July 5, 2010

Rendon, Wimmers Receive Top Honors at Awards Show

Rice sophomore third baseman Anthony Rendon (left) won the Dick Howser Trophy, and Ohio State junior Alex Wimmers received the Pitcher of the Year Award at the 2010 College Baseball Awards Show, presented by the College Baseball Foundation, on Friday, July 2, in Lubbock, Texas.

Rendon received the 24th annual Dick Howser Trophy, the award for the top collegiate player. It was founded by the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and voted on by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Rendon batted .394 with 26 home runs and 85 RBI. He had 83 runs, 65 walks, a slugging percentage of .801 and an on-base percentage of .530.

Wimmers (right) was named Pitcher of the Year. The junior right-hander was 9-0 with a 1.60 ERA. In 73 innings, Wimmers allowed 58 hits with 23 walks and 86 strikeouts. Opponents hit .218 against Wimmers.

Junior Jedd Gyorko of West Virginia won the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award. Gyorko hit .381 with 90 hits, 28 doubles, a school-record 19 home runs, 57 RBI, 71 runs and 177 total bases.

Junior Mike McGee of Florida State received the first John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. As an outfielder, McGee batted .328 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI. On the mound, McGee was 4-1 with 13 saves in 20 appearances. He struck out 33 in 27.1 innings with a 2.96 ERA.

Senior catcher Bryan Holaday of TCU won the Johnny Bench Award, presented by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. Holaday started all 68 games and batted .355 with a school-record 99 hits. He had 24 doubles, 17 homers, 72 runs and 53 RBI. Holaday worked with a staff that posted a 3.55 ERA and he recorded a fielding percentage of .988. Holaday led the Horned Frogs to their first-ever College World Series appearance.

The NCBWA presented its two awards. Jim Schlossnagle of TCU was named Coach of the Year and Chance Ruffin of Texas received the Stopper of the Year Award.

Schlossnagle guided the Horned Frogs to their first trip to the College World Series. TCU was ranked No. 3 in a four major polls at the end of the season. The Horned Frogs finished with a record of 54-14, registering the second-highest win total in Division I.

Ruffin was second in the nation in ERA at 1.11, the lowest at Texas since 1982. Ruffin posted a record of 6-1 and registered 14 saves. He struck out 97 in 64.2 innings, leading the country with 13.50 strikeouts per nine innings.

(photos courtesy of Rice & OSU Media Relations Offices)