DALLAS- For the second straight season, a VMI player has been named to the Dick Howser Award Watch List, as sophomore closer Kevin Crum has been so honored by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The list, which includes 50 student-athletes, is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player.
Crum (Fairfax, Va./Bishop O'Connell) shares the national lead in saves with 14, already the most by a VMI pitcher in a single season. His 16 career saves has also set a new school record, while he is chasing the Big South single-season record of 16. Crum joins 2006 VMI graduate Kelly Sweppenhiser, who was the first Keydet to ever be named to the Watch List last season.
Crum joins Coastal Carolina's Andy DeLaGarza as the only members of the Big South Conference on the List, while Old Dominion's Mike Dahm, James Madison's Kellen Kulbacki, William & Mary's Greg Sexton and Virginia's Sean Doolittle, Brandon Guyer and Jacob Thompson represented the State of Virginia on the List.
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, at 10:00 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.
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.
Crum and the Keydets host UNC Asheville this weekend in a three-game set at Gray-Minor Stadium in Big South Conference play.
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.
