Honors & Awards
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2004 NCBWA Preseason All-American (Third Team)
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2003 First-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches)
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2001 MLB 17th-round Draft Pick (New York Yankees)
2004 Outlook
During the Huskers’ recent run of success, one luxury that Pitching Coach Rob Childress has enjoyed has been an all-conference caliber pitcher to anchor the rotation. From Shane Komine to Aaron Marsden, one of the hallmarks of the Nebraska baseball program has been solid starting pitching. This spring, Childress will rely on senior Quinton Robertson to lead the Huskers in their quest for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. While Marsden, a second-team All-American and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, parlayed a stellar junior year to a third-round draft pick by Colorado, Robertson quietly stepped into the weekend rotation, giving the Huskers a potent 1-2 punch every series.
"Sometimes when a player transfers in from junior college, it takes time to adjust to the environment of the Big 12, but Quinton picked it up quickly last season and really pitched well in the conference," Childress said. "He is a great competitor who is not afraid to pitch in hostile environments, and that is what you want from a veteran."
Robertson’s 10 wins tied for the Big 12 lead, were the most ever by a first-year Husker and the third-most in school history. Only All-Americans Shane Komine and Troy Brohawn won more games than Robertson did in 2003.
"I think every school in the league would like to have a first-team All-Big 12 pitcher like Quinton coming back," Childress said. "He brings a lot of stability to our staff because we know he can get us to the seventh inning and give us the opportunity to win every time he pitches, which is all you can ask of a starter."
2003 - Junior
Robertson enjoyed one of the finest years a Husker newcomer has ever had at Nebraska. The junior college transfer compiled a 10-2 record and a 4.23 ERA in 89.1 innings. Robertson’s 10 wins not only tied for the Big 12 lead, but was the third-highest single-season total in school history. He also ranked 10th in the Big 12 in opposing batting average (.270) and 12th in ERA. In addition to his team-high 10 wins, he was second on the team in starts (14), innings pitched and strikeouts (51). He had nearly a 2.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and went six or more innings in 12 of his 14 starts, including each of his final 10.
Robertson began the year in the bullpen, where he made two appearances before moving into the starting rotation for good in early March. He picked up his first collegiate win against Louisiana Tech, throwing 2.1 innings of two-hit relief against the Bulldogs to clinch the series win. The junior college transfer was solid in his first career start, allowing one run on two hits over six innings in a 15-2 win over the Golden Gophers in the Metrodome on March 1. Robertson tuned up for conference play in his next outing, making just seven pitches to pick up the win in NU’s victory over Nebraska-Kearney. Robertson pitched well, but suffered his first loss at No. 15 Texas A&M, allowing four runs (one earned) on three hits in 4.1 innings. The right-hander bounced back from the loss to go 5-0 over his next eight starts, while pitching at least six innings in all eight appearances. He fanned a career-high seven Wildcats and allowed one earned run in a victory over Kansas State on March 22. Robertson’s best road effort came at Texas Tech on April 26, where he allowed one unearned run over seven innings in a 6-3 win over the Red Raiders. In that game, he allowed only two balls out of the infield in his final five innings of work. The right-hander tossed the first complete game of his career, throwing 123 pitches and holding Oklahoma State to two runs in a 5-2 win over the Cowboys on May 11. He saw his five-game winning streak snapped against No. 14 Baylor on May 17.
He went a perfect 2-0 in two postseason starts, going six innings in wins over No. 16 Baylor in Oklahoma City and Eastern Michigan. Against the Bears, he avenged one of his two regular-season losses, striking out six and scattering seven hits in a 9-5 victory. He opened up the Huskers’ NCAA Tournament run against Eastern Michigan, allowing season highs in both hits (10) and runs (six) in a 16-11 slugfest over the Eagles on May 30.
Before Nebraska
Robertson pitched for Coach Matt Deggs at Texarkana College, compiling a 15-3 career record and a 3.18 ERA in his two seasons in the Bulldog program. Robertson battled arm problems for part of his sophomore year, but finished the campaign with a 6-3 record and a 2.83 ERA. He struck out 31 and walked only 10 in 54 innings en route to second-team All-Texas Eastern Association honors. The right-hander enjoyed a successful freshman year, going 9-0 with a 3.45 ERA, leading the Bulldogs to a berth in the NJCAA World Series in 2001. He averaged nine strikeouts per game, as opponents hit just .255 against him. Robertson was a first-team all-conference and All-Region XIV selection and was tabbed a second-team NJCAA All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Robertson, a 17th-round draft pick by the New York Yankees in 2001, also looked at Mississippi State, Mississippi, Southern Miss and Texas before signing with NU. A native of Richland, Miss., he attended Sylvan Hills High School, helping his team to a top-three finish in the state his final three seasons at the school, earning first-team all-conference accolades as a senior.
Personal Info
Birthdate: Dec. 18, 1981; Parents: Jerry and Linda Robertson; Sister: Alana; Major: Sociology.