UAA Communications photo by Jordan Perez
Lawson Named Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | Baseball
The honor is awarded annually to the top shortstop in college baseball.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators shortstop Brendan Lawson was tabbed as one of 50 semifinalists for the 2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Wednesday morning.
Given annually to the top shortstop in college baseball, the award is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27. Originally recognizing the overall outstanding player, it shifted focus to shortstops in 2009.
Narrowing our list to even 50 is a difficult task to take on as there are so many deserving shortstops at midseason," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "All these kids are piling up big offensive numbers with power. But just as important are the defensive skills and how well they field their position."
Making his first-career appearance as a Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist, Lawson owns a .322 batting average while leading the Gators in OPS (1.264), on-base percentage (.533), slugging (.696) and homers (11) while totaling 41 runs, 34 RBI, 43 walks and 10 stolen bases in 37 games played. Lawson leads the entire SEC in walks and on-base percentage while sitting third and ninth in the county in those categories, respectively. The Canadian sophomore also ranks eighth in the SEC in runs per game (1.11) and 11th in slugging while drawing significantly more free passes than strikeouts (31).
If the season ended today, Lawson's .533 OBP would be the fifth-best in program history behind only Matt LaPorta (.582, 2007), Brad Wilkerson (.547, 1996; .538 in 1998) and Jac Caglianone (.544, 2024).
The College Baseball Foundation annually presents the Brooks Wallace Award, National Pitcher of the Year Award, John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award and Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.
For more information on the Brooks Wallace Award or any of the CBF awards, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
• Eric Becker, Junior, Virginia, ACC
• Chase Bloomer, Senior, SIUE, OVC
• Kolby Branch, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
• Owen Clyne, Senior, George Mason, A-10
• Noah Coy, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
• Dylan Cupp, Junior, Dallas Baptist, CUSA
• Caden Dulin, Senior, Pittsburgh, ACC
• Kade Dupont, RS-Senior, ULM, SBC
• Linkin Garcia, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Johnathan Gomez, Sophomore, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
• Reid Howard, Sophomore, Western Kentucky, CUSA
• Matt Ineich, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Titan Kamaka, Senior, Mercer, ASUN
• Dee Kennedy Jr., Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
• Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Camden Kozeal, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jamie Laskofski, Sophomore, William & Mary, CAA
• Luke Lawrence, Senior, Kentucky, SEC
• Brendan Lawson, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Justin Lebron, Junior, Alabama, SEC
• Jackson Lyda, Sophomore, Western Carolina, CUSA
• Tanner Marsh, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Michael Maloney, Graduate, Western Michigan, MAC
• Manny Marin, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Steven Milam, Junior, LSU, SEC
• Bo Moody, Freshman, Presbyterian, Big South
• Reece Moroney, Junior, Rhode Island, A-10
• PJ Moutzouridis, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ben North, Graduate, Creighton, BIG EAST
• Dawson Park, Sophomore, Texas State, SBC
• Zandt Payne, Graduate, Abilene Christian, WAC
• Willie Ponce, Graduate, High Point, Big South
• Andrew Ramirez, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, OVC
• Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, WAC
• Ryder Robinson, Junior, BYU, Big 12
• Ricky Sanchez, Gonzaga, WCC
• Travis Sanders, RS-Junior, Baylor, Big 12
• Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Kooper Schulte, Senior, Iowa, Big Ten
• Charlie Scholvin, Junior, Toledo, MAC
• Ike Shirey, Senior, Tarleton State, WAC
• Julio Solier, Sophomore, Boston College, ACC
• Petey Soto Jr., Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
• Jack Spanier, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
• Rhett Stokes, Senior, Nebraska, Big Ten
• Ryker Waite, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
• Karsen Waslefsky, Senior, New Mexico, MWC
• Jaxon Willits, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Dyerson Wouters, Dayton, A-10
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Given annually to the top shortstop in college baseball, the award is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27. Originally recognizing the overall outstanding player, it shifted focus to shortstops in 2009.
Narrowing our list to even 50 is a difficult task to take on as there are so many deserving shortstops at midseason," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "All these kids are piling up big offensive numbers with power. But just as important are the defensive skills and how well they field their position."
Making his first-career appearance as a Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist, Lawson owns a .322 batting average while leading the Gators in OPS (1.264), on-base percentage (.533), slugging (.696) and homers (11) while totaling 41 runs, 34 RBI, 43 walks and 10 stolen bases in 37 games played. Lawson leads the entire SEC in walks and on-base percentage while sitting third and ninth in the county in those categories, respectively. The Canadian sophomore also ranks eighth in the SEC in runs per game (1.11) and 11th in slugging while drawing significantly more free passes than strikeouts (31).
If the season ended today, Lawson's .533 OBP would be the fifth-best in program history behind only Matt LaPorta (.582, 2007), Brad Wilkerson (.547, 1996; .538 in 1998) and Jac Caglianone (.544, 2024).
The College Baseball Foundation annually presents the Brooks Wallace Award, National Pitcher of the Year Award, John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award and Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.
For more information on the Brooks Wallace Award or any of the CBF awards, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.
2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
• Eric Becker, Junior, Virginia, ACC
• Chase Bloomer, Senior, SIUE, OVC
• Kolby Branch, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
• Owen Clyne, Senior, George Mason, A-10
• Noah Coy, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
• Dylan Cupp, Junior, Dallas Baptist, CUSA
• Caden Dulin, Senior, Pittsburgh, ACC
• Kade Dupont, RS-Senior, ULM, SBC
• Linkin Garcia, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Johnathan Gomez, Sophomore, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
• Reid Howard, Sophomore, Western Kentucky, CUSA
• Matt Ineich, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Titan Kamaka, Senior, Mercer, ASUN
• Dee Kennedy Jr., Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
• Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Camden Kozeal, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jamie Laskofski, Sophomore, William & Mary, CAA
• Luke Lawrence, Senior, Kentucky, SEC
• Brendan Lawson, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Justin Lebron, Junior, Alabama, SEC
• Jackson Lyda, Sophomore, Western Carolina, CUSA
• Tanner Marsh, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Michael Maloney, Graduate, Western Michigan, MAC
• Manny Marin, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Steven Milam, Junior, LSU, SEC
• Bo Moody, Freshman, Presbyterian, Big South
• Reece Moroney, Junior, Rhode Island, A-10
• PJ Moutzouridis, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ben North, Graduate, Creighton, BIG EAST
• Dawson Park, Sophomore, Texas State, SBC
• Zandt Payne, Graduate, Abilene Christian, WAC
• Willie Ponce, Graduate, High Point, Big South
• Andrew Ramirez, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, OVC
• Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, WAC
• Ryder Robinson, Junior, BYU, Big 12
• Ricky Sanchez, Gonzaga, WCC
• Travis Sanders, RS-Junior, Baylor, Big 12
• Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Kooper Schulte, Senior, Iowa, Big Ten
• Charlie Scholvin, Junior, Toledo, MAC
• Ike Shirey, Senior, Tarleton State, WAC
• Julio Solier, Sophomore, Boston College, ACC
• Petey Soto Jr., Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
• Jack Spanier, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
• Rhett Stokes, Senior, Nebraska, Big Ten
• Ryker Waite, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
• Karsen Waslefsky, Senior, New Mexico, MWC
• Jaxon Willits, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Dyerson Wouters, Dayton, A-10
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#GoGators
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