Quote:Berkman was a prominent figure in Rice’s rise to national prominence in the mid-1990s. He led the Southwest Conference with 20 home runs and hit .398 as a sophomore in 1996, when he helped power the Owls to the final SWC tournament championship. His 1997 season was one of the greatest in college baseball history, as he won the WAC triple crown, hitting .431 with 41 homers and 134 RBIs. The Owls reached the College World Series for the first time in program history that season. He finished with a .385 career batting average, 67 home runs and 272 RBIs before going on to a standout big league career.