HOUSTON – The Houston Baptist University baseball program has signed 11 student-athletes who will join the team for the 2012 season, head coach Jared Moon announced Friday.

The Huskies have signed eight freshmen and four transfers and all 12 are from Texas, including 10 from the Greater Houston area. HBU has added six pitchers, two catchers, three infielders and one outfielder. Three of the position players are also expected to contribute on the mound.

“We're very excited about this new class,” Moon said. “This is the first class we will be bringing in as a full Division I member and we will be eligible for postseason play.

“We've brought in quality arms that we feel will immediately be able to make us better. They are young and still growing, but we feel they can mature quickly and pitch at this level. Defensively, we'll be solid, because there will be a lot of competition in the infield.”

The Huskies have signed freshman pitchers Michael Hernandez, son of HBU assistant coach and former Major Leaguer Xavier Hernandez, Tyler Hoelscher, Ross Kennell and Chad Valcoviak, and transfer pitchers Ryan Lower, and Taylor Ducoff, who must sit out next season after transferring from McNeese State. HBU has also added catchers Brad Brown, a transfer from Galveston College, and freshman Samm Wiggins. Josh Foust, Curtis Jones and Josh Martinez have been added as infielders. Complete biographies for each student-athlete are included at the end of the story.

“Of the 12 guys we're brining in, eight of them were in postseason play this year, so we're getting more recruits from winning programs,” Moon said. “Five of the incoming freshmen were on their respective area all-star teams and we can't wait to get them on campus and hit the ground running.

“Our expectations are to contend for a conference championship like we did this past year.”

The Huskies recorded wins over NCAA Tournament participants seventh-ranked TCU and Dallas Baptist, which advanced to the Super Regional, last season. HBU went 16-12 to finish third in the Great West Conference and advanced to the championship game of the conference tournament. The Huskies return all three of their all-conference selections, first-team designated hitter Robbie Buller, who hit a school-record 16 home runs, second-team outfielder Kolby Arnst, and second-team pitcher Kyle Dickerson.

2011 Baseball Recruiting Class

Bradley Brown – 6-0 – 220 – R/R – Sophomore – C/IF – La Porte, Texas (La Porte/Galveston College)

Hit .317 with a three doubles, a home run and 11 RBIs in 41 at-bats his freshman season at Galveston College for coach Gary Key…handled 52 defensive chances for the Whitecaps without an error…teammate of Huskies sophomore RHP Ryan Lower…was a three-year letterwinner at La Porte High School for coach Ricky Torres…was a second-team all-district and third-team all-Greater Houston selection for the Bulldogs.

Taylor Ducoff – 6-0 – 190 – R/R – Junior – RHP – Kingwood, Texas (St. Pius X/McNeese State)

*must sit out 2012 season per NCAA transfer rules

Did not see action as a sophomore at McNeese State…went 3-2 with an 11.95 ERA in 10 appearances, including five starts, for the Cowboys in 2010…struck out 15 in 20.1 innings…made the honor roll at McNeese State…was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at St. Pius X High School in Houston for coaches Tom McGee and Adam Massiate…was a three-time all-state and all-district selection…led St. Pius to the state championship, winning 30 games…was a three-time all-state and all-district selection…was a member of National Honor Society and made the honor roll all four years…full name is Taylor Lee Ducoff…born July 15, 1991, in Dallas, Texas…son of Scott and Laura Ducoff…has one brother, Jonathan (16)…majoring in business management.

Josh Foust – 5-9 – 175 – R/R – Junior – IF – The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands/Blinn College)

Played in 51 games as a sophomore at Blinn College for coach Harvey McIntyre…was second on the team with a .343 (57-for-166) batting average…had 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 42 runs, 37 RBIs and 10 stolen bases…played in only two games with one at-bat as a freshman.

