Harrington Named To Brooks Wallace Watch List
April 30, 2009 | Baseball
April 30, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - East Carolina sophomore Dustin Harrington is one of 38 shortstops around the country to be named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, which will be given to the nations' top collegiate shortstop, the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) and Mizuno announced Thursday.
A native of Taylorsville, N.C., Harrington is batting .317 (57-for-180) while setting career-highs in home runs (8), doubles (12), runs scored (39) and driving in 36 runs. Currently he ranks among the Conference USA leaders in doubles, sac bunts and assists. Harrington opened his sophomore season with an 18-game hitting streak, the sixth longest in school history, and on Tuesday night against Elon recorded his 40th career multi-hit game.
Harrington is joined on the list by C-USA shortstops Rick Hague (Rice) and Josh Prince (Tulane).
For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Wallace Award will honor the country's finest shortstop. Previously, the Wallace Award was given to the national-player-of-the-year.
The change was made following the creation of the College Baseball Awards Show, in collaboration with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the Dick Howser Trophy Committee. The Howser Trophy has recognized the best overall player in the country for 23 years and will continue to do so. Both the Wallace Award and the Howser Award will be presented as part of the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock.
"Transitioning the Wallace Award to a position player award will give increased attention to the position that Brooks Wallace played when he was in college," said Raymond Richardson, CBF board member and College Baseball Awards Show chair. "The Wallace family embraced this idea and we are thrilled to honor Brooks in this way."
The College Baseball Awards Show will recognize the top players in college baseball as part of the CBF's annual celebration, which also includes the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. In addition to the Brooks Wallace Award, other awards presented during the show will include the Dick Howser Trophy for the national player of the year, and the National Pitcher-of-the-Year-Award.
