Dec. 5, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern junior first baseman/outfielder Jake Goebbert (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) has been named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List. 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.
Goebbert was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2008, posting a .353 batting average, a school single-season record 22 doubles, as well as team highs of 10 home runs, 48 RBI and a .665 slugging percentage.
He is one of nine Big Ten players named to the list, joining Brandon Wikoff of Illinois, Josh Phegley and Matt Bashore of Indiana, Justin Toole of Iowa, Chris Fetter of Michigan, Matt Nohelty of Minnesota, Justin Miller of Ohio State and Dan Black of Purdue.
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 1977-80. 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.
Florida State catcher Buster Posey was the recipient of the 2008 Wallace Award.