DALLAS (NCBWA) Several candidates for the prestigious Dick Howser Trophy highlight the 15th Annual Pro-Line Athletic National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America Team announced Wednesday.
Among the 58 standouts on the three units, there are student-athletes from 20 different conferences and 11 conference championships teams. The three All-America squads are also made up of 14 conference Players of the Year and 11 conference Pitchers of the Year winners.
Members of this year's team lead the nation in 12 different categories, including runs (Nate Roberts, High Point, 88), doubles per game (Ryan Soares, George Mason, 0.60), triples per game (Zack MacPhee, Arizona State, 0.25), home runs (Jordan Ribera, Fresno State, 27), RBIs per game (C.J. Cron, Utah, 1.65), walks (Michael Choice, UT Arlington, 76), slugging percentage (Paul Hoilman, ETSU, .860), on-base percentage (Roberts, .573), earned run average (John Stilson, Texas A&M, 0.80), wins (Matt Purke, TCU, 14), saves (Kevin Arico, Virginia, 18) and strikeouts per nine innings (Chase Ruffin, Texas, 13.49).
The three finalists for the 24th Annual Dick Howser Trophy, as voted upon by NCBWA members and awarded since 1987, will be announced on Saturday, June 19, in Omaha at 10 a.m. (CDT) at the Rosenblatt Stadium Media Room. The Dick Howser Trophy recipient will be named during the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 at the United Spirit Center in Lubbock, Texas, on MLB.com.
Previous Pro-Line Athletic NCBWA All-America teams from 1996-2009 have featured the likes of P Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, OF J.D. Drew of Florida State, P-DH Jason Jennings of Baylor, 1B Mark Teixeira of Georgia Tech, RHP Mark Prior of Southern California, SS Khalil Greene of Clemson, SS-2B Rickie Weeks of Southern and P David Price of Vanderbilt (all current Major Leaguers), among others.
Pro-Line Athletic, owned by Badger Sport, supplies the cap and uniforms to several Division I college teams. This is the sixth season Pro-Line has sponsored the NCBWA's Players of the Week and the NCBWA All-American team. The sponsorship provides for plaques to be awarded to each of the weekly winners, the All-American team members and other promotional consideration. For more information about Pro-Line or Badger Sports, visit their Web sites at prolineathletic.com and badgersport.com.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com.
For more information on the Pro-Line Athletic NCAA Division I All-America team, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro of West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.
NCBWA All-America Teams since 2001:
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001