Putnam, VanBuskirk Named to Wallace Award Watch List
12/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Junior pitcher/DH Zach Putnam(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), a second team All-American in 2007, and senior leftfielder Derek VanBuskirk(St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair) of the University of Michigan baseball team have been named to the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, released by the College Baseball Foundation Friday (Dec. 7). The Wallace Award, dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach Brooks Wallace, is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year.
Putnam, the first player in history named to the All-Big Ten first team at two positions in the same season -- starting pitcher and designated hitter -- last year hit .330 with eight home runs and 59 runs batted in. Putnam was 8-5 on the mound with a 3.87 earned run average while recording 87 strikeouts in 2007. He was selected as a second team All-American by both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Baseball America in 2007.
VanBuskirk, who earned NCAA Regional all-tournament team honors in 2006 in Atlanta and All-Big Ten Tournament honors in 2007, led the Wolverines with a .384 average as a junior. VanBuskirk was voted as a co-captain for 2008 by his teammates during fall drills.
The 2008 Wallace Award will be presented on Thursday, July 3, in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction festivities. The banquet will be held in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.
This is the fourth straight year the Wolverines have been represented on the Wallace Watch list and the first time Michigan has had two players on the list. Lowe's Senior All-American outfielder Eric Rose was on the 2007 list, while catcher Jeff Kunkel, a two-time Michigan MVP and Johnny Bench award finalist (2006), was on the list in 2006 and All-America second baseman Chris Getz was on the 2005 list.
The Wolverines open the 2008 season in Florida by playing three games against Villanova Feb. 22-24 in the New York Mets spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Michigan will play the Mets in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
Michigan opens its home schedule against Oakland University March 19-20 and starts Big Ten action by hosting Iowa in a four-game series March 28-30.
Contacts: Jim Schneider/Barbara Cossman (734) 763-4423
