By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information & College Baseball Foundation

LUBBOCK, Texas – Tennessee Tech junior shortstop Ed Johnson has been named a semifinalist for the 2022 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List as announced by the College Baseball Foundation Wednesday, his second such honor in as many seasons.

The award, sponsored by Mizuno, honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented this summer by the College Baseball Foundation. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.

"What a group of semifinalists," said Tom Quigley, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "Thirty shortstops from 19 different conferences are representing their universities well. Narrowing down this list for our finalists will be a tough task."

This season, the Golden Eagle shortstop has slashed .352/.411/.553 while pacing the purple and gold with 77 hits and 50 runs scored. Johnson has totaled nine doubles, a triple, and a whopping 11 home runs while driving in 42 and converting 6-of-9 stolen base attempts.

The Trussville, Ala. native represents the lone Ohio Valley Conference shortstop to make the final cut of 30 semifinalists for the Brooks Wallace Award. Johnson represents the first Tech shortstop ever to be named a semifinalist for the award twice in his career. Only David Garza (2018) and Dylan Bosheers (2014) were named finalists for the Golden Eagles.

 "There are so many of the shortstops hitting for high averages, it's tough to differentiate between them all," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "But what defines the Brooks Wallace shortstop of the year award is how well they also field their position and lead their respective teams."

For more information on the Wallace Award or the Night of Champions event, visit www.collegebaseballhall.org.

Photo by Jim Dillon