NCBWA Texas News

Texas first baseman Ivan Melendez, the Longhorns’ all-time seasonal home run leader and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, is the 35th recipient of the 2022 Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound redshirt junior from El Paso (Texas) Coronado High School, also is the fourth Longhorn (five times) to nab this national honor since 1992. The El Paso resident also is first in NCAA Division I runs-batted-in with 94, first in slugging percentage at .886, first in total bases with 209, fourth in on-base percentage at .518, 13th in runs with 75, 12th in total hits with 94, and 14th in batting average at .396.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced its District Players of the Year for all nine districts for the 2022 season.

Five future 2022 consensus All-America selections who led their respective schools this spring are finalists for the 35th Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear in balloting by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in conjunction with the Dick Howser Trophy Committee and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Oregon State starting pitcher Cooper Hjerpe, Tennessee third baseman Trey Lipscomb, Texas first baseman Ivan Melendez, Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada and Clemson third baseman Max Wagner are the five finalists for the prestigious Howser Trophy.

The Dick Howser Trophy Committee, in conjunction with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce has released the list of semifinalists for the 2022 Dick Howser Trophy. The most prestigious award in college baseball is given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week awards presented by The Game Headwear for the period ending May 8. Texas redshirt junior first baseman Ivan Melendez was named National Hitter of the Week, while Long Beach State redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown was named the National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.

Preseason No. 1 Texas remains No. 1 for the fourth consecutive week after going 3-1 last week and seeing its winning streak ended at 11. Interestingly in this balanced season of college baseball, all Top 10 teams from last week’s poll suffered at least one defeat between Feb, 28-March 6.

Preseason No. 1 Texas swept Alabama 3-0 in games to advance to 8-0 and remain No. 1 poll for the third consecutive week.

Preseason No. 1 Texas (3-0) swept Rice to remain unbeaten and hold the top spot for two weeks in succession. Defending NCAA champion (first ever) Mississippi State dropped from No. 3 to 10 after falling twice in three home games to now-No. 14 Long Beach State.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 25th year with its 2022 inaugural and weekly surveys, and Texas rates No. 1 in the preseason poll ahead of No. 2 Vanderbilt and No. 3 Mississippi State.