Gator second baseman named to Howser Watch List

Florida freshman second baseman Josh Adams, of Jacksonville, was named Thursday to the Watch List of 50 candidates for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player in college baseball.

The award is presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, working in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Adams has started 39 games at five different positions (25-2B, 5-3B, 4-CF, 4-LF, 1-RF) this season, and is hitting .354. He leads Florida in slugging percentage (.611), RBI (40), multiple-hit games (17) and doubles (17) and is tied for second on the team with six homers. Twenty-four of his 51 hits have gone for extra bases and he is 9-for-11 on the basepaths. Adams leads the team in SEC play, hitting .409, with 17 RBI, 13 runs, 10 doubles and three home runs in 18 league games.

The 2008 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Saturday, June 14, at 11 a.m.

The Dick Howser Trophy is awarded in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. It is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award.