Tuesday, November 21, 2006

LUBBOCK, Texas - Reigning A-Sun Pitcher of the Year Matt Dobbins from Jacksonville and Stetson senior Shane Jordan are a pair of student-athletes that have landed on the College Baseball Foundation's 2007 Wallace Watch list.

The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year.

Dobbins emerged as the ace of the Dolphins' staff and one of the top pitchers in the nation in 2006. After earning a no-decision against Georgia Southern on Feb. 7, he won eight consecutive games before having his streak snapped with a no-decision against North Florida on April 7. During his streak, Dobbins went 8-0 with a 1.46 ERA, 31 strikeouts and a .247 opponent batting average in 55.2 innings of work. He became the first Dolphin to win 10 games in a season since Dennis Robinson in 2004. Dobbins, a sociology major, also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First Team honors last week after tallying a 3.74 grade point average as well as serving as the chair of the A-Sun SAAC.

Last year as a junior, Jordan batted .315 and tied for the team lead with 19 stolen bases. He put together a 21-game hitting streak from April 2 to May 12, which tied him for the fourth longest steak in Stetson history. He was also named to the Atlantic Sun All-Tournament Team while helping the Hatters to their second straight conference title.

Dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach, Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. A 4-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District Six his senior year when he led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984 he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27. The Plano, Texas, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.

The selection committee for the Wallace Award is comprised of a national panel of preeminent coaches, sports information directors, former winners and beat media who most closely follow the sport. Screening Committee members will evaluate the candidates and will continue their review throughout the entire baseball season. The list will expand and contract during the regular season and additional Wallace Watch candidates may be added as the season progresses. Voting for the three finalists and the Wallace Award winner will be conducted by confidential balloting, with totals tabulated by the J.W.Anderson & Associates accounting firm in Lubbock, Texas.