Wetherholt Named Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 16, 2024) – West Virginia University junior shortstop JJ Wetherholt has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, as announced by the NCBWA on Thursday.
He is one of 68 student-athletes to be named a semifinalist and one of just four Big 12 representatives.
Wetherholt currently leads the Mountaineers with a .384 batting average and has tallied six home runs and 26 RBI in just 26 games played. He also has 25 walks against just 10 strikeouts, one of the best ratios in the country.
It is the second straight season that the Mars, Pennsylvania native has been named a Howser semifinalist. In 2023, Wetherholt was named one of the five finalists after leading the nation with a .449 batting average while hitting 16 home runs and stealing 36 bases.
Wetherholt is the first two-time semifinalist in WVU history with Alek Manoah being the only other semifinalist in 2019.
The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, is 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. The trophy is regarded as baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage – all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.
The ‘24 award will be presented at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, the home of the College World Series, for the 12th year. The winner also will be unveiled on MLB Network on Thursday, June 13, in the 9 a.m. (CDT) highlight show hour. A Friday, June 14, news conference with the winner will be held at 10 a.m., the opening day just prior to the first game of the 77th NCAA College World Series, in the Schwab Stadium Media Room.
2024 DICK HOWSER TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Pos. Name, School
Christian Almanza, 1B, Saint Mary’s
Edgar Alvarez, 1B, Nicholls
Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
John Anderson, 2B, Samford
Jamie Arnold, SP, Florida State
Evan Aschenbek, RP, Texas A&M
Ethan Bates, RP, Louisiana Tech
Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Chris Beilenson, RP, Duke
Carson Benge, UTIL, Oklahoma State
Brooks Bryan, C, Troy
Chase Burns, SP, Wake Forest
Mason Burns, RP, Western Kentucky
Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Blake Burke, 1B, Tennessee
Ryan Campos, C, Arizona State
Jac Caglianone, UTIL, Florida
Jakob Christian, OF, San Diego
Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia
Caleb Cozart, DH, UNC Greensboro
Carter Cunningham, 1B, East Carolina
Kyle DeBarge, SS, Louisiana
Edwin DeLaCruz, C, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Daniel Dickinson, 2B, Utah Valley
Jalin Flores, SS, Texas
Carter Gaston, SP, Portland
Lawson Harrill, OF, Campbell
Luke Holman, SP, LSU
Bridger Holmes, RP, Oregon State
Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Walter Janek, C, Sam Houston State
Ryan Johnson, SP, DBU
Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State
Keith Jones, OF, New Mexico State
Caden Kendle, OF, UC Irvine
Seaver King, 2B, Wake Forest
Josh Kuroda-Grauer, SS, Rutgers
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Alec Makarewicz, 3B, NC State
T.J. McCants, OF, Alabama
Cole McConell, OF, Louisiana Tech
Liam McFadden-Ackman, 1B, Northern Kentucky
LP Langevin, RP, Louisiana
Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M
Caleb Lomavita, C, California
Izaak Martinez, RP, UC San Diego
Matthew Matthjis, SP, North Carolina
Lyle Miller-Green, OF, Austin Peay
Ben Miller, 3B, Duke
Gage Miller, 3B, Alabama
Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Ryan Prager, SP, Texas A&M
Jake Reinisch, DH, Wake Forest
Michael Ross, SP, Samford
Brett Sears, SP, Nebraska
Austin Smith, UTIL, San Diego
Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Hagen Smith, SP, Arkansas
James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Payton Tolle, SP, TCU
JJ Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
Mason White, SS, Arizona
Tommy White, 3B, LSU
Nick Wissman, RP, Dayton
Jakob Wright, SP, Cal Poly
Blake Wright, 3B, Clemson
Trey Yesavage, SP, East Carolina
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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For more information, contact:
Adam Grossman, 304-293-2821
adam.grossman@mail.wvu.edu