MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (June 8, 2023) – West Virginia sophomore second baseman JJ Wetherholt has been named one of five finalists for the 36th Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear, as announced Thursday by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Wetherholt put up the greatest offensive season in WVU history as he hit a nation-leading .449 with 16 home runs, 24 doubles, two triples, 60 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 36 stolen bases. He was also named the Big 12 Player of the Year, a Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American, as well as a first-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators.
The Mars, Pennsylvania native helped lead the Mountaineers to a share of their first Big 12 Championship and 40 wins which matched a program record.
Wetherholt is only the second Mountaineer to be named a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, joining Alek Manoah in 2019.
Other finalists include outfielder Dylan Crews and pitcher Paul Skenes from LSU, pitcher Rhett Lowder from Wake Forest, and two-way player Jac Caglianone from Florida.
The winner will be announced on Thursday, June 15, on MLB Network during the 9 a.m. (CDT) hour and on Friday, June 16 at a national news conference at 10 a.m. (CDT) in the media room at Charles Schwab Park prior to the 76th NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Howser Trophy, considered the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is 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. 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.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Wetherholt put up the greatest offensive season in WVU history as he hit a nation-leading .449 with 16 home runs, 24 doubles, two triples, 60 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 36 stolen bases. He was also named the Big 12 Player of the Year, a Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American, as well as a first-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators.
The Mars, Pennsylvania native helped lead the Mountaineers to a share of their first Big 12 Championship and 40 wins which matched a program record.
Wetherholt is only the second Mountaineer to be named a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, joining Alek Manoah in 2019.
Other finalists include outfielder Dylan Crews and pitcher Paul Skenes from LSU, pitcher Rhett Lowder from Wake Forest, and two-way player Jac Caglianone from Florida.
The winner will be announced on Thursday, June 15, on MLB Network during the 9 a.m. (CDT) hour and on Friday, June 16 at a national news conference at 10 a.m. (CDT) in the media room at Charles Schwab Park prior to the 76th NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Howser Trophy, considered the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is 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. 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.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
