2010 Jackie Robinson Award Nominees Possess Power and Precision

Four of the nation’s most dominant young pitchers join a power-hitting, defensively sound catcher in the field of nominees for the seventh annual Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year Award, given each year to the country’s top prep baseball player.

The award will be presented at the Aflac All-American Awards dinner to be held at the San Diego Hall of Champions on Aug. 14. Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and 2010 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic honorary chairman Andre Dawson will also attend the ceremony.

Named in honor of the late Hall of Famer and first man to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier, the Jackie Robinson Award recognizes the nation’s top high school player entering his senior year who demonstrates outstanding character, exhibits leadership and embodies the values of being a student athlete in both his schoolwork and community affairs.

“Jackie Robinson’s legacy on and off the field resonates throughout baseball at every level, and this year’s Player of the Year Award nominees reflect the same character and love of baseball that he displayed,” said Danny Fleishman, vice president of sponsorships and emerging markets at Aflac. “The Player of the Year Award and the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic showcase the best in high school baseball both on the diamond and in the community, and we are honored to recognize such an elite group of young players.”

The 2010 Aflac National High School Player of the Year nominees are:

– Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso High School – Owasso, Okla.
– Dillon Howard, RHP, Searcy High School – Searcy, Ark.
– Michael Kelly, RHP, West Boca Raton High School – Boynton Beach, Fla.
– Daniel Norris, LHP, Science Hill High School – Johnson City, Tenn.
– Blake Swihart, C, V. Sue Cleveland High School – Rio Rancho, N.M.

In 2009, Jackie Robinson Award recipient Bryce Harper, a catcher from Las Vegas High School (Las Vegas, Nev.), joined Aflac All-American alumnus Justin Upton (2004) as an Aflac National High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick when he was selected by the Washington Nationals in June.

Other previous winners include Cody Johnson, a first baseman/outfielder from Mosley High School (Panama City, Fla.) in 2005; Michael Burgess, an outfielder/pitcher from Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Fla.) in 2006; Tim Melville, a pitcher/outfielder from Wentzville High School (Wentzville, Mo.) in 2007; and Mychal Givens, a pitcher/infielder from Plant High School (Tampa, Fla.) in 2008. Player of the Year nominees are determined by official Aflac All-American Baseball Classic selection partner Perfect Game.

The eighth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played Sunday, Aug. 15, at PETCO Park in San Diego. The nation’s elite high school baseball showcase features the top 38 rising high school senior baseball players in an East vs. West matchup. The game will be televised live nationally on FOX Sports Net at 5 p.m. Pacific time (8 p.m. Eastern time).

The Aflac All-American Baseball Classic is more than just a game. It is part of Aflac’s ongoing commitment to the fight against childhood cancer, with ticket proceeds benefiting Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Since 2003, the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic has generated nearly $805,000 for charity.

As we reach the mid-point of the baseball season, it’s time for the All-Star game and for reflections on the sport as a whole. So far in the 2010 Major League Baseball season, pitching has been the star performer, with some memorable perfect games, including the one that was, but wasn’t, and the debut of the Washington Nationals’ young phenom.

But, one thing remains the same when it comes to baseball. Among those who follow the sport, the New York Yankees again win the honor of “America’s Favorite“, as they have each year since 2003. In the second spot on the list are their long time arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, followed by the Atlanta Braves at number three; both of these teams’ positions are unchanged from last year.

Rounding out the top five are the Philadelphia Phillies at number four, rising from 7th place last year, and the Chicago Cubs, who may not win pennants, but do win a lot of hearts.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and 21, 2010 by Harris Interactive.

Looking at the bottom half of the top ten favorite baseball teams, at number six are the New York Mets, up from number 11 last year; the San Francisco Giants (#7, up from #9); the Los Angeles Dodgers (#8, down from a tie at #4); the Minnesota Twins (#9, up from #13); and the St. Louis Cardinals (#10, down from #6).

