Vanderbilt Commodores duo Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker could join list of great college dynamic duos

Vanderbilt pitchers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker have been one of many largest tales in school baseball this season. With a robust efficiency on the School World Sequence (watch Arizona vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN), Leiter and Rocker might cement their standing as one in every of school sports activities’ really dynamic duos.

With that in thoughts, we determined to check out another notable teammate tandems who made their mark in school sports activities historical past.

First, a have a look at how good Leiter and Rocker have been: Leiter (156) and Rocker (155) rank 1-2 in Division I in strikeouts this season; the final duo to complete prime three in strikeouts in the identical season was UCLA’s Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole in 2010. The Vanderbilt duo additionally ranks 1-2 within the SEC in opponent’s batting common with Leiter at .127 and Rocker at .157.

They’ve mixed to permit two runs in 27 2/3 innings pitched within the NCAA event and are slated to pitch Vanderbilt’s first two video games within the School World Sequence. Leiter and Rocker have began consecutive video games 16 earlier occasions this season, and solely as soon as did Vanderbilt lose each video games (SEC event in opposition to Arkansas and Ole Miss). That makes the Commodores one powerful out in Omaha.

Leiter (No. 4) and Rocker (No. 7) are each projected as top-10 picks in Kiley McDaniel’s most up-to-date MLB mock draft.

Now, another notable duos from school sports activities historical past:

Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, USC soccer

Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush have been powerhouse teammates from 2003 to 2005 at USC, the place they received a nationwide title in 2004. (The Trojans have been stripped of the title after the NCAA discovered Bush violated its guidelines by receiving presents from agent Lloyd Lake.) They entered the 2006 BCS championship on a 34-game win streak earlier than dropping 41-38 to Texas.

Bush and Leinart have been Pac-10 Co-Offensive Gamers of the Yr in 2004, and on Jan. 4, 2006, they grew to become solely the second pair of Heisman Trophy winners to play collectively for a similar crew once they confronted the Longhorns within the Rose Bowl. Leinart received the 2004 Heisman, and Bush received it in 2005, though that was vacated for his NCAA violations. Leinart completed third within the 2005 Heisman vote.

Different CFB Honorable Mentions: Eric Dickerson/Craig James (SMU)

Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, Duke basketball

Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley have been one in every of school basketball’s most dominant duos. They reached the Closing 4 in all three seasons they have been teammates at Duke from 1990 to 1992, profitable back-to-back nationwide titles in 1991 and 1992. Each have been named Most Excellent Participant within the event (Laettner in 1991, Hurley in 1992).

Laettner is the all-time main scorer within the NCAA event, received the Picket Award in 1992 and hit one in every of school basketball’s most well-known photographs, the game-winning buzzer-beater in opposition to Kentucky within the 1992 Elite Eight. Hurley is the Division I all-time chief in assists. Each of their numbers have been retired by Duke. Throughout their collegiate careers, each have been consensus first-team All-People (Laettner in 1992, Hurley in 1993).

Sue Hen and Diana Taurasi, UConn basketball

Sue Hen and Diana Taurasi performed two seasons collectively at UConn, and the Huskies went 39-0 and received a nationwide championship of their last season as teammates in 2001-02. They each received Naismith Participant of the Yr (Hen in 2002 and Taurasi in 2003 and 2004), AP School Participant of the Yr (Hen in 2002 and Taurasi in 2003), Massive East Participant of the Yr (Hen in 2002 and Taurasi in 2003 and 2004). Hen holds the varsity file for all-time 3-point FG pct (.459), and Taurasi is second on UConn’s all-time assists listing.

Hen and Taurasi each have been drafted No. 1 total within the WNBA. Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time scoring chief, and Hen is the WNBA’s all-time assists chief. Additionally they have been teammates on the worldwide stage, with Crew USA going 32-0 with 4 gold medals with Hen and Taurasi taking part in collectively.

CBB Honorable mentions: Invoice Russell/Ok.C. Jones (San Francisco), Hakeem Olajuwon/Clyde Drexler (Houston), Michael Jordan/James Worthy (North Carolina), Brittney Griner/Odyssey Sims (Baylor)

Rafael Palmeiro and Will Clark, Mississippi State baseball

Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro have been teammates for Mississippi State from 1983 to 1985, with Palmeiro a Golden Spikes finalist in 1984 and Clark profitable the award given to the highest beginner baseball participant within the nation in 1985. They performed for maybe the best school baseball crew to by no means win a title (as instructed by ESPN’s 30 for 30 movie on the duo “Thunder and Lightning”). The 1985 Mississippi State crew had 4 future MLB All-Stars in Palmeiro, Clark, Bobby Thigpen and Jeff Brantley.

Palmeiro holds Mississippi State’s all-time house run file (67) whereas Will Clark holds the varsity file with a .391 batting common. Each have been drafted within the first spherical of the 1985 MLB draft, and had lengthy main league careers. Palmeiro hit 569 profession house runs within the majors, whereas Clark hit 284.

Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek, Georgia Tech baseball

Earlier than they have been teammates on the Boston Crimson Sox, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek starred at Georgia Tech. Varitek received the Golden Spikes Award of their last school season collectively in 1994, hitting .426. Garciaparra hit .427 that 12 months because the Yellow Jackets completed runner-up within the 1994 School World Sequence.

The pair was linked past Georgia State. Each performed within the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League in 1993, when Varitek received the league’s batting title and was named the league’s MVP, and Garciaparra led Orleans to the league title. They each performed within the 2003 MLB All-Star Recreation whereas with the Crimson Sox, and each have been inducted to the Crimson Sox Corridor of Fame.

School baseball honorable point out: Reggie Jackson/Sal Bando (Arizona State)

Tiger Woods and Notah Begay III, Stanford golf

Tiger Woods and Notah Begay III have been teammates at Stanford in 1995, ending runner-up to Oklahoma for the nationwide championship. Woods was a first-team All-American in 1995, and Begay was a first-team All-American in 1994. Whereas at Stanford, Woods was the person Pac-10 convention champion in 1996, and the Pac-10 participant of the 12 months in each 1995 and 1996. He was nicknamed ‘Urkel’ by his school teammate and shut buddy Begay.

Begay completed his collegiate profession with a stroke common of 72.6. A 3-time All-American (1992, ’94 and ’95), Begay’s profession low rating of 62 got here in the course of the 1994 NCAA championships, ending one stroke shy of the varsity file, held by Woods. Each Begay and Woods have been named to the Stanford Athletics Corridor of Fame. On the PGA Tour, Begay received 4 occasions whereas Woods has received 82 occasions, together with 15 majors.

Golf Honorable point out: Curtis Unusual/Jay Haas (Wake Forest)

Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie, North Dakota hockey

Toews and Oshie led North Dakota to consecutive Frozen 4 appearances in 2006-07, combining for 182 factors throughout these two seasons. Each went on to win a Stanley Cup title, Toews received three with the Chicago Blackhawks and Oshie one with the Washington Capitals.

NCAA hockey honorable mentions: Tony Amonte/Keith Tkachuk (Boston College), Tim Thomas/Martin St. Louis (Vermont), Duncan Keith/Ryan Miller (Michigan State)

ESPN Stats & Data analysis contributed to this story.