DALLAS (April 27, 2007) ? University of South Florida junior shortstop Walter Diaz is one of 50 standouts selected for consideration of The Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player in collegiate baseball, as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, working in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Diaz was selected to the watch list for college baseball's top honor due to his .382 season batting average, including 68 hits, 11 of which are doubles. The Miami native leads the team with 28 RBI, 49 runs, 28 walks and 13 stolen bases.

Diaz posted a 24-game hitting streak from March 13-April 24, batting .408 in those 24 games with 18 RBI and 24 runs scored. He registered three doubles, a triple and a home run while drawing 21 walks, one of which was intentional. Diaz also had eight stolen bases in that time.

His streak passed the Bulls' longest hitting streak posted in the past nine years, which was Johnny Rayburn's 20 consecutive-hit games in 1999 and 2000.

The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based on three rounds of voting. The 2007 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 15, at 10:00 a.m. CDT.

The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award.

Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.

A Florida native, Howser was a two-time All-America shortstop at Florida State University (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979 after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.

The winner's name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser permanently displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is in its 108th year of existence in 2007. The organization has long been a vital force in the baseball affairs of the city, both in spring training and during the pursuit of a major league baseball franchise for the Tampa Bay area, and continues its solid role in the 21st Century.

NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.

The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death. Previous winners of the Howser Trophy are Mike Fiore, Miami, 1987; Robin Ventura, Oklahoma State, 1988; Scott Bryant, Texas, 1989; Alex Fernandez, Miami-Dade Community College South, 1990; Frank Rodriguez, Howard College (Texas), 1991; Brooks Kieschnick, Texas, 1992 and 1993; Jason Varitek, Georgia Tech, 1994; Todd Helton, Tennessee, 1995; Kris Benson, Clemson, 1996; J. D. Drew, Florida State, 1997; Eddy Furniss, LSU, 1998; Jason Jennings, P, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Georgia Tech, 2000; Mark Prior, P, USC, 2001, Khalil Greene, SS, Clemson, 2002; Rickey Weeks, 2B, Southern U., 2003; Jered Weaver, P, Long Beach State, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005; and Brad Lincoln, P, Houston, 2006.

2007 DICK HOSWER TROPHY WATCH LIST
1B Dustin Ackley, North Carolina
P Adrian Alaniz, Texas
3B Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt
P Travis Banwart, Wichita State
C Mitch Canham, Oregon State
C Sean Coughlin, Kentucky
SS Brandon Crawford, UCLA
RP Kevin Crum, VMI
OF Mike Dahm, Old Dominion
OF Maurice Davis, Alcorn State
P Andy DeLaGarza, Coastal Carolina
OF Grant Desme, Cal Poly
SS Walter Diaz, USF
P/1B/DH Sean Doolittle, Virginia
C Edward Easley, Mississippi State
RP Daniel Edwards, Kansas State
P Barry Enright, Pepperdine
P Caleb Grafenhein, P, East Tennessee State
OF Brandon Guyer, Virginia
RP Nick Haggadone, Washington
P Bryan Henry, Florida State
1B Steven Hill, Stephen F. Austin
P Harris Honeycutt, South Carolina
OF Justin Jenkins, West Virginia
2B Logan Johnson, Louisville
P Corey Kluber, Stetson
OF Kellen Kulbacki, James Madison
1B Matt LaPorta, Florida
2B Tyler Mach, Oklahoma State
P Brian Matusz, San Diego
RP Eryk McConnell, N.C. State
P Adam Mills, Charlotte
P Sean Morgan, Tulane
OF Matt Morris, UC Irvine
P David Price, Vanderbilt
OF Kyle Russell, Texas
UT Joe Savery, Rice
P Nick Schmidt, Arkansas
3B Greg Sexton, William & Mary
UT Matt Spencer, Arizona State
3B Blake Stouffer, Texas A&M
UT Damon Sublett, Wichita State
3B Bradley Suttle, Texas
2B Tony Thomas Jr., Florida State
P Jacob Thompson, Virginia
SS Brandon Turner, Mississippi State
DH Bobby Verbick, Sam Houston State
1B Brett Wallace, Arizona State
OF Robbie Widlansky, Florida Atlantic
C Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech