LUBBOCK, Texas — No. 8 Texas Tech baseball’s Josh Jung has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced Thursday afternoon.
The Dick Howser Trophy is awarded each season to the top player in collegiate baseball. It’s the second-straight year Jung has been selected as a semifinalist and the third-straight year a Red Raider has been represented. Last year, Grant Little joined Jung on the list while Steven Gingery and Hunter Hargrove were semifinalists in 2017.
Jung, who was named a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award on Wednesday, is one of three Big 12 student-athletes in a semifinalist pool consisting of 26 players. The San Antonio native is one of 11 infielders and four third basemen hoping to be named a finalist on June 6.
The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, Jung has followed his All-American sophomore campaign with another sensational season as a junior. With two games remaining in the regular season, he ranks among the top four in the Big 12 in batting, slugging, on base percentage, doubles, RBI, runs and walks.
Jung has led the Red Raiders to 11 wins in their last 13 games, hitting .438 with eight doubles, four home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored and 15 walks. Defensively, his move to shortstop has allowed Tech to shore up its middle infield and propel their climb up the Big 12 standings.
This is the latest of several honors for Jung throughout his junior season. In addition to being a Golden Spikes semifinalist, he has taken home Big 12 Player of the Week, Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Player of the Week, Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team and is a member of the Bragan Award Watch List.
The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager, who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball’s most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser’s life.
This is the 33rd year of the Dick Howser Trophy. The finalists will be announced on Friday, June 6. The 2019 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Friday, June 14, and a press conference with the winner will be held on Saturday, June 15, at 10 a.m., the opening day of the 2019 CWS.
Jung and the Red Raiders (34-15, 14-8) continue their series against TCU (29-22, 11-11) this evening with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on FOX Sports Southwest Plus.
(Courtesy: Texas Tech Sports Communications Department)
