Baseball's Johnny Sweeney Named Program's First Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist

DALLAS, Texas – For the first time in program history, a USC Upstate baseball Spartan finds himself a contender for the Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear as the Dick Howser Trophy Committee and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named Johnny Sweeney a semifinalist for the award Thursday afternoon.

The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. The trophy is regarded as baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage – all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life. This prestigious award in college baseball has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members since 1987.

Sweeney, a native of Millstadt, Ill., enters Upstate's final regular season series as the nation's RBI leader, driving home a program-record-tying 78 runs on the campaign, a total tied for the seventh-most in a single season in Big South history. He slashes .379/.524/.763 on the season as he also paces the Spartans with 17 home runs and 31 extra-base hits.

With his selection, Sweeney is the first Big South player to appear on the award's semifinalist list since the 2023 season and the 15^th overall player to be named a semifinalist in league history.

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Players Mentioned

Johnny Sweeney

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