April 28, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico freshman second baseman Jordan Pacheco was one of 64 players named to the Dick Hower College Baseball Player of the Year watch list, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Thursday afternoon. Pacheco, a native of Albuquerque, leads the Mountain West in batting (.420), slugging (.722), hits (74) and runs (50).
The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Xanthus-Dick Howser Trophy based on three rounds of voting. The 2005 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 17, at 9:30 a.m. CDT.
The Dick 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 Dick 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 and the 1999 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.
The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is in its 105th year of existence in 2004. 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, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, Georgia Tech, 2000; Mark Prior, P, USC, 2001, Khalil Greene, SS, Clemson, 2002; Rickey Weeks, 2B, Southern U., 2003; and Jered Weaver, RHP, Long Beach State.
2005 DICK HOWSER TROPHY WATCH LIST
1B Karl Amonite, AuburnOF Brennan Boesch, CaliforniaDHATH Dennis Bigley, Oral RobertsSS Cameron Blair, Texas TechDH/ATH Brian Bogusevic, TulaneOF James Boone, Missouri3B Ryan Braun, Miami (Fla.)SP Lance Broadway, TCU1B Jordan Brown, ArizonaSP Dallas Buck, Oregon StateOF Travis Buck, Arizona State2B Chris Campbell, College Of CharlestonSP Cesar Carillo, Miami (Fla.)1B Adam Carr, Oklahoma StateOF Daniel Carte, WinthropSP Joba Chamberlain, NebraskaC Jeff Clement, Southern CaliforniaOF Jeff Corsaletti, FloridaDH/ATH Mike Costanzo, Coastal CarolinaRP J. Brent Cox, TexasOF Trevor Crowe, ArizonaOF Jacoby Ellsbury, Oregon State2B Chris Getz, Michigan3B Alex Gordon, NebraskaC Tuffy Gosewich, Arizona StateSS Tyler Greene, Georgia TechDH/ATH Kris Harvey, ClemsonRP Craig Hansen, St. John'sDH/ATH Stephen Head, Ole Miss3B Jay Heafner, DavidsonSP Luke Hochevar, Tennessee3B Wes Hodges, Georgia TechSS Seth Johnston, TexasSP Ian Kennedy, Southern California1B Matt LaPorta, Florida1B Jeff Larish, Arizona State1B Curtis Ledbetter, NebraskaSP Tim Lincecum, Washington1B Eric Lis, Evansville2B Jed Lowrie, Stanford1B John Mayberry, StanfordSP Andrew Miller, North CarolinaC Caleb Moore, East Tenn. StateRP Erik Morrison, Ball StateDH/ATH Micah Owings, Tulane2B Jordan Pacheco, New MexicoOF Ryan Patterson, LSU1B Steve Pearce, South CarolinaSP Mike Pelfrey, Wichita StateSS Cliff Pennington, Texas A&MOF Brian Pettway, Ole Miss3B Ronnie Prettyman, Cal State FullertonSP Cesar Ramos, Long Beach StateOF Shane Robinson, Florida StateSP Ricky Romero, Cal State FullertonDH/ATH Joe Savery, RiceSP Max Scherzer, MissouriOF Gabe Scott, Alabama2B Scott Sizemore, Va. Commonwealth3B Brandon Taylor, Brigham Young1B Adam Tucker, Birmingham-SouthernC Brad Willcutt, Southern Miss2B Corey Wimberley, Alcorn State3B Ryan Zimmerman, Virginia