May 2, 2008

Spokane, Wash. - Cody Martin, a pitcher for the Gonzaga University baseball team, has been named to the watch list for the 2008 Roger Clemens Award. The award is given annually to the top pitcher in college baseball. The freshman is only one of five rookies to be named to the list.

Martin, a native of Dos Palos, Calif. boasts a 3-0 record and eight saves in 21 appearances for Gonzaga. His eighth save of the season Wednesday broke the 26-year old school record for saves in a single season. His 2.03 earned run average ranks 25th in the nation and second in the West Coast Conference. He is also second on the squad in strikeouts with 41 in 44.1 innings pitched.

The finalists for the 2008 Roger Clemens Award will be selected in voting by a national panel that includes: all Division 1 head baseball coaches, a selection of national media who cover collegiate baseball, the 16 winners of the R. E. "Bob" Smith Award, which was presented to the top player in the country during the 1988-2003 seasons. In addition, the 10 previous finalists for the Clemens Award are also issued ballots. The 2008 award will be presented at a gala dinner in July.

The Roger Clemens Award was named after future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens, who began his march to stardom while leading the University of Texas to the College World Series title in 1983. As a major leaguer, Clemens has won 348 games (eighth best in history), fanned more than 4,600 hitters and won seven Cy Young Awards, emblematic as the top pitcher in his league. The Roger Clemens Award is the only award of its kind, honoring the finest pitchers in college baseball.

Previous winners of the Roger Clemens Award include Jered Weaver of Long Beach State University (2004), Luke Hochevar of the University of Tennessee (2005), Andrew Miller of the University of North Carolina (2006) and David Price of Vanderbilt University (2007).

For the complete watch list, please visit www.rogerclemensaward.com