Three teams have made large moves on this year’s list. Moving up ten spots, from #29 last year to #19 this year, are the Kansas City Royals. Also making a large move upwards are the Cleveland Indians who went up 8 spots, from a tie for #25 to #17. In the opposite direction, the Houston Astros dropped 9 spots, moving from #19 to #28.

Winning it all in October

Looking ahead to the end of the season, one-third of Americans who follow baseball (34%) are expecting a repeat and think the New York Yankees are going to win the World Series. One in ten believe the Boston Red Sox (10%) and the Tampa Bay Rays (9%) will win, while 7% say it will be the St. Louis Cardinals and 6% each say it will be the Philadelphia Phillies or the Atlanta Braves. Each team also evidently has die-hard fans, as each of the 30 teams has someone who believes they will win it all.

Following baseball

Over one-third of Americans (36%) say they follow Major League Baseball, a number that is down from last year when 41% said they followed baseball and 40% said so in 2008. Looking at who follows baseball, men are more likely to do so than women (46% versus 27%). Also African Americans are more likely to be followers of the sport, compared to both Whites and Hispanics (41% versus 36% and 34%). There is also a regional divide, as almost half of Easterners (48%) say they follow baseball, compared to one-third of Westerners (34%) and 29% of Southerners.

So what?

Major League Baseball has had lots of ups and downs over the past few decades. For every strike-shortened season, there is Cal Ripken breaking records. For every steroid scandal, there is the story of a young pitcher with an arm not seen in decades. And, through it all, fans mostly stay loyal, following their favorite teams through thick and thin, cursed goats and all. When the weather gets hot and steamy outside, staying inside to watch a game makes many a baseball fan not mind the heat waves quite so much.

Celebrated Sports Artist to Debut Seventh World Series Celebration Piece

After nearly a decade of waiting for the championship to return home, the 2009 Yankees clinched their 27th World Series. It is only fitting that a legendary victory such as this one be immortalized by famed seven-time World Series Celebration artist Opie Otterstad. On Saturday, April 17, 2010, Otterstad will unveil his Official World Series Victory Piece at Pop International Galleries, in SoHo.

In what has become a tradition of its own, the World Series victory art piece transports fans back to the glorious moment when a historic team clinches its destiny. For the past seven years, Major League Baseball fans have looked to legendary sports artist Opie Otterstad to create spectacular panoramic paintings capturing these wins. Known for narrating each winning team’s history on canvas, Otterstad celebrates not only the winning moment but often the path that led the team there. With Otterstad painting in Pinstripes, this piece will preserve the 2009 World Series story for all-time.

Showing alongside Otterstad, renowned sports artist, Stephen Holland will also debut three reverent portraits of the Yankees’ most celebrated players of our generation. New York’s hometown hero Derek Jeter, beloved closer Mariano Rivera and the great Alex “A-ROD” Rodriguez will all come to life with the strokes of Holland’s mastery. His intense, gritty style has captured illustrious sports figures with an honesty and passion missed by other mediums.

Throughout time artists have documented profound moments in history with paintings; still today, there is an opportunity to take a snap shot of these shared continuums of epic scale even in sports. Bringing the joy of triumph and success to life in a way that neither a ring nor trophy can do, these phenomenal victory pieces and portraits will fill Pop International Galleries to memorialize America’s team and baseball. This historic exhibit will highlight some of the Yankees’ most extraordinary and significant moments, as well as, the time-honored traditions of baseball through a celebration of world-class art.

Pop International Galleries, being both a legendary New York gallery and the premier dealers of Pop Art in the United States, make it the perfect location for this show. “The Yankees and their iconic players as painted by Opie and Holland are just as much a part of ‘popular culture art’ as Warhol’s Monroe,” says co-owner Rick Rounick.

