NCBWA Release
OMAHA, Neb. – Fighting Illini junior Bren Spillane was named a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced on Thursday afternoon.
Presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association since 1987, the Dick Howser Trophy is awarded annually to college baseball's National Player of the Year. Each finalist embodies the principles of character, leadership, desire and competitive spirit exhibited by Dick Howser, the All-America shortstop and later head coach at Florida State before managing the Kansas City Royals to the world championship in 1985.
2018 Dick Howser Finalists
Joey Bart; Jr.; C; Georgia Tech
Kody Clemens; Jr.; 2B; Texas
Bren Spillane; Jr.; 1B; Illinois
Casey Mize; Jr.; RHP; Auburn
Brady Singer; Jr.; RHP; Florida
The winner will be announced on Saturday, June 16 at 10 am CT at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.
Spillane Stats and Notes
• Drafted No. 82 overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2018 MLB Draft
• 2018 Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year
• 2018 Baseball America All-America First Team
• 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year
• 2018 Big Ten regular season triple crown (.407, 22 HR, 57 RBIs)
• 2018 Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten
• Leads the nation in slugging percentage (.903)
• Leads the nation in OPS (1.401)
• Leads the nation in home runs per game (0.46)
• Leads the nation in weighted on-base average (.569)
• Ranks second in the nation in home runs (23), fifth in total bases (158), ninth in on-base percentage (.498), 14th in RBIs per game (1.20) and 18th in batting average (.389)
• Only player in the nation with 20+ homers and 15+ stolen bases
• Only Division I player in history to slug over .900 in the BBCOR era
• First player in Division I to slug over .900 for a season since 2009 (Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee State, .930)
• First Power 5 player to lead the nation in slugging at over .900 since Pat Burrell (.948) for Miami (Fla.) in 1996
• No. 2 in Big Ten history in slugging percentage for a season (Darrin Fletcher, Illinois, 1987, .913)
• No. 1 in the nation in career slugging percentage among active players with two or more seasons (.723)
• No. 1 in Illinois history in career slugging percentage (.723)
• First player in Big Ten history to win three straight Big Ten Player of the Week awards (3/19-4/2/18)
• First player in Illinois history to win national player of the week honors twice
• Led the Big Ten in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, home runs, RBIs and total bases
• Illinois single-season ranks include second in slugging (.903), second in home runs (23), second in Big Ten home runs (10), tied for fourth in total bases (158), tied for fourth in Big Ten total bases (67) and fifth in on-base percentage (.498)
