LUBBOCK, Texas (May 2, 2007) ? University of South Florida junior shortstop Walter Diaz has been added to the field of candidates aiming for the 2007 Brooks Wallace College Player of the Year Award, which was reduced to the top 112 NCAA players today, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation in Lubbock, Texas.
The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player and will be nationally televised on Fox Sports Network.
Diaz has led the Bulls to a 28-18 overall record this season with his .377 batting average. The Miami, Fla., native has a 72 hits, 52 runs scored, 11 doubles and 14 stolen bases, all of which are team highs. From the leadoff spot, his 28 RBI are fourth on the team and his .472 on base percentage is second.
The 2007 award banquet will be held Tuesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University. Information regarding the sale of individual tickets, as well as group and corporate tables, is available by calling (806) 777 ? 8277 or through the College Baseball Foundation Web site at www.collgebaseballfoundation.org.
The selection committee will narrow the list to 30 semifinalists toward the end of May. Following the NCAA Super Regionals, the three finalists will be announced during the College World Series in Omaha. The three finalists, their head coaches and parents will be invited to Lubbock where they will participate in a three-day celebration of college baseball on July 2-4. The Wallace Trophy and winners will become a part of the permanent display in the new College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock. The three finalists will participate in activities with the 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees as part of the “Past Meets Present” theme and will receive special recognition during the official induction ceremony.
The Wallace Award is a dedication to the memory of the former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace. Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District his senior year. He led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1980. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984, he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27. The Plano, TX, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.
Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton won the 2004 Brooks Wallace Award and Alex Gordon of Nebraska took home the 2005 trophy. Last year's Wallace winner was standout pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston.
Revised 2007 Wallace Watch
Ackley, Dustin 1B North Carolina
Adams, Cody SP Southern Illinois
Alaniz, Adrian SP Texas
Alvarez, Pedro 3B Vanderbilt
Ambort, Michael DH Lamar
Arencibia, J.P. C Tennessee
Banwart, Travis SP Wichita State
Baum, Justin 3B Pacific
Bolden, Jared 1B VCU
Brown, Corey OF Oklahoma St
Canham, Mitch C Oregon St
Chalk, Brad OF Clemson
Chigges, Nick SP CofC
Coughlin, Sean C Kentucky
Crawford, Brandon SS UCLA
Curry, Ryan INF Bradley
Davis, Lars C Illinois
Davis, Marcus OF Alcorn St
Dean, Blake OF LSU
DeLaGarza, Andy SP Coastal Carolina
Desme, Grant OF Cal Poly
Dew, Josh RP Troy
Diaz, Walter SS USF
Doolittle, Sean UTIL Virginia
Dykstra, Allan 1B Wake Forest
Easley, Edward C Mississippi St
Edwards, Daniel RP Kansas St
Emaus, Brad 2B Tulane
Enright, Barry SP Pepperdine
Erickson, Blair RP UC Irvine
Etheridge, Wes RP UC Irvine
Frazier, Todd SS Rutgers
Gonzalez, Joel OF MD-Easterm Shore
Guilmet, Raymond SP Arizona
Guyer, Brandon OF Virginia
Hagadone, Nick RP Washington
Henry, Bryan SP Florida St
Hill, Nick SP Army
Hill, Steven C SF Austin
Honeycutt, Harris SP S. Carolina
Huber, Erik 1B E.Illinois
Hudson, Brandon UTIL La Tech
Jenkins, Justin OF West Virgina
Johnson, Logan 2B Louisville
Kieschnick, Roger OF Texas Tech
Kingrey, Charlie OF McNeese St
Kline, Will SP Ole Miss
Krauss, Marc UTIL Ohio
Kluber, Corey SP Stetson
Kulbacki, Kellen OF James Madison
LaPorta, Matt 1B Florida
Lavarnway, Ryan OF Yale
Luebke, Cory SP Ohio State
Mach, Tyler 2B Oklahoma St
Mangini, Matt 3B Oklahoma St
Matusz, Brian SP San Diego
McConnell, Eryk RP NC State
McCullough, Brian SP Longwood
McElroy, Brad OF Charlotte
McOwen, James OF FIU
Mee, Mike OF Minnesota
Mills, Adam SP Charlotte
Minor, Mike SP Vanderbilt
Morris, Matt OF UC-Irvine
Musgrave, Rob SP Wichita State
Nicholson, Kyle RP Texas A&M
Pacheco, Jordan 2B UNM
Paramore, Petey C Arizona St.
Payne, Danny OF Georgia Tech
Price, David SP Vanderbilt
Putnam, Zack UTIL Michigan
Raber, Chris OF Coastal Carolina
Richard, Michael SS Prairie View
Rike, Brian OF Louisiana Tech
Robinson, Clint 1B/DH Troy
Rochelle, Kris C Charlotte
Romero, Nick INF San Diego St
Russell, James SP Texas
Russell, Kyle OF Texas
Satow, Josh SP Arizona St
Satterwhite, Cody RP Ole Miss
Savery, Joe UTIL Rice
Schmidt, Nick SP Arkansas
Sexton, Greg 3B William & Mary
Shafer, Aaron SP Wichita St
Shah, Asif UTIL SE Missouri
Shawler, Anthony SP Old Dominion
Shunk, Derek SS Villanova
Simmons, James SP UCR
Spencer, Matt UTIL Arizona St
Stouffer, Blake 3B Texas A&M
Stovall, Daniel 1B UNM
Stovall, Tyler OF C. Michigan
Stutes, Mike SP Oregon St
Sublett, Damon INF Wichita St
Suttle, Bradley 3B Texas
Tacker, Ryan SP Rice
Taylor, Heath SP Oklahoma
Thomas, Tony 2B Florida St
Thompson, Jacob SP Virginia
Turner, Brandon SS Mississippi St
Verbick, Brad OF Sam Houston St
Wallace, Brett 1B Arizona St.
Waring, Brandon SS Wofford
Weathers, Casey RP Vanderbilt
Whiting, Boomer OF Louisville
Whittemore, Clay OF Jacksonville St
Widlansky, Robbie OF FAU
Wieters, Matt Georgia Tech C/P
Wright, Ty OF Oklahoma St
Yonder, Alonso 1B Miami
Zahm, Mike OF Old Dominion
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