Five finalists for 2023 Brooks Wallace Award announced

LUBBOCK, Texas – When it comes to teams vying for a conference championship or a berth in the NCAA regionals, great defensive play is a must. When that great defensive play is paired with solid offensive numbers, that usually signals the player also is a team leader.

Those are the characteristics exemplified by the five finalists named by the College Baseball Foundation for the annual Brooks Wallace Award. Each one played a key role in helping their teams put together outstanding seasons, with four of the five heading to the NCAA Tournament this week.

The five finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award are graduate student Noah Lucier from Fairfield, senior Kevin Dubrule from Army, juniors Matt Shaw from Maryland, Josh Rivera from Florida and sophomore Griff O’Ferrall from Virginia.

“The last and finalist is always the most difficult to determine each year, but we feel like we did our homework and came up with a great group of shortstops,” said Wallace Award co-chair Larry Wallace. “Once again, these guys hit for average and power, and all of them field their position well which is what we look for an expect in choosing the Brooks Wallace Award each year.”

The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented later this year by the College Baseball Foundation. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.

Here is a closer look at the five finalists:

For more information on the Brooks Wallace Award or the College Baseball Foundation, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.