FROM COLLEGE BASEBALL FOUNDATION
LUBBOCK, Texas — The College Baseball Foundation announced today the 15 semifinalists for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award, which honors the nation’s outstanding shortstop.
“We’re very excited to see how these players are excelling as the college baseball regular season wraps up,” said Raymond Richardson, College Baseball Awards Show chairman and CBF Trustee. “These players have set themselves apart and it will be interesting to see them continue into post-season play.”
Bryan Marquez, a senior from New Mexico State, leads the list in batting average at .417, with 80 RBIs, 21 home runs and a .962 fielding percentage. Ben Orloff, a senior from UC Irvine, tops the list with a .974 fielding percentage and a .352 batting average.
Joining Marquez is another player from the Western Athletic Conference, Kyle Bellows of San Jose State. Bellows is hitting .380 with 48 RBIs, seven home runs and a .968 fielding percentage.
The ACC also features two players on the semifinalist list — Derek Dietrich of Georgia Tech and Stephen Cardullo of Florida State. Dietrich, a sophomore, is hitting .345 with 48 RBIs, nine home runs and a .943 fielding percentage. Cardullo has a .369 batting average with 33 RBIs, nine home runs and a .950 fielding percentage.
Other conferences with multiple semifinalists include the Big West, the Big 12 and the Ohio Valley.
“All of these players are excellent athletes and a hot streak at the end of the season could be what puts any one of them over the top,” Richardson said. “Right now, it’s still anyone’s race.”
The CBF, the Dick Howser Committee and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association will announce the recipients of the 2009 college baseball awards as well as the Dick Howser Trophy finalists on June 13 in Omaha, Neb. This will lead in to a great week of college baseball at the 2009 NCAA College World Series.
The Brooks Wallace Award officially will be presented on July 2 in Lubbock as part of the College Baseball Awards Show, which will recognize the top players in college baseball as part of the CBF’s annual celebration, which also includes the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
In addition to the Brooks Wallace Award, other awards presented during the show will include the Dick Howser Trophy for the national player of the year, and the National Pitcher of the Year Award.
Name School Conference
Ben Orloff UC Irvine Big West
Bryan Marquez New Mexico St. WAC
Bryant Hernandez Oklahoma Big 12
Christian Colon Cal State Fullerton Big West
Clint Moore Army Patriot
Derek Dietrich Georgia Tech ACC
DJ LeMahieu LSU SEC
Drew Biery Kansas State Big 12
Drew Lee Morehead State OVC
Gary Helmick Towson Colonial
Jedd Gyorko West Virginia Big East
Jordan Kreke Eastern Illinois OVC
Kyle Bellows San Jose State WAC
Ryan Goins Dallas Baptist Independent
Stephen Cardullo Florida State ACC
