UF's Mooney Named To Brooks Wallace Watch List
Friday, May 1, 2009 | Baseball
With conference play in full swing across the country, the College Baseball Foundation and Mizuno recently announced the initial Watch List for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award and Florida junior Mike Mooney (Loxahatchee, Fla.) was one of the players recognized. For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Wallace Award will honor the country's finest shortstop. Previously, the Wallace Award was given to the national player of the year.
In his debut season as a Gator, Mooney has appeared in 33 games, with 28 starts at shortstop and three at third base. He leads the Orange and Blue with a .492 on-base percentage is second with a .351 batting average. Mooney also ranks among the team leaders in runs (26) and walks (22) and is batting .366 (15-for-41) in 14 SEC contests. He has delivered walk-off singles to defeat No. 8 Louisville (Feb. 22) and Big East leader USF (April 22).
The change in the Brooks Wallace Award was made following the creation of the College Baseball Awards Show, in collaboration with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Dick Howser Trophy Committee. The Howser Trophy has recognized the best overall player in the country for 23 years and will continue to do so. Both the Wallace Award and the Howser Award will be presented as part of the College Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock.
“Transitioning the Wallace Award to a position player award will give increased attention to the position that Brooks Wallace played when he was in college,” said Raymond Richardson, CBF board member and College Baseball Awards Show chair. “The Wallace family embraced this idea and we are thrilled to honor Brooks in this way.”
The watch list features shortstops from around the country, including three from the Big 12, ACC, Big West and Conference USA.
The College Baseball Awards Show will recognize the top players in college baseball as part of the CBF's annual celebration, which also includes the National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. In addition to the Brooks Wallace Award, other awards presented during the show will include the Dick Howser Trophy for the national player of the year, and the National Pitcher of the Year Award.
Brooks Wallace Award Watch List
| Name | School | Conference |
| Shaver Hanson | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Kyle Smith | Cal Poly | Big West |
| Christian Colon | Cal State Fullerton | Big West |
| Brian Guinn | California | Pac-10 |
| Zach Kayne | Davidson | Southern |
| Dustin Harrington | East Carolina | Conference USA |
| Jordan Kreke | Eastern Illinois | Ohio Valley |
| Mike Mooney | FLORIDA | SEC |
| Steven Wickens | Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun |
| Stephen Cardullo | Florida State | ACC |
| Brian Pierce | Georgia Southern | Southern |
| Dereck Dietrich | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| Brandon Wikoff | Illinois | Big 10 |
| David Herbek | James Madison | Colonial |
| Drew Biery | Kansas State | Big 12 |
| Daniel Bierce | Lafayette | Patriot |
| Ben Soignier | UL-Munroe | Sun Belt |
| DJ LeMahieu | LSU | SEC |
| Nick DiMauro | Mercer | Atlantic Sun |
| Drew Lee | Morehead State | Ohio Valley |
| Bryan Marquez | New Mexico State | WAC |
| Bryant Hernandez | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Juan Martinez | Oral Roberts | Summit |
| Jeff Kemp | Radford | Big South |
| Dan Rhault | Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 |
| Rick Hague | Rice | Conference USA |
| Ryan Bennett | Saint Louis | Atlantic 10 |
| Sean Nicol | San Diego | West Coast |
| Kyle Bellows | San Jose State | WAC |
| Gary Helmick | Towson | Colonial |
| Josh Prince | Tulane | Conference USA |
| Ben Orloff | UC Irvine | Big West |
| Grant Green | Southern California | Pac-10 |
| Matt Duffy | Vermont | America East |
| Tyler Cannon | Virginia | ACC |
| Jedd Gyorko | West Virginia | Big East |
| Terrence Dayleg | Western Kentucky | Sun Belt |
| Tyler Grimes | Wichita State | MVC |
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