This exhibit celebrates the return of the World Series championship back where it belongs — in New York City. Whether you attended the game in person, were watching on TV, are a life-long Yankees’ fan, are simply a lover of sports, or are a collector of historic sports moments, experience this one-of-a-kind art show first-hand. Take home a true piece of history to add to your collection or a print capturing the record 27th World Series championship win of the world’s most successful squads.

MLB Home Plate and Mad Dog Radio channels to broadcast live from 30 MLB Spring Training sites in Arizona and Florida from March 5 – 26 SIRIUS XM’s Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Bowden, Rob Dibble, Jim Duquette, Kevin Kennedy and Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will interview players, managers and team execs

SIRIUS XM Radio will embark on its 2010 Spring Training Tour on Friday, March 5, taking listeners to 30 Major League Baseball Spring Training sites in three weeks. MLB Home Plate, SIRIUS XM’s 24-hour baseball talk channel, and Mad Dog Radio, SIRIUS XM’s all-sports talk channel, will broadcast live from ballparks in Arizona and Florida, offering baseball fans an in-depth look at every Major League club and one-on-one interviews with managers, players and team executives.

On MLB Home Plate (XM channel 175, SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM”), Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, former Rangers and Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy, and host Casey Stern will cover Arizona’s Cactus League, hosting Inside Pitch (1:00-4:00 pm ET/10:00am-1:00pm PT) from 10 ballparks in and around the Phoenix area from March 5-14. In Florida to cover the Grapefruit League, from March 15-24, will be MLB Home Plate hosts Jim Duquette, the former GM of the Orioles and Mets, former All-Star pitcher Rob Dibble, and host Jody McDonald, who will host Power Alley (10:00am-1:00pm ET/7:00-10:00am PT) from 10 Spring Training sites.

On Mad Dog Radio (SIRIUS channel 123, XM channel 144), Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will host his daily all-sports talk show, Mad Dog Unleashed, from five Florida Spring Training locations from March 8-12. From March 22-26, Russo will host the show from five different Arizona sites. Mad Dog Unleashed airs every weekday (2:00-7:00 pm ET).

2010 SIRIUS XM Radio Spring Training Tour Schedule: (All times ET)

Friday, Mar. 5
– Dodgers @ White Sox – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Cal Ripken Jr.

Saturday, Mar. 6
– Royals @ Rangers – Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Sunday, Mar. 7
– Padres @ Mariners – Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Monday, Mar. 8
– Indians @ Diamondbacks – Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Cardinals @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 9
– Rockies @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Pirates @ Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 10
– Giants @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Mets @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 11
– Athletics @ Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Orioles @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 12
– Reds @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Phillies @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Saturday, Mar. 13
– Rangers @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Sunday, Mar. 14
– Cubs @ Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Monday, Mar. 15
– Orioles @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Tuesday, Mar. 16
– Tigers @ Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Wednesday, Mar. 17
– Twins @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Thursday, Mar. 18
– Pirates @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Friday, Mar. 19
– Blue Jays @ Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Saturday, Mar. 20
– Mets @ Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Sunday, Mar. 21
– Tigers @ Yankees – Tampa, FL 1-4pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Monday, Mar. 22
– Mets @ Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Angels @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 23
– Orioles @ Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Padres @ Rockies – Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 24
– Phillies @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Cal Ripken Jr.
– Giants @ Reds – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 25
– Mariners @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 26
– Athletics @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

MLB Home Plate is available to listeners nationwide on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM.” Visit www.xmradio.com/mlb for programming info.

Mad Dog Radio airs nationwide on SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144. Visit www.sirius.com/maddogradio for programming info.

Baseball fans with visual impairments will benefit from the implementation of functional improvements to MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, and all 30 individual Club sites as a result of a joint collaboration between MLB Advanced Media, LP (MLBAM), the American Council of the Blind, Bay State Council of the Blind and California Council of the Blind. All three organizations applaud this fan initiative taken by MLBAM.

