| Dick Howser Trophy winner Mark Teixeira with Head Coach Danny Hall. |
OMAHA, Neb. (June 10) — Georgia Tech’s Mark Teixeira was named the 13th recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy, signifying the National College Baseball Player of the Year, it was announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association today.
Teixeira, a sophomore third baseman, helped the Yellow Jackets climb to No. 1 national in the polls in May and to a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals in postseason play.
His on-field achievements included a final batting average of .427 (103-for 241) with a conference-leading 104 runs scored, 21 doubles, 18 home runs, and 80 RBIs. He stole 13 bases in 14 tries to lead the team, while also notching a slugging percentage of .772 with a team-high 67 bases-on-balls (a GT season record).
The 6-3, 225-pound switch-hitter missed by three RBIs winning the triple crown in the Atlantic Coast Conference batting race. A consensus All-America choice, the 2000 ACC Player of the Year was also selcted as NCBWA District IV (Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland) Player of the Year.
Off the field, the team captain also earned first team GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
The Dick Hoswer Trophy is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-American shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-American at FSU (1957-58) and returned to the Seminoles as coach in 1979 after a career as a major league player and coach. After a year in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals, winning the 1985 World Series with the Royals. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
