Fresno State Athletics
Mendonca Named Golden Spikes Semi-finalist
5/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 26, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State's Tom Mendonca has been named a semi-finalist for the 2009 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. This year marks the 32nd consecutive year that the award will be presented to the nation's premier amateur baseball player.
Mendonca helped lead the Bulldogs to their fourth straight WAC Tournament title and he was named the 2009 WAC Player of the Year. He is Fresno State's all-time home run leader with 56, 27 coming this year. He has the second most home runs in a single season and needs six to break the single season record. Mendonca was also named a mid-season All-American by Baseball America.
Today also marks the second year in a row that GoldenSpikesAward.com - powered by MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball - will be theonline 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 2009 semifinalists. Fans can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 30 players is narrowed to five finalists on Tuesday, June 2, en route to the announcement of this year's winner on Tuesday, July 14.
The 2009 GSA will be awarded live at MLB's All-Star FanFest in St. Louis as part of a production by Major League Baseball and MLBAM. Online footage of the event will be found shortly thereafter, exclusively at GoldenSpikesAward.com and MLB.com.
Headlining this year's semifinalists are Dustin Ackley (North Carolina), Chris Dominguez (Louisville), Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State), and Alex White (North Carolina), all of whom were also 2008 GSA semifinalists.
Five schools lead the way with two semifinalists each (Arizona State, Indiana, Louisville, San Diego State,and UNC). In total, 25 colleges and universities are represented on the 2009 semifinalist list. Among conferences, the Atlantic Coast Conference is tops with five players on the list, and the Big XII has four.
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 2009. After accepting nominations from sports information directors across the country, a committee voted to determine the 30 semifinalists. The names of the 30 semifinalists will now be forwarded to a voting body of 125 who will select the five finalists and the eventual 2009 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award winner.
"USA Baseball is proud to recognize the 30 semifinalists and their respective baseball programs for the 2009 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO.
"With 25 schools and 14 conferences represented, it is clear that the level of competition within collegebaseball and for the Golden Spikes Award is as high as ever."
Underdogs to Wonderdogs Part 2
- The Bulldog Shop will have on sale limited edition "Underdog to Wonder Dogs Part 2" shirts at 3 p.m. today. The shirts are $16.
2009 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalists
1 Dustin Ackley North Carolina Junior 1B ACC
2 Eric Arnett Indiana Junior RHP BIG TEN
3 Buddy Baumann Missouri State Junior LHP MISSOURI VALLEY
4 Kyle Bellamy Miami Junior RHP ACC
5 Daniel Bibona UC Irvine Junior LHP BIG WEST
6 Bryce Brentz Middle Tennessee State Sophomore OF/RHP SUN BELT
7 Louis Coleman LSU Senior RHP SEC
8 Chris Dominguez Louisville Junior 3B BIG EAST
9 Josh Fellhauer Cal State Fullerton Junior OF BIG WEST
10 Kyle Gibson Missouri Junior RHP BIG XII
11 Jason Kipnis Arizona State Junior OF PAC 10
12 Marc Krauss Ohio Junior IF/OF MID-AMERICAN
13 Mike Leake Arizona State Junior RHP PAC 10
14 Justin Marks Louisville Junior LHP BIG EAST
15 Bryan Marquez New Mexico State Senior 2B WAC
16 Kent Matthes Alabama Senior OF SEC
17 Deck McGuire Georgia Tech Sophomore RHP ACC
18 Tom Mendonca Fresno State Junior 3B WAC
19 A.J. Morris Kansas State Junior RHP BIG XII
20 Josh Phegley Indiana Junior C BIG TEN
21 Rich Poythress Georgia Junior 1B SEC
22 Brooks Raley Texas A&M Sophomore LHP/OF BIG XII
23 Addison Reed San Diego State Sophomore RHP MOUNTAIN WEST
24 Anthony Rendon Rice Freshman 3B CONFERENCE USA
25 Tony Sanchez Boston College Junior C ACC
26 Angelo Songco Loyola Marymount Junior OF WEST COAST
27 Stephen Strasburg San Diego State Junior RHP MOUNTAIN WEST
28 Alex White North Carolina Junior RHP ACC
29 Alex Wimmers Ohio State Sophomore RHP BIG TEN
30 J.T. Wise Oklahoma Senior C/INF BIG XII
