Seniors Will Allen and Austin Anderson were named as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy which is presented annually to the top player in college baseball by the Easton Foundations when the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) released the nominees.
Ole Miss is the only Southeastern Conference team with two candidates on the list and the two are the only pure position players on the list from the SEC. The conference leads the way with six nominees on the 35 members of the semifinal list.
The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 5. The 2014 award will be presented at TD Ameritrade Stadium in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the fourth year. The winner will be unveiled on Saturday, June 14 at 10 a.m. CT, the opening day of the CWS.
Allen also finds himself on the watch list for the Gregg Olson Award honoring the breakout player of the year in college baseball and is a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award honoring the nation’s top catcher.
In his senior season, Allen sits among the league leaders in several statistical categories heading into the final weekend of the regular season. The Gainesville, Florida, native ranks fifth in the SEC in batting average (.349), second in the league in RBI (52) and second in the league in hits (75). He is also tied for first in the league in doubles (20) and tied for sixth in home runs (6).
Allen is also fourth in the league in slugging percentage (.540).
Defensively, Allen has been solid behind the plate as the senior has only had 23 stolen bases against him this season and has committed only one error behind the plate. He also has allowed only five passed balls this season to help the Rebels to a 39-15 record on the year and an 18-10 mark in conference play.
Anderson made the transition to third base in his senior season after starting the last three years at shortstop for the Rebels. The Sorrento, Florida, native is among the team leaders in average for the Rebels, hitting at a .327 clip this season and ranks among the top of the SEC in several offensive categories as well.
The infielder is tied for fourth in the league in hits (70), tied for seventh in the league in runs scored (46) and tied for sixth in the league in doubles (16) as he has helped pace the Rebels as the three-hole hitter for most of the season.
Ole Miss currently holds a 39-15 record on the season and 18-10 mark in SEC play with two games left in the regular season. The Rebels can hit the 40-win mark in a season for the first time since 2009 and can clinch at least a share of the Western Division with one more win this weekend at Texas A&M.
The Rebels and Aggies will take the field for game two of the series at 7:03 p.m. tonight on ESPNU.
— Bill Bunting, Ole Miss Sports Information
Allen, Anderson Named Howser Trophy Semifinalists
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