University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Kyle Morrison Named Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist
5/14/2026 2:15:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Dick Howser Trophy Committee, in conjunction with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, has denoted the 48 semifinalists for the 2026 Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear and includes Southern Miss senior second baseman Kyle Morrison (Wetumpka, Ala.). 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.
Morrison, who has played in all 51 games in his only season with Golden Eagles, holds a .311 batting average heading into the final regular season series against Georgia Southern. His offensive numbers also include 38 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, a team-high 14 home runs and 42 RBI. He also has been fielding at a .973 clip at his position. He is one of four Golden Eagles that has started in every game in 2026.
This is the 39th year of the Dick Howser Trophy, and the 2026 finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 4.
The 2026 news conference with the winner will be held at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, the home of the College World Series, for the 14th time. The winner also will be unveiled on MLB Network in a special national presentation at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) prior to the Friday, June 12, news conference in Omaha at 10 a.m. (CDT) in the Schwab Field Media Room before the first game of the historic 80th NCAA College World Series.
This year's 48 candidates come from 12 different NCAA Division I conferences, Division I independent Oregon State and 31 different schools. The Southeastern Conference leads with 15 semifinalists, while the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 Conferences follow with eight each, Big Ten with six, Sun Belt and independent Oregon State with two, the Atlantic Sun, Atlantic 10, Big West, Mid-American, Ohio Valley, Southwestern Athletic and Western Athletic with one.
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.
A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at FSU (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979, after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year coaching in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
"The Dick Howser Trophy was founded shortly after his death by a few friends of Dick's in the St. Petersburg Area who played, coached and worked with him," David Feaster, chairman of the Howser Trophy Committee said. "This award is presented to the best college player, not the best professional prospect among all NCAA Division I players and also to the player who best exemplifies the traits most associated with Dick Howser – leadership, moral character and courage. So many of the previous winners have not only gone onto solid careers in professional baseball, but most have distinguished themselves in community service and the business world from the lessons learned during their college careers. We also are happy to be working with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as the voting body for the 29th consecutive year, and this group helps us receive a nationally representative vote for the Howser Trophy."
NCBWA voting membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death.
2026 DICK HOWSER TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS (Alphabetically)
Pos. Name, School
Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech, 2B
Drew Burress, Georgia Tech, OF
Dylan Carey, Nebraska, SS
Lorenzo Carrier, Pitt, OF
Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, SS
Quinton Coats, Cincinnati, 1B
Nu'u Contrades, Arizona State, 2B
Tague Davis, Louisville, 1B
Jason DeCaro, North Carolina, SP
Evan Dempsey, FGCU, UTIL
Hunter Dietz, Arkansas, SP
Mason Edwards, USC, SP
Jackson Flora, UCSB, SP
Will Gasparino, UCLA, OF
Joey Giordano, Richmond, SP
Caden Glauber, North Carolina, RP
Graham Grahovac, Texas A&M, 1B
Eric Guevara, Auburn, 3B
Easton Hawk, UCLA, RP
Landon Hairston, Arizona State, OF
Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas, C
Daniel Jackson, Georgia, C
Jimmy Janicki, Troy, C
Jorsixt Jimenez, Tennessee Tech, OF
Gavin Kelly, West Virginia, 2B
Dee Kennedy, Kansas State, SS
Aidan King, Florida, SP
Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech, C
Tyson LeBlanc, Kansas, SS
Tanner Malley, Western Michigan, OF
Michael Malki, California Baptist, SP
Wes Mendes, Florida State, SP
Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss, 2B
Alex Petrovic, Auburn, SP
Tre' Phelps, Georgia, 3B
Logan Redderman, UCLA, SP
Ace Reese, Mississippi State, 3B
Kollin Ritchie, Oklahoma State, OF
Aidan Robbins, Texas, OF
Albert Roblez, Oregon State, RP
Aiden Sims, Texas A&M, SP
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M, OF
Carson Tinney, Texas, C
Tomas Valincius, Mississippi State, SP
Dylan Volantis, Texas, SP
KJ White, Southern Univ., SS
Dax Whitney, Oregon State, SP
Maxx Yehl, West Virginia, SP
Morrison, who has played in all 51 games in his only season with Golden Eagles, holds a .311 batting average heading into the final regular season series against Georgia Southern. His offensive numbers also include 38 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, a team-high 14 home runs and 42 RBI. He also has been fielding at a .973 clip at his position. He is one of four Golden Eagles that has started in every game in 2026.
