin, Robert chose Nebraska over Ole Miss, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Tulane and McNeese State.

Jason Huss - A 6-2, 170-pound righthander, Jason Huss is a native of Fresno, Calif., where he pitched for Coach Todd Johnson at Bullard High School. As a junior, Huss compiled a 9-4 record with a 2.21 earned-run average, striking out 60 hitters in 76 innings pitched en route to earning all-league honors. He improved those numbers in limited competition over the summer, going 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA and striking out 31 batters in just 22 innings of work for his American Legion team. Huss, who also played quarterback the past two seasons, was selected as tournament MVP in the Bullard Summer Classic in 2000. The son of Gary and Judi Huss, Jason chose NU over Fresno State, California, Brown, St. Mary's and the University of San Francisco.

Curtis Ledbetter - One of the top catchers in the midwest, Curtis Ledbetter comes to Nebraska via Garden City Community College in Kansas. As a high school senior last spring, Ledbetter earned state MVP honors, guiding Lawrence (Kan.) High School to a Class 6A state title. A first-team All-Kansas selection, the 6-3, 205-pounder batted .627 with 13 homers and 47 RBI, setting school records in all three categories. He also stole 14 bases as a senior. In the state semifinals, he led LHS to the state title game, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple and game-winning homer. A 39th-round selection by the Cleveland Indians in the 2000 amateur baseball draft, Ledbetter played for the Blue Springs Sluggers and Coach Dave Bingham over the summer, hitting .375 with 15 homers and 65 RBI. He selected Nebraska over numerous schools including Mississippi State, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas and Kansas State.

Matthew McMurtry - Matthew McMurtry is a 5-10, 155-pound pitcher/outfielder from North Platte. Although his school does not sponsor high school baseball, McMurtry played American Legion ball for Coach Ryan Jones during the summer. On the mound, he had a 4-6 mark with a 1.98 earned-run average, throwing seven complete games in eight starts, including a pair of no-hitters. He has excellent control, striking out 73 batters and walking just 23 in 56 2/3 innings and allowing up just 44 hits. At the plate, he batted .324 with 16 extra base hits in 120 plate appearances. McMurtry has been timed at 4.50 in the 40-yard dash and was 14 of 15 on the basepaths last summer. McMurty comes from an athletic family, as all three older brothers and sisters have played Division I baseball or softball. His older brother, Danny, is currently a pitcher for Louisiana-Layafatte. McMurtry also was a member of the NPHS Honor Roll. The son of Jim and Sally McMurtry, Matthew selected Nebraska over Air Force and Blinn Junior College.

Brad Nelson - One of the nation's top 100 high school players according to Baseball America, Brad Nelson is a two-sport standout at Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, Iowa. A 6-2, 225-pound third baseman/pitcher, Nelson enters his senior season with a career .551 average with 47 homers at Bishop Garrigan playing for Coach Gene Meister. As a sophomore, he led the state and ranked third nationally with 27 homers, while also driving in 91 RBIs en route to a Class 2-A runner-up finish. Nelson was selected as the All-American District V Baseball Player of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association in 1998. He is also an outstanding pitching prospect who has a career 26-3 record, highlighted by a 14-2 mark with 168 strikeouts as a sophomore. Nelson also earned all-Iowa honors on the basketball court last season, scoring 62 points in a five overtime game last winter. The son of Doug and Nancy Nelson, Bradley, who is also a member of the National Honor Society and honor roll at BGHS, chose Nebraska over Baylor and Kentucky.

Chase Odenreider - Chase Odenrider is a 6-1, 175-pound shortstop who for played Coach John Southworth at Millard North High School. As a junior, he helped the Mustangs qualify for the state tournament, finishing the spring with .300 average, scoring 31 runs and successfully stealing 13 bases. In legion ball over the summer for current Husker volunteer assistant Kevin Koch, Odenreider batted .318 with 50 runs scored and 44 RBI, while going 19-for-19 on the basepaths, leading Millard North Blackstone to a 54-8 record and a berth in the regional semifinals. A two-sport athlete who also plays basketball, Odenreider is a member of the MNHS honor roll. The son of Kevin and Julie Odenreider, Chase selected Nebraska over Creighton, Wayne State and several junior colleges.

