WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State baseball student-athlete Chris O'Brien has been named one of 36 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The Howser Trophy is given to the top player in collegiate baseball.
O'Brien, a junior catcher from Tulsa, Okla., finished the regular-season batting .412 with 49 runs, 93 hits, 23 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 63 RBI and 36 walks.
The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy Award recipient based on two rounds of national voting. This year's 25th anniversary of the Dick Howser Trophy presented by Easton Foundations will be made even more special by the awarding of this year's honor at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the new home of the College World Series. The award will be presented on Tuesday, June 21 at 10 a.m. CT, prior to the fourth day of the 2011 CWS.
The candidates hail from 17 different conferences and 28 different schools. The Southeastern Conference leads the way with six semifinalists, followed by the ACC with four and the Big XII, Conference USA, Missouri Valley and the Southern Conference with three. Every position on the diamond is represented, including eight starting pitchers, four outfielders, utility players and three catchers, first basemen, relief pitchers and shortstop, among this diversified group.
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 of 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 twice an All-America shortstop at Florida State (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 displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg - home of the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and the 1999 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four - along with several other locations. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.
2011 DICK HOWSER TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Pos. Name, School
Trever Adams, OF, Creighton
Daniel Aldrich, OF, College of Charleston
James Allen, RP, Kansas State
Trevor Bauer, SP, UCLA
C.J. Cron, 1B, Utah
Cody Fick, UT, Evansville
Grayson Garvin, SP, Vanderbilt
Sean Gilmartin, SP, Florida State
Sonny Gray, SP, Vanderbilt
David Herbek, SS, James Madison
D.J. Hicks, DH, UCF
Jeff Holm, 1B, Michigan State
Danny Hultzen, UT, Virginia
Brian Johnson, UT, Florida
Taylor Jungmann, SP, Texas
Cory Knebel, RP, Texas
Jason Krizan, OF, Dallas Baptist
Tommy La Stella, 2B, Coastal Carolina
Matt Leeds, 3B, College of Charleston
Jake Lowery, C, James Madison
Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU
Brad Miller, SS, Clemson
Chris O'Brien, C, Wichita State
Dan Paolini, 2B, Siena
Tyler Pill, UT, Cal State Fullerton
Matt Price, RP, South Carolina
Tyler Ray, SP, Troy
Anthony Rendon, DH, Rice
Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern
Will Roberts, SP, Virginia
Michael Roth, SP, South Carolina
George Springer, OF, Connecticut
Adam Brett Walker, 1B, Jacksonville
Brad Zebedis, DH, Presbyterian
Mike Zunino, C, Florida
Chad Zurcher, SS, Memphis
