With the Basketball season quickly approaching Coach Strickland stopped by the Student Wolfpack club meeting tonight. Many new and interesting things came to light thanks to him. He for one announced the starting 5 for Thursday night, Degand, Fells, Grant, Costner, and McCauley. I found it kinda interesting Hickson isn’t getting the start, but I can’t imagine who you would bench to put him in. According to Strickland, Hickson and McCauley are really going at it in practice, as he put it, “iron sharpens iron”.

Also he shed light on why “Big Lew” is no longer with the team. It has been discovered he has a rare heart condition and the doctors will not sign off on him to play ball anymore. That’s a little unfortunate for him, but I never really saw him making a big impact in the ACC.

All in all, Coach Strickland was a great speaker and I’d love to hear him again. I can’t wait for Thursday night when the Pack square off against Div. II National Champions, Barton College.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time to get excited for College Basketball, and a program that we can be proud of!

After being cut in early June, the rising junior left hander got the call many only dream about, Team USA wants your services. Surkamp is slated to pitch Sunday in Cary against the Netherlands. If you are interested in heading out to the 11am game, here are directions to the stadium. As of now, the ticket prices are listed as TBA.

On May 19th former Pack first baseman did something the California League had never seen as he homered four times in a single game. Bates has been compared to Kevin Youkilis for his plate discipline and has the power to belt the long ball in any park. Thanks to PackBaseball.com I was able to find this Q&A session Baseball Prospectus had with one of my favorite Pack baseball players.

Aaron Bates epitomizes the Red Sox hitting philosophy. Boston’s selection in the third round of the 2006 draft, Bates has Youkilis-like plate discipline and enough power to rank second in the California League in home runs. A 23-year-old first baseman for Boston’s High-A affiliate, the Lancaster JetHawks, the 6’4”, 230 lb. North Carolina State product is hitting .317/.449/.590, and has already gone deep 19 times. Bates made California League history on May 19 when he belted four home runs in the same game.

For the rest of the Q&A click here.