Marshall University Athletics
Murphy Tabbed on 2007 Wallace Watch
11/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 21, 2006
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall designated hitter/first baseman Brendan Murphy (Sr., Chattanooga, Tenn.) has been named to the 2007 Wallace Watch, announced Monday by the College Baseball Foundation. The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year. The 2006 winner, Brad Lincoln of Houston, signed last summer to play professionally for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The list is comprised of 148 student-athletes from across the nation. Murphy also was recently named a NCBWA Preseason Second-Team All-American, becoming the first Marshall baseball player to earn All-America honors since Jason Brooks nabbed Second-Team All-America laurels following the 2001 season.
The Wallace Watch will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by late May. The selection committee then will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals, prior to the College World Series. The finalists will be invited to Lubbock, Texas, for a schedule of special events tied to the award banquet, which will be nationally televised by Fox Sports Network and Fox College Sports.
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.
Murphy, a 2006 Second-Team All-Conference USA and All-Mideast Region pick, hit .315 with 15 home runs and a league-leading 70 runs batted in last season. His RBI mark is the second most for a Marshall player in a single season, behind only Brooks' record of 73 in 2001.
Murphy also finished the season with 19 doubles - tied for third most in a single season at Marshall. After the summer, he was named by Baseball America to the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League's Top 10 Prospect List as the league's No. 8 prospect. Playing for the Lehigh Valley Catz, Murphy hit .326 and tied for the league high with four home runs. He was third in the ACBL in total bases (67), walks (23) and RBI (30).
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 four-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 complete list can be found at www.collegebaseballfoundation.org.
Marshall opens its 2007 schedule Feb. 16 at Charleston Southern.
