University of Tennessee Athletics
Kentrail Davis Named to Wallace Watch List
December 05, 2008 | Baseball
Dec. 5, 2008
Tennessee outfielder Kentrail Davis was among 204 collegiate standouts named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, released Thursday by the College Baseball Foundation. Davis is a sophomore who is expected to be a key contributor to the Volunteers success this season.
Davis earned Freshman All-America honors last season while becoming just the ninth Vol in school history to win the team triple crown and the first since 2002. He led the Vols in batting average (.330), home runs (13) and RBI (44), while also pacing the team in hits (68), triples (3), total bases (120), hit-by-pitches (15) and on-base percentage (.435).
Davis also was a second-team All-SEC selection and was named unanimously to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Tennessee was one of nine Southeastern Conference teams to place at least one player on the Wallace Award Watch List. A total of 15 SEC players earned inclusion.
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. The 2009 award banquet is July 2 on the campus of Texas Tech University.
"We look forward to another great year of college baseball," said Raymond Richardson, chairman of Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year Award. "The College Baseball Foundation continues to expand in many areas and we are excited to acknowledge and award achievements and outstanding character on and off the diamond."
Last year's Brooks Wallace award went to Florida State catcher Buster Posey. Posey was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft and is currently playing in the San Francisco Giants organization. The 2007 winner was current Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price of Vanderbilt. Houston's Brad Lincoln took home the trophy in 2006.
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. A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District his senior year. He led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1980.
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.
