Cox named Howser Trophy semifinalist

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Zack Cox, member of the No. 14 University of Arkansas baseball team, has been named a semifinalist for the 2010 Dick Howser Trophy, as announced Thursday by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the College Baseball Foundation. Cox is one of 25 semifinalists for the award which is given to the top player in collegiate baseball.

Cox leads the Southeastern Conference with a .431 batting average which ranks 16th nationally. He also leads the SEC in hits with 91 and stands second with 60 runs scored. His 91 hits are the most by a Razorback hitter since Matt Erickson and Jeremy Jackson led Arkansas with 94 hits in 1997. Cox has 69 singles, the program’s single-season record. The school records for batting average and hits are .431 (Jeremy Jackson, 1997) and 97 (Erickson, 1996), respectively.

The Louisville, Ky., native opened the 2010 season with a 24-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 48 of the 52 games he has played in. Cox has 32 multi-hit games with 11 three-hit performances to his credit. This season, he has eight home runs and a career-best 47 RBI. Cox drove in a career-high six RBI with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate in game one of Arkansas’ series against Alabama.

Following his showing against McNeese State and Alabama that week, Cox was named the SEC Player of the Week (March 29). In addition to his stellar play on the field, he was named a 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 first-team performer for his work in the classroom. Cox, along with teammate Brett Eibner, is also on the watch list for the 2010 Golden Spikes Award. Cox serves as a co-captain for the Razorbacks.

The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based on two rounds of national voting. Three finalists will be announced just prior to the first game of the College World Series at Rosenbladt Stadium. The winner will be named at the College Baseball Awards Show in Lubbock, Texas.

Cox is one of three players-with Hunter Morris (Auburn) and Drew Pomeranz (Ole Miss)-from the Southeastern Conference named to list of semifinalists. Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities exemplified during the life of Dick Howser, the award’s namesake.

Download: 2010HowserTrophySemifinalists.pdf