# 2014 Houston Cougars baseball team

The 2014 Houston Cougars baseball team represented the University of Houston in the 2014 intercollegiate baseball season. Houston competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in its inaugural season as a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars played home games at Cougar Field on the university's campus in Houston, Texas. Fourth-year head coach Todd Whitting, a former second baseman for the team during the 1992, 1994, and 1995 seasons and an assistant coach with the Cougars from 1996 through 2003, led the Cougars.
Upon winning the inaugural American Athletic Conference tournament, Houston entered the 2014 NCAA Division I baseball tournament for the nineteenth time in school history. In the Baton Rouge Regional, they defeated LSU to advance to the super regional round for the first time since 2003, and the fourth time in school history.

## Personnel
### Coaches

2014 Houston Cougars baseball coaching staff :
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Alma mater |
| 9 | Todd Whitting | Head coach | 4th season | University of Houston |
| 11 | Trip Couch | Recruiting Coordinator | 4th season | University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
| 14 | Ryan Shotzberger | Assistant coach | 3rd season | McDaniel College |
| 3 | Frank Anderson | Pitching Coach | 2nd Season | Emporia State University |
| 24 | Mike Taylor | Assistant coach | 1st Season | Prairie View A&M University |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Final |
| Coaches' | — | —* | — | — | 28 | 24 | 17 (1) | 13 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 15 | | | | |
| Baseball America | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | | | | |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 17 | 16 | 28 | 14 | — | 25 | 19 | 19 | 16 | | | | |
| NCBWA† | — | RV | RV | RV | 30 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 11 |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

## Awards and honors
### Caleb Barker

* Baton Rouge All-Regional Team
* First Team All-American Conference (C)
* American Weekly Honor Roll (March 17)
* Johnny Bench Award Watch List

### Tyler Ford

* ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Central Region (RP)
* MVP: All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice
* American Weekly Honor Roll (March 31)
* College Baseball 360 Primetime Performer (Feb. 27)
* American Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 24)

### Aaron Garza

* Second Team All-American Conference (RHP)
* Gregg Olson Award Watch List
* USA Baseball Golden Spikes Midseason Award Watch List
* American Weekly Honor Roll (March 10)
* Houston College Classic MVP
* American Pitcher of the Week (March 3)
* American Weekly Honor Roll (Feb. 17)

### Casey Grayson

* ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Central Region (1B)
* American Championship All-Tournament Team
* Second Team All-American Conference (1B)
* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice
* All-Tournament Team Houston College Classic (1B)
* American Player of the Week (April 21)
* American Weekly Honor Roll (May 5)

### Connor Hollis

* Third Team All-American Conference (3B)
* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice

### Andrew Lantrip

* Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
* American Championship All-Tournament Team
* American Rookie of the Year
* American Weekly Honor Roll (May 12)

### Jake Lemoine

* Premier Player of College Baseball Winner
* Second Team All-American Conference
* USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (Summer '14) Invitee
* American Weekly Honor Roll (April 7)

### Jacob Lueneburg

* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice
* All-Tournament Team Houston College Classic (DH)

### Justin Montemayor

* CollegeSportsMadness Preseason All-American Athletic Conference First Team
* Perfect Game Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team
* Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team
* American Weekly Honor Roll (April 28)
* CoSIDA Academic All-District
* First Team All-American Conference (DH)

### Michael Pyeatt

* Perfect Game Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team
* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice

### Frankie Ratcliff

* Perfect Game Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team
* CollegeSportsMadness Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team
* American Player of the Week (March 10)
* American Weekly Honor Roll (April 7)
* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice

### Jared Robinson

* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice
* Baton Rouge All-Regional Team

### Kyle Survance

* Baton Rouge Regional Most Outstanding Player
* Baton Rouge All-Regional Team
* American Championship All-Tournament Team
* Second Team All-American Conference (OF)
* All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice
* All-Tournament Team Houston College Classic (OF)
* CollegeSportsMadness Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team

### Josh Vidales

* American Championship All-Tournament Team
* American Championship Most Outstanding Player

### Chase Wellbrock

* CollegeSportsMadness Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team
* NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
* Houston Male Cougar of the Year
* Second Team All-American Conference (RHP)
* ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Central Region (RP)

### Jared West

* American Weekly Honor Roll (March 24)
* American Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 17)

## Cougars in the 2014 MLB Draft

The following members of the Houston Cougar baseball program were drafted in the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | MLB Team |
| Casey Grayson | 1B | 21st | 645th | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Tyler Ford | LHP | 27th | 820th | Detroit Tigers |
| Aaron Garza | RHP | 29th | 866th | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Jared West | LHP | 32nd | 968th | Cleveland Indians |
| Chase Wellbrock | RHP | 33rd | 984th | Toronto Blue Jays |