OMAHA, Neb. (NCBWA) – Pitcher
Brady Singer, regarded as one of the top pitchers in the
storied history of Florida Gators baseball, is the 32nd recipient
of the Dick Howser Trophy, presented by
The Game Headwear, as college baseball's Player of the
Year.
Singer
Singer joins UF's and Seattle Mariners catcher Mike Zunino (2012)
as the first two Gators standout to capture the Howser Trophy.
The Howser Trophy committee and National Collegiate Baseball
Writers Association announced the award Saturday at a national news
conference at TD Ameritrade Park prior to the opening game of the
72nd annual NCAA Division I Baseball College World Series. Singer
is the seventh student-athlete from the Southeastern Conference
to win the trophy and third in five years after the awards went
to A.J. Reed of Kentucky and the Houston Astros in 2014 and Andrew
Benintendi of Arkansas and the Boston Red Sox in 2015.
Singer, a 6-5, 220-pound right-handed pitcher from Eustis, Florida,
was the 2018 SEC Pitcher of the Year. He also garnered 2018 consensus
first team All-American honors and was the No. 18 player chosen
in the recent Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals,
the organization Dick Howser managed to the 1985 World Series crown.
His most recent pitching outing was against fellow 2018 Dick
Howser Trophy finalist pitcher Casey Mize of Auburn on June 9. Singer
outdueled the AU mound star with 6 2/3 innings pitched, nine strikeouts,
two walks, two runs (both earned), and a key 8-2 win by the Gators
to open the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional.
Singer also dealt to Super Regional-competing Tigers a 3-1 setback
in a head-to-head bout with Mize on April 26 in Gainesville. The
UF righty earned that win with seven innings of work, eight strikeouts,
two walks, and one earned run.
After helping the Gators win their first NCAA baseball title
last season with a 9-5 overall record and CWS All-Tournament honors
(21 strikeouts in 14 innings over two appearances), Singer enjoyed
an even more stellar campaign as a junior in '18 under head coach
Kevin O'Sullivan.
Singer is 12-1 this year with a 2.30 ERA, along with 107 strikeouts
and only 21 walks in 101-plus innings. Opponents have hit just .187
against him for the third-lowest average by foes since UF began
recording opponents' batting averages in 1974.
His accomplishments in the latter part of the season have indicated
his mental toughness and team-oriented goals two traits vital
to Dick Howser Trophy winners.
Singer
recovered from a hamstring injury to pitch the Gators past Atlantic
Sun Conference representative Jacksonville U. and to provide seven
quality innings with six strikeouts in a 3-2 win at the NCAA Gainesville
Regional, in which the Gators had to play five games to advance
to the NCAA Super Regionals. His opening-game win in the supers
helped Florida advance past Auburn to earn a chance at repeating
as NCAA champion.
Used primarily in relief for a deep Florida pitching staff in
2016, he is also 23-8 on the hill for his career with a 3.15 ERA.
The native Floridian has 274 all-time strikeouts for the fourth
spot on the UF career list after 65 mound appearances over three
seasons.
"Brady Singer embodies all the best qualities for individuals
who have received the Dick Howser Trophy, said Howser Trophy committee
chair David Feaster. He is a true team player who overcame many
obstacles as a junior to help the Gators move into position to win
back-to-back NCAA championships. We are thrilled with his election."
Singer topped a sterling list of 2018 Howser Trophy finalists,
including Mize, Bren Spillane, 1B, Illinois; Joey Bart, C, Georgia
Tech; and Kody Clemens, 2B, Texas.
A Florida native, Dick Howser was twice an All-America shortstop
at Florida State (1957-58), then head coach of the Seminoles in
1979 after a career as a Major League player and coach. After one
year in the college ranks, he returned to the majors to manage the
New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series
with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State
campus is named for Howser.
NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists.
Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's
only college media-related organization, founded in 1962. The NCBWA
has been the voting mechanism for the Howser Trophy annually since
1998.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987 shortly after Howser's
death. Previous winners of the Howser Trophy are Mike Fiore, Miami,
Fla., 1987; Robin Ventura, Oklahoma State, 1988; Scott Bryant, Texas,
1989; Alex Fernandez, Miami-Dade Community College South, 1990;
Frank Rodriguez, Howard College (Texas), 1991; Brooks Kieschnick,
Texas, 1992 and 1993; Jason Varitek, Georgia Tech, 1994; Todd Helton,
Tennessee, 1995; Kris Benson, Clemson, 1996; J. D. Drew, Florida
State, 1997; Eddy Furniss, LSU, 1998; Jason Jennings, Baylor, 1999;
Mark Teixeira, Georgia Tech, 2000; Mark Prior, P, USC, 2001, Khalil
Greene, SS, Clemson, 2002; Rickie Weeks, 2B, Southern U., 2003;
Jered Weaver, P, Long Beach State, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska,
2005; Brad Lincoln, P/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, P, Vanderbilt,
2007; Buster Posey, C, Florida State, 2008; Stephen Strasburg, P,
San Diego State, 2009; Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice, 2010; Taylor Jungmann,
P, Texas, 2011; Mike Zunino, C, Florida, 2012; Kris Bryant, 3B,
San Diego, 2013; A.J. Reed, Kentucky, 2014; Andrew Benintendi, Arkansas,
2015; Seth Beer, Clemson, 2016; and Brendan McKay, Louisville, 2017.