FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
LUBBOCK, Texas — Conferences large and small from across the country are represented on the first watch list for the 2014 Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award. The ACC leads the pack with six athletes on the list.
The Brooks Wallace Award, sponsored by Mizuno, recognizes the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented during the National College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions on June 28 in Lubbock, Texas.
“The ACC is a great conference, and the six players from that conference absolutely deserve to be recognized for their play so far this season,” said Tyler Young, Wallace Award co-chair. “We’re also excited to have 16 different conferences represented on this initial list.”
In addition to the ACC representation, other conferences with multiple representatives include the SEC with five, the Big 12 with four and the Big West with three.
North Carolina’s Michael Russell has the top batting average among the watch list representatives with a .388 average, 12 doubles, one triple and three home runs.
Kyle Holder, a sophomore at the University of San Diego, has a .988 fielding percentage in 35 games. Texas Tech’s Tim Proudfoot has a 1.000 fielding percentage but has played in only 21 games after missing playing time with an injury.
“These young men have put up impressive numbers in two months,” said Larry Wallace, award co-chair. “There’s nearly a month left in the regular season, and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the season brings.”
BROOKS WALLACE AWARD WATCH LIST
| Name | School | Conference |
| Tyler Krieger | Clemson | ACC |
| Connor Justus | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| Blake Schmit | Maryland | ACC |
| Michael Russell | North Carolina | ACC |
| Trea Turner | North Carolina State | ACC |
| Daniel Pinero | Virginia | ACC |
| Tommy Williams | Central Florida | American Athletic |
| Sutton Whiting | Louisville | American Athletic |
| Pat Sweeney | Rutgers | American Athletic |
| Vimael Machin | VCU | Atlantic 10 |
| Michael Massi | Mercer | Atlantic Sun |
| Steven Reveles | Nebraska | Big 10 |
| Nick Sergakis | Ohio State | Big 10 |
| Austin Fisher | Kansas State | Big 12 |
| Donnie Walton | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| C.J. Hinojosa | Texas | Big 12 |
| Tim Proudfoot | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| Clay Keranen | Liberty | Big South |
| Peter Van Gansen | Cal Poly | Big West |
| Garrett Hampson | Long Beach State | Big West |
| Peter Maris | UC Santa Barbara | Big West |
| Julius Gaines | Florida International | Conference USA |
| Dennis Colon | Illinois State | Missouri Valley |
| Tyler Wampler | Indiana State | Missouri Valley |
| Jared Holley | New Mexico | Mountain West |
| Mark Karaviotis | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Erik Forgione | Washington | Pac-12 |
| Mikey White | Alabama | SEC |
| Richie Martin | Florida | SEC |
| Alex Bregman | LSU | SEC |
| Errol Robinson | Ole Miss | SEC |
| A.J. Simcox | Tennessee | SEC |
| Tyler Filliben | Samford | Southern |
| Blake Trahan | Louisiana Lafayette | Sun Belt |
| Kyle Holder | University of San Diego | West Coast |
