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 WCU senior Kenny Smith was today listed among the final 30 on the Brooks Wallace Award list. |
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May 25, 2007
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina senior Kenny Smith, who was tabbed the consensus Southern Conference Player of the Year this week at the conference tournament in Charleston, was among 30 players remaining in the hunt for the 2007 Brooks Wallace College Player of the Year Award announced today by the presenting group, the College Baseball Foundation.
Smith along with Wofford's Brandon Waring were the lone two selections from the Southern Conference to be listed among the 30-person watch list. WCU junior Steven Strausbaugh was among a list of 148 student-athletes recognized on the group's preseason watch list back prior to the start of play in February.
The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player and will be televised nationally by Fox College Sports. The only award to encompass the first pitch of the college season to the final out in Omaha, past winners include Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton in 2004, Alex Gordon of Nebraska in 2005 and pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston in 2006.
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 in Lubbock, Texas. The selection committee will narrow the list to 20 quarterfinalists on May 30 and will be reduced again to ten semifinalists following the NCAA Regionals. The three finalists will be announced during the College World Series. The three finalists will participate in activities with the 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees as part of the Wallace Award and Hall of Fame festivities in Lubbock on July 2-4. The winner will be permanently recognized in the new College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Smith is vying to become just the 13th Catamount all-time to win the team's triple crown, leading the squad in batting average (.396), RBI (79) and home runs (18). The Asheville, N.C., native became the 14th different Catamount to garner the league's top individual honor, marking the 16th selection all-time in Western's history.
Smith led both the team and the conference with a .412 batting average during the regular season, while also pacing the league with 79 RBI, five shy of tying the school-record (84, Chris Moore in 1999) and eight shy of tying the conference record (87, Chris Campbell, CofC - 2005). A two-time SoCon Player of the Week and Player of the Month in March, Smith also hit a team-best 18 home runs for the Catamounts.
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, Texas, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.
Revised 2007 Wallace Watch Ackley, Dustin 1B North Carolina Alonso, Yonder 1B Miami Alvarez, Pedro 3B Vanderbilt Edwards, Daniel RP Kansas St Erickson, Blair RP UC Irvine Frazier, Todd SS Rutgers Guilmet, Preston SP Arizona Henry, Bryan SP Florida St Kulbacki, Kellen OF James Madison LaPorta, Matt 1B Florida Lavarnway, Ryan OF Yale Mach, Tyler 2B Oklahoma St Matusz, Brian SP San Diego McConnell, Eryk RP NC State Mills, Adam SP Charlotte Nicholson, Kyle RP Texas A&M Price, David SP Vanderbilt Russell, Kyle OF Texas Savery, Joe UTIL Rice Sexton, Greg 3B William & Mary Simmons, James SP UCR Smith, Kenny 2B Western Carolina Stouffer, Blake 3B Texas A&M Thomas, Tony 2B Florida St Thompson, Jacob SP Virginia Tuomi, Kai SP Evansville Wallace, Brett 1B Arizona St. Waring, Brandon SS Wofford Weathers, Casey RP Vanderbilt Widlansky, Robbie OF FAU
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