“MLBAM has undertaken groundbreaking work to make its web sites accessible and has assumed a strong leadership position among sports, media and entertainment properties in doing so,” said Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind. “We certainly urge similar sites to make this level of commitment in following MLBAM’s lead.”

As part of its initiative, MLB.com launched an accessible media center for its MLB.com Gameday Audio(TM) subscribers, offering features such as volume control, ability to choose the home or away feed and access to archived games. Additionally, MLB.com has ensured that fans with visual impairments can continue to participate in the annual online voting programs associated with the All-Star Game and will be providing an accessibility page on its site detailing information on accessibility, usability tips and customer service resources. As it continues to deliver technological innovations for following baseball games, MLB.com will make additional accessibility enhancements available to fans with visual impairments.

Brian Charlson, a Boston baseball fan and Director of Computer Training Services at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts, described how MLB.com’s accessibility efforts have improved his enjoyment of the game: “As a member of the blind community, the kind of changes MLB.com was willing to make on its web sites keeps me coming back for more. It shows how much can be done when people with disabilities find willing partners. For example, with the changes in Gameday Audio, I find myself enjoying switching back and forth between the home and away broadcasters the same way my sighted friends do. And knowing my votes were counted in this year’s All-Star balloting made listening to the game much more meaningful. I’m excited about what MLB.com has done and about its commitment to further improvements.”

MLB.com utilized guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The web content accessibility guidelines are of particular benefit to blind baseball fans who use a screen reader, through which information on a page is read aloud, or magnification technology on their computers and who rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse.

Source: MLB.com

Live baseball available on several platforms including Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod touch

MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, announced that the eighth season of MLB.TV, one of the largest subscription video offerings on the Internet, is now available at http://www.mlb.tv/ with portability for the upcoming 2010 season.

In addition to the PC-based accessibility more than two million subscribers have enjoyed over the past seven seasons, fans for the first time will be able to take a complete season of 2,430 games on MLB.TV wherever they go through a variety of interactive media platforms, including the newly unveiled Apple iPad and the MLB.com At Bat 2010 app for iPhone and iPod touch mobile devices. Additional platform offerings for live streaming are expected to be announced and available to subscribers for Opening Day.

The 2010 MLB.TV media player will deliver a fleet of enhancements in a convenient, cutting-edge Adobe Flash format, offering an unparalleled live viewing experience for every out-of-market regular season game.

In addition to portability, some of the features available in 2010 MLB.TV include:

HD Quality Picture – MLB.com’s proprietary speed detection allows high-speed users to receive live high definition video at the industry standard of 720p on any size monitor.

Home and Away Feeds - Watch or listen to either the home or away teams’ broadcasts.

Live Game DVR Functionality – Pause and rewind or fast-forward live games.

Clickable Linescores – Go directly to any half-inning to watch only that portion of the game.

Multi-Game Viewing Options - Watch up to four games simultaneously.

Picture-in-Picture – Choose one game and track another or watch in-game highlights simultaneously in a secondary window.

Live Game Highlights - Real-time highlights and player stats automatically load into the media player. With one click, the clip instantly launches in a picture-in-picture window.

Player Tracker - Customize alerts to feature entire fantasy rosters or just a list of favorite players. Subscribers will be notified any time a listed player is on deck. Click the real-time alert to watch live at-bat look-ins.

Spring Training – Watch more than 150 live games from Florida and Arizona as teams prepare for the 2010 season.

Source: MLB.com

MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, announced the results of online voting in its eighth annual This Year in Baseball Awards during a live hour-long video webcast from its New York City studios. The voting saw a record 12 million votes cast as the top players and moments from the 2009 season were chosen from 14 different categories, as well as a new honor, none of which were restricted to individual League affiliation.

“These year-end awards are a privilege to present and have grown in importance, both in terms of fan participation and in how they are received by the winners,” said Dinn Mann, Executive Vice President, Content, and Editor-in-Chief, MLB.com. “We are grateful for every vote, and more, for the platform to celebrate greatness in baseball and to continue to identify ways to expand this significant, deserved recognition.”

