May 14, 2009
ATLANTA – Yellow Jacket sophomore Derek Dietrich has been named a semifinalist for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award, the College Baseball Foundation and Mizuno announced Thursday.
Dietrich has started 109 consecutive games since his arrival on the Flats and owns a career .335 batting average. He is batting .339 with nine home runs, seven doubles, four triples and 48 RBI in his second year as a Yellow Jacket.
“It’s exciting to be recognized since there are so many great shortstops in college baseball,” Dietrich said. “To be considered among this list is a great honor, and to do so playing for the Yellow Jackets makes it even more special.”
For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Wallace Award will honor the country’s finest shortstop. Previously the Wallace Award was given to the national player of the year.
The change was made following the creation of the College Baseball Awards show, in collaboration with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Dick Howser Trophy Committee. The Howser Trophy has recognized the best overall player in the country for 23 years and will continue to do so. Both the Wallace Award and the Howser Award will be presented as part of the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock, Tex.
“We are very excited to see how the 15 semifinalists are excelling as the college baseball 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 postseason play.”
Stephen Cardullo of Florida State joins Dietrich as the two shortstops representing the Atlantic Coast Conference on this year’s list.
The College Baseball Awards Show 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.
Brooks Wallace Semifinalists
Name School ConferenceBen Orloff UC Irvine Big WestBryan Marquez New Mexico St. WACBryant Hernandez Oklahoma Big 12Christian Colon Cal State Fullerton Big WestClint Moore Army PatriotDerek Dietrich Georgia Tech ACCDJ LeMahieu LSU SECDrew Biery Kansas State Big 12Drew Lee Morehead State OVCGary Helmick Towson ColonialJedd Gyorko West Virginia Big EastJordan Kreke Eastern Illinois OVCKyle Bellows San Jose State WACRyan Goins Dallas Baptist IndependentStephen Cardullo Florida State ACC
