Durham, NC - USA Baseball announced Tuesday the names of the 30 semifinalists for the 2012 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award (GSA). Pride outfielder Danny Poma, the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year is one of the semifinalists for the award, which has been presented to the nation's top amateur baseball player for the past 34 years.
Poma batted .430 with a school record 102 hits, 32 doubles and 78 runs in 2012 and became the first Hofstra player to win the CAA Player of the Yar Award. Poma, who was a first team all-conference selection, also posted seven home runs, 48 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. He led the CAA in batting, doubles, hits, runs and steals.
The first Hofstra player to be named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, Poma helped lead the Pride to a program-best 34-22 record, a second place finish in the CAA and a berth in the CAA Championship for the first time since 2005.
GoldenSpikesAward.com -- powered by MLB.com -- will once again be the online home for the award. The Web site features content devoted exclusively to the GSA, including news, voting history, past winner photo galleries, and photographs and video highlights for the 2012 semifinalists. Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite player and can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 30 players is narrowed to three finalists on Tuesday, June 5.
For the second year in a row, the GSA will be awarded live on MLB Network. On Friday, July 6, the three finalists for the award will be at MLB Network's studios for the presentation on The Rundown, which will feature interviews, video highlights and the announcement of the winner. The presentation will also be simulcast live on GoldenSpikesAward.com and MLB.com.
Michael Roth (South Carolina) and Mike Zunino (Florida) were semifinalists for the 2011 GSA and return to the list for 2012. Texas A&M tops all schools with three semifinalists, Florida State and Louisiana State each have two, and in total 26 colleges and universities are represented on the list. Among conferences, the SEC leads with six players, while the ACC and Big 12 have five and the Pac-12 has four. Juniors are tops with 16 semifinalists and they are joined by five sophomores and eight seniors. Carlos Rodon (North Carolina State) is the only freshman on the list.
In 2007, USA Baseball instituted a new selection and balloting procedure for the most prestigious award in amateur baseball, and it will follow the same model again in 2012. After working closely with sports information directors and amateur baseball media across the country to determine watch lists and the top-performing athletes, a committee voted to determine the 30 semifinalists. A ballot featuring the names and accomplishments of the 30 semifinalists will now be sent to a group of more than 215 voters which will select the three finalists and eventual winner. Beginning today fans will also be able to vote on the 2012 GSA by visiting GoldenSpikesAward.com and selecting their favorite amateur player.
"USA Baseball congratulates each of the 30 student-athletes and their respective baseball programs," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "The move to MLB Network last year was a significant step toward increasing exposure for the award among players, schools and fans, and we look forward to building on that excitement for 2012. We wish all of the semifinalists the best of luck."
Important 2012 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award dates include:
· Thursday, Feb. 16 -- 50-man preseason Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials and advisors
· Tuesday, May 1 -- 60-man midseason Watch List released, shaped by USA Baseball officials and advisors
· Tuesday, May 29 -- 30 semifinalists announced, selected by USA Baseball officials, semifinalist voting begins, voters select three
· Friday, June 1 -- Deadline to vote for finalists, 5 p.m. ET
· Tuesday, June 5 -- Three finalists announced, finalist voting begins, voters to select one
· Friday, June 15 -- Deadline to vote for winner, 5 p.m. ET
Friday, July 6 -- Live Golden Spikes Award presentation in-studio on MLB Network's The Rundown
A complete list of the 30 2012 Golden Spikes Award semifinalists is as follows:
Name, Position, Class, School, Conference
Mark Appel, RHP, Junior, Stanford, Pac-12
Sean Bignall, OF, Senior, Arkansas-Little Rock, Sun Belt
Jayce Boyd, IF, Junior, Florida State, ACC
Kris Bryant, IF, Sophomore, San Diego, WCC
Kevin Gausman, RHP, Sophomore, Louisiana State, SEC
Jeff Gelalich, OF, Junior, UCLA, Pac-12
Marco Gonzales, LHP/IF, Sophomore, Gonzaga, WCC
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Junior, Oklahoma State, Big 12
Kurt Heyer, RHP, Junior, Arizona, Pac-12
Goose Kallunki, IF, Senior, Utah Valley, Great West
Daniel Kassouf, IF, Senior, Appalachian State, SoCon
Alex Keudell, RHP, Senior, Oregon, Pac-12
Trenton Moses, IF, RS-Junior, Southeast Missouri, Ohio Valley
Tyler Naquin, OF, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
D.J. Peterson, IF, Sophomore, New Mexico, Mountain West
Nick Petree, RHP, RS-Sophomore, Missouri State, Missouri Valley
Kevin Plawecki, C, Junior, Purdue, Big Ten
Danny Poma, OF, Senior, Hofstra, CAA
James Ramsey, OF, Senior, Florida State, ACC
Raph Rhymes, OF, Junior, Louisiana State, SEC
Carlos Rodon, LHP, Freshman, North Carolina State, ACC
Michael Roth, LHP, Senior, South Carolina, SEC
Richie Shaffer, IF, Junior, Clemson, ACC
Chris Stratton, RHP, Junior, Mississippi State, SEC
Ross Stripling, RHP, Senior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Marcus Stroman, RHP, Junior, Duke, ACC
Josh Turley, LHP, Junior, Baylor, Big 12
Michael Wacha, RHP, Junior, Texas A&M, Big 12
Alex Yarbrough, IF, Junior, Mississippi, SEC
Mike Zunino, C, Junior, Florida, SEC
About the Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2011 Golden Spikes Award winner was Trevor Bauer of UCLA. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball players such as Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), Jered Weaver ('04), Rickie Weeks ('03), and Mark Kotsay ('95). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include Pat Burrell ('98), Robin Ventura ('88), Jim Abbott ('87), Will Clark ('85), Dave Magadan ('83), Terry Francona ('80), Tim Wallach ('79), and Horner ('78). For more information, please visit GoldenSpikesAward.com.
About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, World Cup and Pan American teams (and all other USA Baseball professional teams); and the Collegiate, 18U, 15U, and Women's National Teams, all of which participate in various domestic and international competitions each year. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit USABaseball.com and GoldenSpikesAward.com.
