TicketsDec. 8, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas - After helping the University of Cincinnati baseball team to a school-record 39 wins last season, seniors Mike Spina (Newberry, Fla./Newberry), Cameron Satterwhite (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller), and Jake Geglein (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) were named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List, the College Baseball Foundation announced on Dec. 4. The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Last season, Spina hit .377, which ranked eighth in the BIG EAST, and belted 21 home runs. Spina's 21 home runs were matched by Louisville's Chris Dominguez, who is also one of the players of the Wallace Award Watch List, for tops in the BIG EAST. Spina also drove in 79 runs last season which ranked first in the BIG EAST. The Newberry, Fla., native was drafted in the 35th round by the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, but elected to return to UC for his senior season.
Satterwhite hit .364 for UC last season, which ranked third on the team, while recording 21 doubles, 14 home runs, and 61 RBI en route to second-team all-BIG EAST honors and second-team ABCA Rawlings all-Mideast recognition.
Geglein made 26 appearances out of the bullpen last season and pitched 43.0 innings with 36 strikeouts compared to just seven walks. Geglein finished the season with nine saves and a 2.30 ERA, and his nine saves ranked third in the BIG EAST.
The Wallace Award is dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace. Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. 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 2009 award banquet will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 2, 2009, in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.