LUBBOCK, Texas – Griff O’Ferrall was very, very close to never being able to etch his name into the storied history books of Virginia baseball.

The Cavaliers were the last team to recruit O’Ferrall out of nearby Richmond. O’Ferrall was just a couple of weeks from making his decision about where he would play his college ball and was considering nearby schools like James Madison and Old Dominion. But the chance to play for an ultra-successful coach like Brian O’Connor and in a tradition-rich program that routinely vies for a spot in Omaha made the decision much, much easier.

And it’s that last-minute decision that allowed both O’Ferrall and the Cavaliers to thrive the last two seasons.

Behind back-to-back All-American seasons from the 6-foot-1, 185-pound, slick-fielding and hard-hitting infielder, O’Ferrall and Virginia have made the last two College World Series, and the play of O’Ferrall both at the top of the order and middle of the infield was a driving factor. His offense and defense complimented each other perfectly to the point that he became one the top players in the country, and the 2024 winner of the Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop.

“First, I'd like to say caps off to all the young men who made our finalist list and the stellar years they all had,” said Brooks Wallace Award co-chair Larry Wallace. “Griff had one of the top years defensively of any of our past award winners. He is the leader of his team, which is displayed by the consistency he has shown in his three-year career and two straight trips to Omaha. We are proud to have this humble young man represent the Brooks Wallace Award and welcome him to our family.”

The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. 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. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.

A two-time semifinalist for the award, O’Ferrall had an outstanding season both at the plate and in the field. He started all 63 games for the Cavs this season, hitting .324 with five home runs and 52 RBI to go with 22 walks and just 24 strikeouts in 284 at-bats. He also was one of the top defensive shortstops in the country this season, committing just four errors in 249 total chances for an impressive .984 fielding percentage. He committed just one error in his last 23 games this season.

“I often consider what Brooks Wallace himself would say and do as we pick our winner each year,” said Brooks Wallace Award co-chair Tom Quigley. “On this one, I'd see him with two thumbs up.”

It is the second straight year for O’Ferrall to appear as a finalist for the award, and he now becomes the first Cavaliers player and only the fourth player from the Atlantic Coast Conference to win the award since it became a shortstop-only award in 2009. He joins Clemson’s Brad Miller (2011), North Carolina State’s Trey Turner (2014) and North Carolina’s Logan Warmoth (2017) as ACC shortstops to win the award. Florida State catcher Buster Posey earned the award in 2008, when it recognized the nation’s top overall player.

O’Ferrall also is listed among the Top 50 players for the upcoming Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

About the College Baseball Foundation/National College Baseball Hall of Fame

The College Baseball Foundation, based in Lubbock, Texas, is a 501-(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing and preserving the history of college baseball. In addition to the annual induction of the Hall of Fame class, the organization presents numerous awards to current college baseball players, coaches and umpires during its annual Night of Champions event. The organization was founded in 2004 and the first Hall of Fame class was inducted in 2006. For more information on the College Baseball Foundation, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.