A complete list of 2009 winners is below:
Hitter of the Year: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (.365, 28 HR, 96 RBIs)
Starting Pitcher of the Year: Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals (16-8, 2.16 ERA, 242 Ks)
Closer of the Year: Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees (44 SV, 1.76 ERA)
Setup Man of the Year: Jeremy Affeldt, San Francisco Giants (74 G, 1.73 ERA)
Rookie of the Year: J.A. Happ, Philadelphia Phillies (12-4, 2.93 ERA)
Manager of the Year: Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies (92-70, NL Wild Card)
Executive of the Year: Ruben Amaro Jr., Philadelphia Phillies (93-69, NL East champs)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox (.994 FPCT)
Unsung Star of the Year: Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies (36 HR, 99 RBIs, 20 SB)
Performance of the Year: Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox (Perfect game, 7/23)
Play of the Year: Dewayne Wise, Chicago White Sox (Catch preserved perfect game, 7/23)
Moment of the Year: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (Passed Gehrig for NYY hits, 9/11)
Postseason Moment of the Year: Johnny Damon, New York Yankees (WS Game 4)
Oddity of the Year: Phillies fanatic (Dad’s catch thrown back by daughter, 9/15)

A special, first-ever X-Factor of the Year was awarded to former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre through a media-only vote by MLB.com editors, reporters and multimedia personnel. In 2010, this category will be added to the overall voting process. The 2010 This Year in Baseball Awards will include additional exciting enhancements to be unveiled at a later date.

Awards will be presented individually to this year’s winners in on-field pre-game ceremonies during the 2010 regular season.

Source: MLB.com

Most Recognized, Comprehensive College Rankings & Resource for High School Athletes Awards Highest Honor to Stanford University for 2nd Straight Year Survey Lists Overall Elite 50 & Individual Team Rankings for 21 Varsity Sports

STACK Media, the leading producer and distributor of sports performance, instruction and lifestyle content for high school athletes, announced the findings from its third annual “STACK Elite 50 College Rankings” – which is the most recognized, comprehensive college rankings and resource of its kind and a powerful research tool for any high school athlete looking to compete and study at the next level. For the second straight year, Stanford University came out on top by finishing number one in seven of the 21 sport-specific rankings. Aside from the overall Elite 50 standings, which highlights the best schools in terms of a strong overall athletic presence, individual team rankings for 21 varsity sports are also listed. The full rankings can be found in STACK Media’s Holiday print edition, which is out today.

In addition to rankings and stories about top ranked schools in the Holiday edition of STACK Magazine, STACK Media has also compiled exclusive interviews with Elite 50 colleges’ coaches, athletes and academic advisors on the dedicated section of the Web site – http://elite50.stack.com/.

“Serious high school athletes want to elevate their game to the next level with credible information on training and performance, but reliable sources on their best options for schools with top academic and athletic programs are extremely limited for them to turn to,” said Nick Palazzo, Co-founder and Co-CEO of STACK Media. “The college recruiting and selection process is demanding, time consuming and stressful, and we aim to make it easier for students in researching and calculating the top colleges out there with the STACK Elite 50 College Rankings. Whatever your sport of choice may be, we’ve listed the right college for you.”

*Stanford University claims top spot

Stanford University was the first ever repeat winner by coming out number one in eight sports and fielding 17 top-15 squads, along with being ranked by U.S. News as America’s fourth best academic college/university. Florida nailed down the number two overall ranking with only one top-ranked sport (softball), but had 15 top-15 squads and was ranked 47 by U.S. News. The school jumped from last year’s number five listing.

