April 27, 2006
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina senior infielder Neil Giesler has been named to the watch list for the Dick Howser Trophy presented to the nation’s top college baseball player by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Giesler is one of 64 players in the country to be named to the watch list. Giesler leads Carolina in hitting with a .377 batting average and a team-high 19 multi-hit games. Giesler owned a 20-game hitting streak earlier in the year and has hit safely in 30 of 38 games played this year.
The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based on three rounds of voting. The 2006 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 16, 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.
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 107th year of existence in 2006. 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; Jered Weaver, RHP, Long Beach State, 2004; and Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005.
2006 DICK HOWSER TROPHY WATCH LIST1B Danny Hamblin, Arkansas1B Charlie Yarbrough, Eastern Kentucky1B Ryan Strieby, Kentucky1B Luke Hopkins, New Mexico State1B Craig Cooper, Notre Dame1B Chad Huffman, TCU1B Allan Dykstra, Wake Forest2B Scott Campbell, Gonzaga2B Ramon Corona, N.C. State2B Johnny Giavotella, New Orleans2B David Adams, Virginia2B Jim Negrych, Pittsburgh3B Zach Daeges, Creighton3B Wes Hodges, Georgia Tech3B Matt Mangini, N.C. State3B Ronnie Bourquin, Ohio State3B Neil Giesler, South Carolina3B Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt3B Kelly Sweppenhiser, VMI3B Matt Antonelli, Wake ForestSS Christian Vitters, Fresno StateSS Joaquin Rodriguez, Jackson StateSS Thomas Berkey, Mississippi StateSS Tom King, TroySS Ryan Khoury, UtahC Alex Garabedian, Coll. of CharlestonC Michael McKenry, Middle TennesseeC Chris Hatcher, UNC WilmingtonC Blake Murphy, Western CarolinaOF Tyler Colvin, ClemsonOF Shane Robinson, Florida StateOF Kellen Kulbacki, James MadisonOF Joe Roundy, Kansas StateOF Quinn Stewart, LSUOF Shawn Scobee, NevadaOF Jay Cox, North CarolinaOF Cyle Hankerd, Southern CaliforniaOF Carson Kainer, TexasDH/ATH Brad Lincoln, HoustonDH/ATH Nate Schill, James MadisonDH/ATH J.B. Shuck, Ohio StateDH/ATH Joe Savery, RiceDH/ATH Sean Doolittle, VirginiaDH/ATH Jared Prince, Washington StateDH/ATH Damon Sublett, Wichita StateSP Wes Roemer, Cal State FullertonSP Bryan Henry, Florida StateSP Eddie Romero, Fresno StateSP Danny Ray Herrera, New MexicoSP Johnny Dorn, NebraskaSP Andrew Miller, North CarolinaSP Jason Godin, Old DominionSP Dan Hudson, Old DominionSP Eddie Degerman, RiceSP Tim Bascom, UCFSP David Price, VanderbiltSP Tim Lincecum, WashingtonRP Vinnie Pestano, Cal State FullertonRP Don Czyz, KansasRP Andrew Urena, MercerRP Cole St.Clair, RiceRP Brett Jensen, NebraskaRP Daniel Best, Southern MissRP Ben Hunter, Wake Forest
