University of Georgia sophomore right-hander Emerson Hancock has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced recently.
The Dick Howser Trophy, now in its 33rd year, is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate baseball player. The NCBWA in conjunction with the Dick Howser Trophy Committee and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce vote for the recipient.
Hancock, a 6-4, 215-pound native of Cairo, Ga., owns a 7-2 record and 1.31 Earned Run Average (ERA). He leads the nation in Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (4.4) and WHIP (0.73) {Walks Plus Hits Per Innings Pitched} and is fifth in ERA. He has made 11 starts, tallying 75.2 innings with 81 strikeouts and only 18 walks. He has been one of the aces for the Bulldogs who are ranked No. 7 nationally with a 41-14 record including 20-9 in the SEC. Hancock is slated to pitch game three of the Alabama series Saturday at Foley Field at 2 p.m.
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 of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser’s life.
The finalists will be announced on June 6, and the winner will be unveiled on the MLB Network on June 14. A press conference with the winner will be held June 15 in Omaha during the College World Series. This year’s 26 semifinalists includes two catchers, four first basemen, one second baseman, two shortstops, four third basemen, five outfielders and eight pitchers.
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; Jered Weaver, P, Long Beach State, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005; Brad Lincoln, P/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, P, Vanderbilt, 2007; Buster Posey, C, Florida State, 2008; Stephen Strasburg, P, San Diego State, 2009; Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice, 2010; Taylor Jungmann, P, Texas, 2011; Mike Zunino, C, Florida, 2012; Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego, 2013; A.J. Reed, P/1B, Kentucky, 2014; Andrew Benintendi, OF, Arkansas, 2015; Seth Beer, OF, Clemson, 2016, Brendan McKay, P/1B, Louisville, 2017 and Brady Singer, SP, Florida, in 2018.
In related news this past week, Hancock was named a semifinalist for The Golden Spikes Award, presented annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country by USA Baseball and the Rod Dedeaux Foundation.