Michael Hernandez – 5-11 – 170 – R/R – Freshman – RHP – Sugar Land, Texas (Clements)

Played for coach Israel De Los Santos at Clements High School, helping the Rangers reach the regional semifinals as a senior…earned academic achievement award in 2008…full name is Michael Xavier Hernandez…born Oct. 27, 1992, in Houston…son of Xavier and Deborah Hernandez…has two sisters, Danielle (21) and Sarah (14), and one brother, Stephen (12)…father is HBU assistant coach Xavier Hernandez, who pitched from 1989-98 in Major League Baseball with the Astros, Rangers, Yankees, Reds and Blue Jays…majoring in art.

Tyler Hoelscher – 6-3 – 185 – R/R – Freshman – RHP – Troy, Texas (Troy)

Four-year letterwinner at Troy High School…was a first-team all-district and THSBCA all-star selection as well as team MVP as a senior, after going 7-3 with a 1.24 ERA and 120 strikeouts…also hit .475 with three home runs, 54 RBIs and 36 runs…as a junior, was a THSBCA third-team all-state and texas junior all-state selection…earned Waco Tribune-Herald Super Cen-Tex second team honors and was named district defensive MVP…went 12-2 with a 1.33 ERA…as a sophomore, went 9-0 with a 3.14 ERA…full name is Tyler Jordan Hoelscher…born Oct. 30, 1992, in Temple, Texas…son of Steve and Debora Hoelscher…has two brothers, Jason (28) and Aaron (24)…majoring in biology.

Curtis Jones – 5-11 – 165 – R/R – Freshman – RHP/IF – Cypress, Texas (Cypress Ranch)

Two-year letterwinner and starter for coach John Pope at Cypress Ranch High School…as a senior, was a first-team all-district and second-team all-Greater Houston selection…hit .420 with four home runs and had a 1.68 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 58 innings…played at Minute Maid Park for the TASO Tournament…full name is Curtis Michael Jones…born June 12, 1993, in Cypress, Texas…son of Michael and Donna Jones…has one brother, Carey (16)…majoring in accounting.

Ross Kennell – 6-2 – 195 – R/R – Freshman – RHP – Boerne, Texas (Boerne)

Was a three-year letterwinner and starter at Boerne High School for coach Bill Merrell…posted a 0.88 ERA as a junior and a 1.24 ERA as a senior…was the district MVP as a senior, after being a first-team all-district selection as a junior and a second-team pick as a sophomore…as a junior, pitched 12 innings in a 13-inning playoff victory…played summer ball at Lights Out Baseball Academy for coach Joe Orloski…full name is Ross William Kennell…born Oct. 1, 1992, in San Antonio…son of Richard and Michelle Kennell…has one brother, Brendan (24)…majoring in kinesiology.

Ryan Lower – 6-1 – 160 – R/R – Sophomore – RHP – Cypress, Texas (Cypress Creek/Galveston College)

Made 13 appearances starts his freshman season at Galveston College for coach Gary Key…had an 2-3 record with a 6.08 ERA, striking out 25 in 37.0 innings for the Whitecaps…teammate of Huskies sophomore C/IF Bradley Brown…played for coach Michael McCollum at Cypress Creek High School…was a first-team all-district selection for the Cougars.

Josh Martinez – 5-11 – 160 – S/R – Freshman – RHP/IF – Cypress, Texas (Cypress Christian)

Four-year letterwinner and starter for coach Greg Bretz at Cypress Christian School…was a four-time all-district selection…was a two-time team MVP…earned all-state honors as a senior and runner-up all-state as a junior…named academic all-state as a junior and senior…once hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game…full name is Joshua David Martinez…born May 31, 1993 in Houston…son of Fred and Charlene Martinez…has twin siblings, Andrew and Abby (14)…majoring in business.

Chad Valcoviak – 6-4 – 210 – R/R – Freshman – RHP – League City, Texas (Clear Creek)

Played at Clear Creek High School for coach Jim Mallory…was a first-team all-district outfielder…graduated cum laude and was a member of the National Honor Society…full name is Chad Christopher Valcoviak…son of Bruce and Jackie Valcoviak…has two sisters, Christen (19) and Clarissa (9)…majoring in finance.

Samm Wiggins – 5-8 – 175 – R/R – Freshman – C – Sugar Land, Texas (Clements)