Husker Baseball Recruiting Class Ranked 13th by Collegiate Baseball

Lincoln ? Nebraska’s incoming baseball recruiting class was recognized nationally, as Collegiate Baseball rated the class No. 13 nationally in its rankings released Thursday.  The rating is the highest ever for Nebraska in the publication’s 27-year history of ranking recruiting classes.

Nebraska’s recruiting class, which includes 16 freshmen and five junior college transfers, features four players who had been drafted previously before coming to Nebraska, pitchers Ryan Hughes (16th round in 2008), Tom Lemke (10th round in 2009), Kurt Giller (21st round in 2009) and Ryan Hander (38th round in 2009). Lemke was one of just 11 high school seniors selected in the top-10 rounds to not sign over the summer.

Of the 16 high school players in the class, 13 players garnered first-team state honors last year, including six players from Nebraska (Brian Donohoe, Kurt Farmer, Tyler Niederklein, Josh Scheffert, Dylan Vogt and Chris Williams).

Of the out-of-state recruits, Bryan Peters was the Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year in both football and baseball, becoming one of less than 10 athletes in Gatorade’s 25-year history of the award to ever earn two state honors in one year. Peters went 21-0 in his career on the diamond while hitting over .400 with 15 homers and 74 RBIs, leading Rocky Mountain High School to three consecutive Class 5A titles. Peters and right-hander Kurt Giller were named to Collegiate Baseball’s High School All-America team.

Tom Lemke was a three-time all-state performer at Northwest Christian in Scottsdale, Ariz., going a combined 25-9 with 2.01 ERA in his career, as he recorded 333 strikeouts in 193.2 career innings. Chad Christensen was a two-time all-state performer at Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington High School, where he finished his career holding nearly every record in program history, including the school’s all-time triple crown (.438-42-164).

The recruiting class was ranked second in the Big 12 by the publication, trailing only Texas, which was ranked 12th.

Fans will have their opportunity to see some of the newest Huskers during the annual Red/White Scrimmage, which takes place Oct. 8-10, at Hawks Field.