Top-Ranked Tigers Have Top Semester in the Classroom

May 16, 2002

Clemson has been setting records on the diamond this year and has been ranked number-one in the nation in at least one poll for eight straight weeks. Jack Leggett’s team has also been doing the job at a record rate in the classroom.

According to data released by the Clemson Student-Athlete Enrichment Program on May 15, the Tiger baseball team had a 2.82 team GPA and 20 of the 34 players were named to the Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or better). That was the best figure on record for both areas for one semester. Five of the 20 players were named to the Dean’s List.

The list of players on the academic honor roll included Jeff Baker and Khalil Greene, two of the five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award. Both are All-America candidates for 2002. The list of players with at least a 3.0 GPA also included #1 pitcher Steve Reba, starting centerfielder Kyle Frank, starting first baseman Michael Johnson, starting DH Jeff Hourigan, starting catcher Collin Mahoney and starting right fielder Jarrod Schmidt.

That is right, eight of the 10 everyday starters (including Reba as the pitcher) posted a 3.0 or better in the spring semester. It would not be too far fetched to put Russell Triplett in the lineup at second base and Zane Green in left field. If you add Paul Harrelson as the relief pitcher you could have a lineup of 11 players that are all student-athlete honor roll selections.

Here is a complete list of the 20 Clemson baseball players who made the academic honor roll (Dean’s List in bold): Jeff Baker, Kyle Frank, Zane Green, Khalil Greene, Jeff Hourigan, Ryan Hub, Michael Johnson, Collin Mahoney, Gene Pierce, Robert Pritchard, Steve Reba, Jarrod Schmidt, Jonathan Smith, Russell Triplett

Below is a possible lineup of student-athlete all-stars for Jack Leggett in 2002: