Diaz added to another Baseball Watch List

[Brad]

Courtesy USF

USF BASEBALL

Diaz Added To 2007 Brooks Wallace College Player Of The Year Watch List

LUBBOCK, Texas (May 2, 2007) – University of South Florida junior shortstop Walter Diaz has been added to the field of candidates aiming for the 2007 Brooks Wallace College Player of the Year Award, which was reduced to the top 112 NCAA players today, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation in Lubbock, Texas.  

The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player and will be nationally televised on Fox Sports Network.

Diaz has led the Bulls to a 28-18 overall record this season with his .377 batting average. The Miami, Fla., native has a 72 hits, 52 runs scored, 11 doubles and 14 stolen bases, all of which are team highs. From the leadoff spot, his 28 RBI are fourth on the team and his .472 on base percentage is second.

The 2007 award banquet will be held Tuesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.  Information regarding the sale of individual tickets, as well as group and corporate tables, is available by calling (806) 777 – 8277 or through the College Baseball Foundation Web site at www.collgebaseballfoundation.org.

The selection committee will narrow the list to 30 semifinalists toward the end of May. Following the NCAA Super Regionals, the three finalists will be announced during the College World Series in Omaha. The three finalists, their head coaches and parents will be invited to Lubbock where they will participate in a three-day celebration of college baseball on July 2-4.  The Wallace Trophy and winners will become a part of the permanent display in the new College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock.  The three finalists will participate in activities with the 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees as part of the “Past Meets Present” theme and will receive special recognition during the official induction ceremony.  

The Wallace Award is a dedication to the memory of the former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace.  Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980.  A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District his senior year.  He led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1980.  After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach.  In the summer of 1984, he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27.  The Plano, TX, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.

Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton won the 2004 Brooks Wallace Award and Alex Gordon of Nebraska took home the 2005 trophy. Last year’s Wallace winner was standout pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston.  

Revised 2007 Wallace Watch

Ackley, Dustin 1B North Carolina

Adams, Cody    SP Southern Illinois

Alaniz, Adrian   SP Texas

Alvarez, Pedro 3B Vanderbilt

Ambort, Michael DH     Lamar

Arencibia, J.P.   C Tennessee

Banwart, Travis SP Wichita State

Baum, Justin 3B Pacific

Bolden, Jared   1B VCU

Brown, Corey   OF Oklahoma St

Canham, Mitch C Oregon St

Chalk, Brad OF Clemson

Chigges, Nick   SP CofC

Coughlin, Sean C Kentucky

Crawford, Brandon SS UCLA

Curry, Ryan INF Bradley

Davis, Lars C    Illinois

Davis, Marcus   OF Alcorn St

Dean, Blake OF LSU

DeLaGarza, Andy SP     Coastal Carolina

Desme, Grant   OF Cal Poly

Dew, Josh RP Troy

Diaz, Walter SS USF

Doolittle, Sean UTIL     Virginia

Dykstra, Allan   1B Wake Forest

Easley, Edward C Mississippi St

Edwards, Daniel RP Kansas St

Emaus, Brad 2B Tulane

Enright, Barry   SP Pepperdine

Erickson, Blair RP UC Irvine

Etheridge, Wes RP UC Irvine

Frazier, Todd    SS Rutgers

Gonzalez, Joel OF MD-Easterm Shore

Guilmet, Raymond SP Arizona

Guyer, Brandon OF Virginia

Hagadone, Nick RP Washington

Henry, Bryan    SP Florida St

Hill, Nick SP Army

Hill, Steven C    SF Austin

Honeycutt, Harris SP    S. Carolina

Huber, Erik 1B E.Illinois

Hudson, Brandon UTIL La Tech

Jenkins, Justin  OF West Virgina

Johnson, Logan 2B Louisville

Kieschnick, Roger OF Texas Tech

Kingrey, Charlie OF McNeese St

Kline, Will SP Ole Miss

Krauss, Marc UTIL Ohio  

Kluber, Corey   SP Stetson

Kulbacki, Kellen OF James Madison

LaPorta, Matt    1B Florida

Lavarnway, Ryan OF     Yale

Luebke, Cory   SP Ohio State

Mach, Tyler 2B Oklahoma St

Mangini, Matt   3B Oklahoma St

Matusz, Brian   SP San Diego

McConnell, Eryk RP NC State

McCullough, Brian SP Longwood

McElroy, Brad   OF Charlotte

McOwen, James OF FIU

Mee, Mike OF Minnesota

Mills, Adam SP Charlotte

Minor, Mike SP Vanderbilt

Morris, Matt OF UC-Irvine

Musgrave, Rob SP Wichita State

Nicholson, Kyle RP Texas A&M

Pacheco, Jordan 2B UNM

Paramore, Petey C Arizona St.

Payne, Danny   OF Georgia Tech

Price, David SP Vanderbilt

Putnam, Zack   UTIL Michigan

Raber, Chris OF Coastal Carolina

Richard, Michael SS Prairie View

Rike, Brian OF Louisiana Tech

Robinson, Clint 1B/DH Troy

Rochelle, Kris   C Charlotte

Romero, Nick   INF San Diego St

Russell, James  SP Texas

Russell, Kyle OF Texas

Satow, Josh SP Arizona St

Satterwhite, Cody RP   Ole Miss

Savery, Joe UTIL Rice

Schmidt, Nick   SP Arkansas

Sexton, Greg 3B William & Mary

Shafer, Aaron   SP Wichita St

Shah, Asif UTIL SE Missouri

Shawler, Anthony SP Old Dominion

Shunk, Derek   SS Villanova

Simmons, James SP UCR

Spencer, Matt  UTIL Arizona St

Stouffer, Blake 3B Texas A&M

Stovall, Daniel  1B UNM

Stovall, Tyler    OF C. Michigan

Stutes, Mike SP Oregon St

Sublett, Damon INF Wichita St

Suttle, Bradley  3B Texas

Tacker, Ryan SP Rice

Taylor, Heath SP Oklahoma

Thomas, Tony  2B Florida St

Thompson, Jacob SP Virginia

Turner, Brandon SS Mississippi St

Verbick, Brad   OF Sam Houston St

Wallace, Brett   1B Arizona St.

Waring, Brandon SS Wofford

Weathers, Casey RP Vanderbilt

Whiting, Boomer OF     Louisville

Whittemore, Clay OF    Jacksonville St

Widlansky, Robbie OF FAU

Wieters, Matt Georgia Tech C/P

Wright, Ty OF Oklahoma St

Yonder, Alonso 1B Miami

Zahm, Mike OF Old Dominion

[JoeB]

Congrats Walt!