DALLAS — Kentucky senior slugger Sean Coughlin has been named to the 50-candidate, mid-season watch list for the Dick Howser Trophy – annually given to the top collegiate baseball player in the nation – announced Thursday by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
?Sean Coughlin has become one of the top players in college baseball,? Kentucky head coach John Cohen said. ?His leadership, hard work, and determination make him a perfect candidate for the award. Sean is like another coach on the field, he brings a tremendous passion for success to the team, and he is one of the best hitters in the nation.?
Coughlin, a native of Morrison, Colo., leads the Southeastern Conference in RBI with 58, in addition to batting for a .365 average. The backstop has hit nine home runs, 15 doubles, and three triples. Coughlin is reaching base at a .447 clip and is slugging for a .647 percentage. During the 2006 SEC Championship season, Coughlin hit for a .325 average, hit 17 home runs, and drove in 55 runs. 2006 SEC Player of the Year Ryan Strieby set the school record for RBI a year ago, driving in 77 runs. Through 41 games last season, Strieby had 55 RBI, compared to Coughlin?s 58.
The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State All-American 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.
The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based on three rounds of voting. The 2007 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 15. 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.
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.
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, P, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 1B, 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; and Brad Lincoln, P, Houston, 2006.
2007 Watch List
Dustin Ackley, 1B, North Carolina Adrian Alaniz, P, Texas Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt Travis Banwart, P, Wichita State Mitch Canham, C, Oregon State Sean Coughlin, C, Kentucky Brandon Crawford, SS, UCLA Kevin Crum, RP, VMI Mike Dahm OF, Old Dominion Maurice Davis, OF, Alcorn State Andy DeLaGarza, P, Coastal Carolina Grant Desme, OF, Cal Poly Walter Diaz, SS, USF Sean Doolittle, P-1B-DH, Virginia Edward Easley, C, Mississippi State Daniel Edwards, RP, Kansas State Barry Enright, P, Pepperdine Caleb Grafenhein, P, East Tennessee State Brandon Guyer, OF, Virginia Nick Haggadone, RP, Washington Bryan Henry, P, Florida State Steven Hill, 1B, Stephen F. Austin Harris Honeycutt, P, South Carolina Justin Jenkins, OF, West Virginia Logan Johnson, 2B, Louisville Corey Kluber, P, Stetson Kellen Kulbacki, OF, James Madison Matt LaPorta, 1B, Florida Tyler Mach, 2B, Oklahoma State Brian Matusz, P, San Diego Eryk McConnell, RP, N.C. State Adam Mills, P, Charlotte Sean Morgan, P, Tulane Matt Morris, OF, UC Irvine David Price, P, Vanderbilt Kyle Russell, OF, Texas Joe Savery, UTIL, Rice Nick Schmidt, P, Arkansas Greg Sexton, 3B, William & Mary Matt Spencer, UTIL, Arizona State Blake Stouffer, 3B, Texas A&M Damon Sublett, UTIL, Wichita State Bradley Suttle, 3B, Texas Tony Thomas, Jr., 2B, Florida State Jacob Thompson, P, Virginia Brandon Turner, SS, Mississippi State Bobby Verbick, DH, Sam Houston State Brett Wallace, 1B, Arizona State Robbie Widlansky, OF, Florida Atlantic Matt Wieters, C, Georgia Tech