This is the 39th year of the Dick Howser Trophy, and the 2026 finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 4.
The 2026 news conference with the winner will be held at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, the home of the College World Series, for the 14th time. The winner also will be unveiled on MLB Network in a special national presentation at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) prior to the Friday, June 12, news conference in Omaha at 10 a.m. (CDT) in the Schwab Field Media Room before the first game of the historic 80th NCAA College World Series.
This year's 48 candidates come from 12 different NCAA Division I conferences, Division I independent Oregon State and 31 different schools. The Southeastern Conference leads with 15 semifinalists, while the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 Conferences follow with eight each, Big Ten with six, Sun Belt and independent Oregon State with two, the Atlantic Sun, Atlantic 10, Big West, Mid-American, Ohio Valley, Southwestern Athletic and Western Athletic with one.
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.
A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at FSU (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979, after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year coaching in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
"The Dick Howser Trophy was founded shortly after his death by a few friends of Dick's in the St. Petersburg Area who played, coached and worked with him," David Feaster, chairman of the Howser Trophy Committee said. "This award is presented to the best college player, not the best professional prospect among all NCAA Division I players and also to the player who best exemplifies the traits most associated with Dick Howser – leadership, moral character and courage. So many of the previous winners have not only gone onto solid careers in professional baseball, but most have distinguished themselves in community service and the business world from the lessons learned during their college careers. We also are happy to be working with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as the voting body for the 29th consecutive year, and this group helps us receive a nationally representative vote for the Howser Trophy."
NCBWA voting membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death.
2026 DICK HOWSER TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS (Alphabetically)
Pos. Name, School
Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech, 2B
Drew Burress, Georgia Tech, OF
Dylan Carey, Nebraska, SS
Lorenzo Carrier, Pitt, OF
Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, SS
Quinton Coats, Cincinnati, 1B
Nu'u Contrades, Arizona State, 2B
Tague Davis, Louisville, 1B
Jason DeCaro, North Carolina, SP
Evan Dempsey, FGCU, UTIL
Hunter Dietz, Arkansas, SP
Mason Edwards, USC, SP
Jackson Flora, UCSB, SP
Will Gasparino, UCLA, OF
Joey Giordano, Richmond, SP
Caden Glauber, North Carolina, RP
Graham Grahovac, Texas A&M, 1B
Eric Guevara, Auburn, 3B
Easton Hawk, UCLA, RP
Landon Hairston, Arizona State, OF
Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas, C
Daniel Jackson, Georgia, C
Jimmy Janicki, Troy, C
Jorsixt Jimenez, Tennessee Tech, OF
Gavin Kelly, West Virginia, 2B
Dee Kennedy, Kansas State, SS
Aidan King, Florida, SP
Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech, C
Tyson LeBlanc, Kansas, SS
Tanner Malley, Western Michigan, OF
Michael Malki, California Baptist, SP
Wes Mendes, Florida State, SP
Kyle Morrison, Southern Miss, 2B
Alex Petrovic, Auburn, SP
Tre' Phelps, Georgia, 3B
Logan Redderman, UCLA, SP
Ace Reese, Mississippi State, 3B
Kollin Ritchie, Oklahoma State, OF
Aidan Robbins, Texas, OF
Albert Roblez, Oregon State, RP
Aiden Sims, Texas A&M, SP
Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M, OF
Carson Tinney, Texas, C
Tomas Valincius, Mississippi State, SP
Dylan Volantis, Texas, SP
KJ White, Southern Univ., SS
Dax Whitney, Oregon State, SP
Maxx Yehl, West Virginia, SP
Players Mentioned
INF
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