Johnson City, Tenn. -- East Tennessee State head baseball coach Tony Skole and his staff have compiled a top-50 recruiting class for the 2001 season, according to Collegiate Baseball News.

"To have a recruiting class ranked in the top-50 in the country is very exciting and quite an honor," Skole said. "Our goal is to be the premier baseball program in the Southern Conference and to compete on the national level. This is the first step in accomplishing those goals."

The Bucs class ranked 47th nationally and was joined in the top-50 by SoCon members Georgia Southern and College of Charleston.

"We want prospective student-athletes to realize that being a member of the ETSU baseball program is a privilege and an honor," Skole said. "This accolade is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of assistant coaches Nate Goulet and David Shelton."

The 11-player class includes six true freshmen and five transfers. Every member of the 2001 recruiting class is expected to contribute immediately.

"The challenge we have ahead is to follow this recruiting class with another quality group of student-athletes," Skole said. "We had a successful fall season and are anxious to begin our winter workouts. We are very optimistic about this spring and the future of our program."

The following is the 2001 recruiting class: Brandon Cross, INF, Bluff City, TN (Waters State C.C.); Matt Hensley, RHP, Powell, TN, (Anderson Co. H.S.); Donnie Sharp, RHP/INF, Oak Ridge, TN (Oak Ridge H.S.); Josh Kite, LHP/OF, Greeneville, TN, (Chucky-Doak H.S.); Jeremy Skidmore, RHP/OF, Middlesboro, KY, (Middlesboro H.S.); Ryan Hyder, INF, Erwin, TN, (Lincoln Memorial University); Andy Baxter, INF, Erwin, TN, (N.C. State); Tim Turner, LHP/OF, Marietta, GA, (Marietta H.S.); J.D. Adams, INF, Kingsport, TN, (Dobyns Bennett H.S.); Bryan Crouse, OF/LHP, Kingston, TN, (Walters State C.C.); Scott Rose, C, Soddy Daisy, TN, (Chattanooga State C.C.).

For more information please check the Buccaneer website at www.ETSUBucs.com.