BOWLING GREEN, Ky. A pair of Western Kentucky University baseball players have been named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List, the College Baseball Foundation announced last week. Chad Cregar and Matt Ridings are two of the seven players from Sun Belt Conference to make the prestigious 204-member preseason list.
In partnership with Mizuno, 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 awards banquet will be held Thursday, July 2 at 7:00 PM at the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.
The Wallace Award is dedicated to the memory of former Texas Texas player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace. Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace went on to play two years in the Texas Rangers organization before returning to his alma mater to coach. In the summer of 1984, Wallace was diagnosed with cancer and courageously fought the disease until his death in 1985 at the age of 27.
Cregar is a 6-3 senior outfielder from Oxford, Miss. In leading WKU to the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, Cregar earned All-American Second-Team honors by the National College Baseball Writers Association. In his first year on the Hill, Cregar--a 47th round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs--finished with a team-high .360 batting average and tied for the team lead in hits with 90.
He also became the first Hilltopper since 1985 to hit 20 home runs in a season, finishing with 21 after his first-inning grand slam against TCU in the NCAA Regionals. That four-run shot also broke the WKU single-season RBI record as he finished the year with 82--three more than Mike Williams' previous mark set during the 1980 campaign. Named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, Cregar was an All-SBC First-Team selection in 2008.
Ridings is a 6-1 right-handed pitcher from Brentwood, Tenn. Last season, the junior was the ace of the Toppers staff with a 10-3 record in 15 starts and a 3.88 earned run average. He tossed one complete game while recording one save. In 97.1 inning pitched, Ridings allowed 42 runs and 99 hits, striking out 98 and walking just 36. He earned South Central All-Region Second-Team honors courtesy of the American Baseball Coaches Association.
For his two-year career, the 2007 PING! Freshman All-American is 17-6 with a 4.34 ERA.
WKU, the defending Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions, will begin their season on Friday, February 20 when the Toppers host the University of Toledo in the first of a four-game series at 3:00 PM at Nick Denes Field.
