McCallum Named Semifinalist for Dick Howser Trophy

Junior second baseman Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) was named to a list of 16 semifinalists for the 2009 Dick Howser Trophy given to the top player in collegiate baseball.

McCallum entered the week tied for first in the Big Ten in batting average, was second in home runs and first in RBI. In Big Ten play, he was second in batting average, first in home runs and first in RBI.

With two games left, McCallum was attempting to be the first player in the Big Ten to lead the conference in batting average, home runs and RBI in conference play since Mike Smith from Indiana did it in 1992.He enters tonight's contest with Penn State batting .397 with 45 runs, 15 home runs, 67 RBI and has reached base in 35 straight contests. The 15 home runs are the most by a Golden Gopher since Jack Hannahan had 15 in 2001, and the 67 RBI are the most by a Minnesota player since Robb Quinlan and Matt Scanlon collected 84 and 78 respectively in 1999.

McCallum is also batting .434 with eight home runs and 31 RBI in conference play. The .434 conference batting average is the fourth-highest total by a Golden Gophers in conference, the eight home runs are tied for sixth and 31 RBI tied Jeff DeSmidt (2008) for the fifth-highest total in Big Ten play.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, working in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the College Baseball Foundation released the list of 16 semifinalists for the 2009 Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player in collegiate baseball.

The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based on two rounds of national voting. Three 2009 finalists will be announced just prior to the first game of the College World Series with a press conference slated for Saturday, June 13, at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) at the Omaha Press Club in the old First National Bank Building. The winner will be named in a national broadcast from Lubbock, Texas, on Thursday, July 2.

Each of the 16 candidates hail from nine different conferences and 16 different schools. McCallum is the only second-baseman on the list and the only player from the Big Ten who is up for the award.

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 twice an 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 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.

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 College Baseball Foundation was established in 2004 and has inducted 47 greats into the College

Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock. The group promotes the highest ideals and recognition of greatness on college baseball diamonds in the 150 years since the first intercollegiate contest in 1859 between Amherst and Williams.

The groups also have come together in 2009 to select the Dick Howser Trophy, Brooks Wallace Award (Division I Shortstop of the Year), NCBWA Stopper of the Year, CBF Pitcher of the Year, and NCBWA National Coach of the Year. The Pro-Line Athletic/NCBWA All-America and Freshman All-America teams, the NCBWA Freshman Player and Pitcher of the Year also are being presented by these national entities.

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, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 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; Brad Lincoln, P/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, P, Vanderbilt, 2007 and Buster Posey, C, Florida State.

The following is a list of the 2009 Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalists:

Pos. Name, School

Dustin Ackley, 1B, North Carolina

Matt Alexander, DH, Air Force

Kyle Bellamy, P, Miami (Fla.)

Troy Channing, 3B, St. Mary's (Calif.)

Cody Hawn, 1B, Tennessee

Chris Henderson, C, George Mason

Mike Leake, P, Arizona State

Bryan Marquez, SS, New Mexico State

OF Kent Matthes, OF, Alabama

Derek McCallum, 2B, Minnesota

Tommy Mendonca, 3B, Fresno State

A.J. Morris, P, Kansas State

Rich Poythress, 1B, Georgia

Brooks Raley, UT, Texas A&M

Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice

Stephen Strasburg, P, San Diego State

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Jeff DeSmidt

Derek McCallum

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