The North Carolina Tar Heels, who were number one in ’07 and number three in ’08, claim their third consecutive top-five overall finish. UNC dominates the baseball diamond with an Elite 50 “Triple Crown” – three years running as the top baseball program. This was combined with a well-respected U.S. News spot at 28 and 11 top-15 teams. The Texas Longhorns came in at number four, but dropped from number two overall last year. And rounding out the top five is the University of South Carolina thanks to a sneaky four-sport attack, led by the football squad’s three-peat. Women’s golf, men’s tennis and men’s T&F also ranked number one.

“It was another competitive year for the top spot, with many worthy contenders,” Palazzo added. “We congratulate Stanford University for yet another number one ranking. The men and women of Palo Alto can be very proud for upholding the title of best college for academically minded athletes. And any high school athlete looking to play at the collegiate level has 50 fantastic schools from our Elite 50 list that they should have on their radar screen, as they are all top-notch schools in terms of both academics and sports.”

*College rankings by sport

Below are the top five college rankings in each of the sports that were included in the Elite 50 rankings:

Football
1. USC
2. Florida
3. Ohio State
4. Texas
5. Georgia

Men’s Basketball
1. UNC
2. UCLA
3. Kansas
4. Duke
5. Memphis

Women’s Basketball
1. Stanford
2. UConn
3. UNC
4. Duke
5. Maryland

Baseball
1. UNC
2. Rice
3. Virginia
4. ASU
5. Florida State

Men’s Soccer
1. Wake Forest
2. Maryland
3. Notre Dame
4. Northwestern
5. Indiana

Women’s Soccer
1. UNC
2. Notre Dame
3. UCLA
4. Stanford
5. USC

Men’s Swimming
1. Stanford
2. Michigan
3. Cal
4. Florida
5. Texas

Women’s Swimming
1. Stanford
2. Cal
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Texas

Hockey
1. Michigan
2. Notre Dame
3. Boston University
4. Miami (OH)
5. Boston College

Men’s Track
1. USC
2. Texas
3. Stanford
4. Florida
5. Texas A&M

Women’s Track
1. Michigan
2. Stanford
3. USC
4. Texas A&M
5. Florida

Wrestling
1. Michigan
2. Ohio State
3. Northwestern
4. Penn State
5. Cornell

Lacrosse
1. Duke
2. Virginia
3. Notre Dame
4. Cornell
5. UNC

Volleyball
1. Stanford
2. Penn State
3. Florida
4. Nebraska
5. Washington

Softball
1. Florida
2. Michigan
3. Alabama
4. Stanford
5. Arizona State University

In order to determine the sport-specific rankings, STACK Media uses five main indicators of excellence. One source is the 2010 U.S. News & World Report on America’s best colleges, which each year ranks the nation’s top colleges and universities, strictly in terms of academic prowess. Also considered is the Academic Progress Rate (APR) system that measures how well a collegiate athletic team’s members progress toward graduation during their playing careers. A third indicator is the end-of-the-season national rankings and polls from various national outlets that sum up the entire season’s results. A team’s win-loss record is also considered, where the number of games over .500 for each team is calculated over the past three seasons, and then awarded points based on that total. Finally, there’s the ‘STACK Factor,’ or the strength of the overall athletic community in terms of the level of athletic support and ability throughout all 21 varsity sports covered.

Source: STACK Media

Sports Illustrated Group Editor Terry McDonell announced that Derek Jeter is the 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Jeter is the first New York Yankee to receive this award. Previous winners include Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The 2009 SI Sportsman of the Year issue hits newsstands Wednesday, December 2. The issue marks the 11th cover appearance for Jeter.

Since 1954 the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year has been presented annually to the person who excelled in athletic performance and demonstrated great character. “Over all the years SI editors have used the same language to define the award,” said McDonell. “It is not for the victory alone that he (or she) is honored; rather, it is for the quality of his effort and the manner of his striving.’ And that defines Derek Jeter.”

“While having a Hall of Fame career and under a brilliant spotlight, Derek conducts himself with class and a selfless demeanor that allows not only his teammates but also his sport and his community to flourish,” McDonell continued. “It was his leadership both on and off the field that drove the Yankees to the world championship, and his Turn 2 Foundation is one of the most efficient and effective foundations of its kind. It is an honor to include Derek Jeter in the Sportsman fraternity.”

