Outfielder Ryan Chambers of BYU is one of 58 baseball student-athletes on the 2005 Wallace Watch released by the College Baseball Foundation in Lubbock, Texas.
Chambers, a 6-1, 175, senior southpaw from Yucaipa, Calif., who will also pitch in relief this season which begins on Feb. 17 for BYU. Chambers, who has a career .304 batting average for BYU, was one of three Cougars named to the All-Mountain West Conference team last season.
The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year. Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton was the winner of the 2004 Brooks Wallace Award.
The Wallace Watch will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by Tuesday, May 24, 2005. Then the selection committee will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals at a press conference in Omaha on Thursday, June 16, 2005. The finalists, their head coaches, and their parents will be invited to Lubbock for a golf tournament, a welcome dinner and the award banquet.
Dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach, Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District Six his senior year when he lead the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament.
After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984 he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27. The Plano, Texas, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.
The selection committee for the Wallace Award is comprised of a national panel of preeminent coaches, sports information directors, former winners and beat media who mostly closely follow the sport. Screening Committee members will evaluate the candidates and will continue their review throughout the entire baseball season. Additional Watch List candidates may be added as the season progresses. Voting for the three Wallace Award finalists and the Wallace Award winner will be conducted by confidential balloting, with totals tabulated by the J.W.Anderson & Associates accounting firm in Lubbock.
Those named to the 2005 Wallace Watch are as follows (listed alphabetically by school):
Wade LeBlanc, P, Alabama
Travis Buck, OF, Arizona State
Trevor Crowe, OF, Arizona
Nate Stone, 2B, Army
Ryan Chambers, OF, BYU
Michael Faulk, 1B, Cal State Northridge
Jim Geldhof, 3B, Central Michigan
Kris Harvey, DH/ATH, Clemson
Byron Barber, OF, College of Charleston
Ryne Malone, 1B, Florida State
Jeff Corsaletti, OF, Florida
Tim Mascia, OF, Florida Atlantic
Christian Vitters, 2B, Fresno State
Steven Blackwood, OF, Geogia Tech
Will Startup, P, Georgia
Kiel Thibault, C, Gonzaga
Matthew Iouye, OF, Hawai'i
Derrick Gordon, P, Lamar
Cesar Ramos, P, Long Beach State
Dallas Morris, 3B, UL Lafayette
Ryan Patterson, OF, LSU
Cesar Carillo, P, Miami
Danny Gil, P, Miami
Andy Hunter, 1B, Minnesota
Stephen Head, DH/P, Mississippi
Brad Corley, OF, Mississippi State
Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska
Jacob Butler, OF, Nevada
Dan Stovall, 1B, New Mexico
Ryan Doherty, P, Notre Dame
Steve Caravati, OF, Ohio State
Eric Thornton, DH/ATH, Oklahoma
Ty Wright, DH/ATH, Oklahoma St.
Dennis Bigley, DH/P, Oral Roberts
Jim Negrych, 2B, Pittsburgh
Zach Zuercher, P, Rhode Island
Paul Janish, SS, Rice
Anthony Rea, P, Santa Clara
Jack McLintock, OF, SDSU
Aaron Rawl, P, South Carolina
Steve Pearce, 3B, South Carolina
Marc Maddox, 1B, Southern Miss
Jed Lowrie, 2B, Stanford
John Mayberry, 1B, Stanford
Jason Meyer, P, Texas A&M
Michael Gardner, P, Texas-Arlington
Shelby Ford, SS, TCU
Sam LeCure, P, Texas
Cameron Blair, SS, Texas Tech
Brian Bogusevic, DH/ATH, Tulane
Zeke Parraz, SS, UNLV
Ian Kennedy, P, USC
Matt McHargue, 1B, USF
Warner Jones, 2B, Vanderbilt
Jeff Lincecum, P, Washington
Mike Pelfrey, P, Wichita State
Chris Rahl, OF, William and Mary