TCU catcher Josh Elander was invited to play for the collegiate national team Tuesday. Elander, a sophomore, will join freshman pitcher Andrew Mitchell on the 22-man squad.

Elander was one of the top offensive players for the Frogs in the 2011 season. He was second on the team in batting average at .333, and led the frogs in on base percentage and tied for the team lead in walks.

Elander was selected to the 2010 Louisville Slugger and Ping/Baseball Freshman All-American teams in 2010.

Mitchell in his first season the Frogs finished the 2011 season with a 6-1 record in 22 appearances, along with a 2.84 ERA in 76 innings. He also struck out 73 and held opponents to a batting average of only .193.

Mitchell and Elander became the third and fourth Horned Frogs ever to be chosen for the team. It’s also the first time in school history there have been two Horned Frogs selected for the national squad.

Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle said he was proud of both players and is excited for their opportunity to play for the U.S.

“The opportunity to play for the USA National Team is one of the greatest honors that an amateur player can receive,” Schlossnagle said. “We are so excited for Andrew and Josh and have no doubt that they will represent our program and TCU at the highest level during international play.”

The USA Collegiate National Team’s season gets underway June 22 in Keene, N.H. The team will then head to North Carolina where they will face Japan in the 38th USA vs. Japan All-Star Series in July.