Courtesy of Vermont Athletic Communications
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Sophomore Matt
Duffy (Milton, Mass.) of the University of Vermont has been
selected to the 2009 Brooks Wallace National Shortstop of the Year Award
Watch List. The College Baseball Foundation announced the 38 finalists for
the inaugural edition of the award that will be presented at the College
Baseball Awards Show on July 2 in Lubbock, Texas.
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. The change 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.
Duffy is the lone player from America East and one of two shortstops from
New England on the initial watch list. He heads into the weekend leading
the America East in several offensive categories including batting average
(.448), slugging (.819) and on base percentage (.549), is tied for the home
run lead with 11 and is tied for second in RBI (35). He began the week
ranked fifth in the nation in batting average, second among all
shortstops, fourth in on base percentage and sixth in slugging percentage.
Duffy, who will play this summer for Chatham in the prestigious Cape Cod
League, is second among the nation's shortstops in home runs.