SPARTANBURG, SC ? Wofford third baseman Brandon Waring was named as one of 10 semifinalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, given annually by the College Baseball Foundation to the nation’s top college baseball player. Waring was among the initial group of 112 players considered for the honor and was also among the top 30 hopefuls and was among the 20 semifinalists.
Waring, a 6-4, 195-pound junior from West Columbia, SC (Airport HS) claimed two-thirds of the SoCon triple crown, leading the conference in batting average (.401) and home runs (27) while setting school and conference records for home runs in a season. Waring was third in the SoCon with 74 RBIs. He was a first team All-Southern Conference selection, a first team Louisville Slugger All-American, and was a unanimous choice for Most Outstanding Player in the Southern Conference Tournament.
Waring was drafted in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Reds in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last Friday.
The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player and will be televised nationally by Fox College Sports. This award is the only 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.
Joining Waring on the list of semifinalists are Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez, Rutgers shortstop Todd Frazier, Florida infielder Matt LaPorta, Yale outfielder Ryan Lavarnway, Charlotte pitcher Adam Mills, Vanderbilt pitcher David Price, Texas outfielder Kyle Russell, Florida State second baseman Tony Thomas, Jr., and Arizona State first baseman Brett Wallace.
The 2007 Wallace 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 announce the three finalists during the College World Series.
The three finalists will be accompanied by their parents and head coaches to participate in activities with the 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees as part of the Wallace Award and Hall of Fame festivities in Lubbock. The winner will be permanently recognized in the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
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.