Diaz Selected To Watch List

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID

USF BASEBALL

Diaz Selected To 2007 **** Howser Trophy Watch List

DALLAS (April 27, 2007) – University of South Florida junior shortstop Walter Diaz is one of 50 standouts selected for consideration of The **** Howser Trophy, given to the top player in collegiate baseball, as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, working in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.  

Diaz was selected to the watch list for college baseball's top honor due to his .382 season batting average, including 68 hits, 11 of which are doubles. The Miami native leads the team with 28 RBI, 49 runs, 28 walks and 13 stolen bases.  

Diaz posted a 24-game hitting streak from March 13-April 24, batting .408 in those 24 games with 18 RBI and 24 runs scored. He registered three doubles, a triple and a home run while drawing 21 walks, one of which was intentional. Diaz also had eight stolen bases in that time.

His streak passed the Bulls' longest hitting streak posted in the past nine years, which was Johnny Rayburn's 20 consecutive-hit games in 1999 and 2000.  

The membership of the NCBWA will choose the **** Howser Trophy based on three rounds of voting. The 2007 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 15, at 10:00 a.m. CDT.

The **** 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 **** Howser's life.

A Florida native, Howser was a two-time 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 permanently displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is in its 108th year of existence in 2007. The organization has long been a vital force in the baseball affairs of the city, both in spring training and during the pursuit of a major league baseball franchise for the Tampa Bay area, and continues its solid role in the 21st Century.

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 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, P, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 1B, 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; and Brad Lincoln, P, Houston, 2006.

2007 **** HOSWER TROPHY WATCH LIST

1B Dustin Ackley, North Carolina

P Adrian Alaniz, Texas

3B Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt

P Travis Banwart, Wichita State

C Mitch Canham, Oregon State

C Sean Coughlin, Kentucky

SS Brandon Crawford, UCLA

RP Kevin Crum, VMI

OF Mike Dahm, Old Dominion

OF Maurice Davis, Alcorn State

P Andy DeLaGarza, Coastal Carolina

OF Grant Desme, Cal Poly

SS Walter Diaz, USF

P/1B/DH Sean Doolittle, Virginia

C Edward Easley, Mississippi State

RP Daniel Edwards, Kansas State

P Barry Enright, Pepperdine

P Caleb Grafenhein, P, East Tennessee State

OF Brandon Guyer, Virginia

RP Nick Haggadone, Washington

P Bryan Henry, Florida State

1B Steven Hill, Stephen F. Austin

P Harris Honeycutt, South Carolina

OF Justin Jenkins, West Virginia

2B Logan Johnson, Louisville

P Corey Kluber, Stetson

OF Kellen Kulbacki, James Madison

1B Matt LaPorta, Florida

2B Tyler Mach, Oklahoma State

P Brian Matusz, San Diego

RP Eryk McConnell, N.C. State

P Adam Mills, Charlotte

P Sean Morgan, Tulane

OF Matt Morris, UC Irvine

P David Price, Vanderbilt

OF Kyle Russell, Texas

UT Joe Savery, Rice

P Nick Schmidt, Arkansas

3B Greg Sexton, William & Mary

UT Matt Spencer, Arizona State

3B Blake Stouffer, Texas A&M

UT Damon Sublett, Wichita State

3B Bradley Suttle, Texas

2B Tony Thomas Jr., Florida State

P Jacob Thompson, Virginia

SS Brandon Turner, Mississippi State

DH Bobby Verbick, Sam Houston State

1B Brett Wallace, Arizona State

OF Robbie Widlansky, Florida Atlantic

C Matt Wieters, Georgia Tech

[GoBulls84]

Good for Walt, he's played really well this season

[Paul Wall]

we could use some more trophies the athletic bldg has a lot of empty cases

[Drewski]

This is really nice to see. This kid has been really fun to watch this season. He's the true definition of a ball player..