Brian Pierce Named to Initial Watch List for Top Shortstop
4/30/2009 8:26:00 PM | Baseball
LUBBOCK, Texas - The College Baseball Foundation and Mizuno have announced the initial watch list for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award. 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.
Georgia Southern senior Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) was one of two from the Southern Conference and 38 nationally named to the initial Watch List.
The change was made following the creation of the College Baseball Awards Show, in collaboration with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association 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.
Pierce owns a .333 batting average, scoring 30 runs and driving in 29. He has recorded 11 doubles and two home runs, while defensively owns a .976 fielding percentage and played a role in 37 of the team's 50 double plays turned. GS entered this week ranked 23rd nationally in double plays and fielding percentage (.973).
Early in his senior year, Pierce owned a streak of 185 consecutive starts only to have it broken. He has played in 212 career games and started in 211 of the program's last 212 contests.
“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.
BROOKS WALLACE AWARD WATCH LIST
Name (Institution)
Shaver Hanson (Baylor)
Kyle Smith (Cal Poly)
Christian Colon (Cal State Fullerton)
Brian Guinn (California)
Zach Kayne (Davidson)
Dustin Harrington (East Carolina)
Jordan Kreke (Eastern Illinois)
Mike Mooney (Florida)
Steven Wickens (Florida Gulf Coast)
Stephen Cardullo (Florida State)
Brian Pierce (Georgia Southern)
Dereck Dietrich (Georgia Tech)
Brandon Wikoff (Illinois)
David Herbek (James Madison)
Drew Biery (Kansas State)
Daniel Bierce (Lafayette)
Ben Soignier (Louisiana Monroe)
DJ LeMahieu (LSU)
Nick DiMauro (Mercer)
Drew Lee (Morehead State)
Bryan Marquez (New Mexico State)
Bryant Hernandez (Oklahoma)
Juan Martinez (Oral Roberts)
Jeff Kemp (Radford)
Dan Rhault (Rhode Island)
Rick Hague (Rice)
Ryan Bennett (Saint Louis)
Sean Nicol (San Diego)
Kyle Bellows (San Jose State)
Gary Helmick (Towson)
Josh Prince (Tulane)
Ben Orloff (UC Irvine)
Grant Green (USC)
Matt Duffy (Vermont)
Tyler Cannon (Virginia)
Jedd Gyorko (West Virginia)
Terrence Dayleg (Western Kentucky)
Tyler Grimes (Wichita State)
