Sept. 16, 2009

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior pitcher Sam Dyson has been ranked the No. 17 best college prospect for the 2010 MLB Draft as selected by Baseball America. The Gamecock right-hander returned to college this year despite being drafted last year in the 10th round by the Oakland Athletics. Dyson was a frontline starter for Carolina in the 2009 season and compiled a 9-4 record with a 5.21 ERA and hurled a team-high 102 innings.

He struck out 94 and walked 37 last year. He allowed 64 runs, 59 earned on 92 hits as well. In his two-year career, Dyson owns a 17-4 record and has 138 strikeouts in 152.2 innings pitched.

South Carolina owns the longest current streak of NCAA Regional appearances among the 12 SEC schools with 10 straight trips to the tournament dating back to the 2000 season. In that span, Carolina has seven NCAA Super Regional appearances (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) and three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004). South Carolina is one of only seven schools in the nation to make at least seven NCAA Super Regionals in the last 10 years and one of only eight schools in the country to have reached the NCAA Regionals every season in this decade. The program’s 10-year total record of 468-201 is the fourth highest win total among NCAA Division I schools.

South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner is entering his 14th season at the helm with the Gamecocks and his 23rd year as a collegiate head coach. Tanner’s career record is 975-439-3 (.689) with a 580-266 (.686) mark at South Carolina. The .686 winning percentage is third highest in SEC history.