University of North Carolina Athletics
Ackley On Golden Spikes Award Watch List
February 17, 2008 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2008
DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina sophomore Dustin Ackley is among the college baseball standouts to earn a spot on the watch list for the 2008 Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced Friday. The Walnut Cove, N.C., native hit .402 a year ago with 10 home runs and 74 RBI in 73 games.
The initial list - the first ever of its kind for the Golden Spikes Award - features 75 of the nation's top collegiate talents, as nominated by baseball sports information directors across the country. The Watch List will also be "rolling" to ensure that athletes who play themselves into consideration by USA Baseball for the Golden Spikes Award are not ignored. The Golden Spikes Award is sponsored by Major League Baseball, and 2008 marks the 31st installment of the award.
On May 20, USA Baseball officials will cut the watch list of players to 50 names. The final list of 50 will then be sent to a voting body consisting of select professional baseball personnel, past USA Baseball National Team coaches, select members of the media, former USA Baseball sports information directors and current USA Baseball staff - nearly 150 voters in total.
Additionally, for the first time ever, fan voting will be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2008. May 20 will also mark the day when college baseball fans from across the country will be able to vote for their preferred choice for the Golden Spikes Award on www.usabaseball.com. As part of this May selection process all voters will be asked to choose five players from the list of 50 names. On June 3, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists, and voting will once again commence that same day. The 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally on July 16 at an award show via live telecast from New York at MLB Advanced Media studios.
Past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004) and David Price (2007).