Anthony Pannone - A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Anthony Pannone (pronounced pan-none) comes to Nebraska from Seward (Kan.) County Community College. He earned Jawhawk West Conference honors as a designated hitter, batting .380 with 13 homers in helping Seward County to a 46-12 record and a sub-regional title. A 16th-round selection by the San Francisco Giants in the 2000 amateur baseball draft, Pannone spent last summer playing for the Liberal BeeJays in the Missouri-Nebraska-Iowa-Kansas league. He prepped at Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, earning first-team All-Colorado honors as a senior, batting .430 and was selected to the state all-star game at Coors Field. A strong performer off the field, Pannone carries a 3.50 GPA at Seward County CC. The son of Russell and Marikay Pannone, Anthony chose Nebraska over Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana-Monroe.

Phil Shirek - The Huskers' lone signee from the state of North Dakota, Phil Shirek (pronounced Share-ik) is one of the top two-way players in the upper midwest. A senior at Minot High School, Shirek compiled a 5-1 record with a 0.37 earned-run average for Coach Pete Stenberg. Shirek striking out 55 batters and walked just 13 in 38 1/3 innings as a junior, while opponents batted just .104 against the 6-4, 204-pound righthander. A unanimous first-team All-Western District Association (North Dakota does not have all-state teams in baseball) as both a pitcher and shortstop, he guided MHS to a state title as a sophomore and a third-place showing last spring. During the summer, he was just as impressive in American Legion ball, going 8-2 with a 1.49 ERA while holding hitters to a .170 average. A three-sport standout who also carries a 3.7 grade-point average, Shirek was named first-team all-state as a quarterback as a junior and was an all-district honoree in basketball. Shirek looks to follow in the footsteps of fellow North Dakota native and current Anaheim Angel Gold Glove winner Darin Erstad, the last NU player from the North Dakota. The son of Randy and Joy Shirek, Phillip was also recruited by Minnesota, North Dakota and North Dakota State before selecting Nebraska.

Joe Simokaitis - A three-sport standout, Joe Simokaitis (Sim-o-kite-is) played shortstop at St. Mary's High School in St. Louis for Coach Dave Wessels. A three-year starter, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Simokaitis earned first-team All-Archdiocesan Athletic Association honors every year since his freshman year. Last season, he batted .420 with seven homers and 43 RBI en route to earning All-South Metro St. Louis honors. In football, he was a two-time all-district selection and was chosen as the conference player of the year this fall, playing both quarterback and free safety. In basketball, Simokaitis garnered all-conference and all-district accolades for his efforts on the court. His older brother, David, plays shortstop of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, while another older brother, Nick, played for Coach Van Horn at Northwestern State. The son of Tony and Judy Simokaitis, Joe selected Nebraska over Missouri, St. Louis University, Wichita State and Indiana State in baseball, while also being recruited by MU and Illinois in football.

Chad Steele- One of six players from Omaha in the Husker recruiting class, Chad Steele played both catcher and outfield at Omaha Gross High School. Last season, Steele was a first-team All-Nebraska selection at catcher by the Omaha World-Herald and the Lincoln Journal-Star, batting .516 with 40 RBI and a .916 slugging percentage. Of his 49 base hits last spring, 25 went for extra bases, including 16 doubles, five triples and four homers, helping Omaha Gross to a seventh-place finish at the state tournament. A two-time all-conference selection on the diamond, Steele also starred for Gross' football team the past two seasons, earning honorable mention all-state honors as a junior. A member of the Dean's List, Steele was also the state high school powerlifting champion this past year. The son of Jim and Diane Steele, Charles selected Nebraska over Notre Dame, Pacific, Creighton and Stanford.