Jeter’s selection caps another outstanding season for the 35-year-old team captain and future Hall of Famer. In 2009 he batted .334 while leading the Yankees to their fifth World Series title in his 14 full seasons, their first since 2000 and their major league record 27th. On September 11, Jeter got his 2,722 hit, breaking Lou Gehrig’s 70-year-old franchise record. Jeter now has 2,747. In 2009, Jeter led the American League by reaching base 289 times, finished second in the league in hits (212), third in batting average and on-base percentage (.406), fourth in runs (107), and eighth in stolen bases (30). He was named an All-Star for the 10th time, including the sixth time as a starter, while winning his fourth AL Silver Slugger as the best hitting shortstop in the league, and his fourth Gold Glove as the league’s top defensive shortstop.

In 14 postseason games Jeter lived up to his reputation as a clutch player, batting .344 with a .432 on-base percentage, three home runs and six RBIs. He batted .407 in the World Series to help lead the Yankees to a six-game victory against the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies. During the Series Jeter was named the American League recipient of the Hank Aaron Award, given to the best hitter in each league as voted on by the fans, and the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best displays skill on the field while giving back to the community off it.

Jeter will be honored at a ceremony in Manhattan on December 1 along with SI Kids’ SportsKid of the Year, Austin McCarthy. Sponsors for the Sportsman of the Year event include Ford, Gillette, Liberty Mutual and Verizon.

Jeter is the 10th baseball honoree and only the third in the last 34 years. Others players named Sportsman after great World Series-winning performances include Johnny Podres (’55), Sandy Koufax (’65), Tom Seaver (’69), Pete Rose (’75), Willie Stargell (along with Terry Bradshaw ['79]), Orel Hershiser (’88), Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson (’01) and the Boston Red Sox (’04).

Source: www.si.com/sportsman

with Pre- & Postgame Analysis by Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen

For the ninth consecutive year, Fox Sports en Espanol is offering live Spanish-language coverage of the MLB postseason. Tune-in to Fox Sports en Espanol for the 2009 World Series, where the defending World Champions Philadelphia Phillies, take on the American League champions, New York Yankees starting on Wednesday, October 28th at 7:30pm ET.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen joins Fox Sports en Espanol as a pregame and postgame analyst, providing exclusive Spanish language analysis and content, for the network’s coverage of the 2009 Fall Classic.

Guillen’s engaging personality, honesty and candor have made him a popular media figure both in Chicago and nationally. His previous MLB television experience was as an analyst for the Hispanic television broadcast of the 1992 MLB All-Star Game in San Diego.

A complete schedule of Fox Sports en Espanol’s MLB telecasts is available at www.foxsportsla.com.

Following his 16-year playing career that stretched from 1985 through 2000, Guillen served as a coach for the Montreal Expos (2001-2002) and third-base coach for the Florida Marlins in 2003, where he won his first World Series ring. He was named the 37th manager in Chicago White Sox history on November 3, 2003; and in 2005, guided the team to their first American League Pennant since 1959, and their first World Series title in 88 years with a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros. He is the first Latin-born manager in the history of the game to have won a World Series. Guillen is also the only manager in White Sox history to guide the team to more than one division/league title and was named the 2005 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Guillen managed the 2006 AL All-Star team to a 3-2 victory and has an overall career managerial record of 512-461.

World Series Programming
10/28 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 1 7:30pm ET
10/29 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 2 7:30pm ET
10/31 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 3 7:30pm ET
11/1 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 4 8:00pm ET
11/2 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 5* 7:30pm ET
11/4 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 6* 7:30pm ET
11/5 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 7* 7:30pm ET

*Games 5-7 are only if necessary games.

Source: Fox Sports en Espanol