Brooks Wallace Award Watch List MLB Announcement
 
LUBBOCK, Texas – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball senior Zack Budzik was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, announced by the organization on Tuesday.
 
"Zack has emerged into a very good college shortstop," stated Head Coach Billy Godwin. "His place on this list is well deserved!"
 
A group of 101 of the most talented shortstops in Division I college baseball headline the initial watch list. Of the 101, only six are from the Southern Conference (SoCon), including Trevor Austin (Mercer), Zack Budzik (UNCG), Pascanel Ferreras (Western Carolina), Zac Morris (VMI), Sawyer Reeves (The Citadel), and Jack Renwick (Wofford).
 
The senior from Stallings, North Carolina recently reached 200 hits in his collegiate career on April 16, 2023 when the Spartans defeated SoCon foe The Citadel in Greensboro, 3-0. Budzik went 2-for-4 at the plate during the game. According to UNCG baseball records, Budzik is the first Spartan to reach the 200-career hit milestone since Greg Hardison'22, who had 240 hits in his career. Nationally, he is ranked 88^th for stolen bases (15).  

"Being on the list is a huge honor," stated Budzik. "Seeing some of the past winners and seeing my name on that list is a pretty great feeling. This gives me some confidence to keep pushing and finish strong through the remainder of the season." 

This season he is batting .303 (43-for-142) with a .405 on-base percentage and a 0.430 slugging percentage. He has scored 34 runs and chipped in 24 RBI. Budzik has tallied 10 doubles, one triple, and two home runs with 61 total bases. He has walked 21 times with four hit by pitch, one sacrifice fly. On the base path, he has stolen a season-best 15 bases. 

His doubles are leading the team, while his 43 hits is second on the team, and his .303 batting average is third. 

In the field, he has 68 putouts with 100 assists with a .933 fielding percentage. He has aided in 24 double plays. 
 
As a freshman, he was named to the All SoCon first team and All-Freshman team. His first collegiate home run was a walk-off two-run homer to give the Spartans an 11-9 win over Furman in 13 innings on April 6, 2019 in Greensboro.
 
About the Award
 
A group of 101 of the most talented shortstops in Division I college baseball headline the initial 2023 Brooks Wallace Award watch list, the College Baseball Foundation announced.

The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. 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.

The award honors outstanding defensive play as much as it does production at the plate. 

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

2023 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List
Name, School, Conference, Class

• Wehina Aloy, Sacramento State, American, Freshman
• Kohl Abrams, UNC-Ashville, Big South, Junior
• Bryce Arnold, Campbell, Big South, Junior
• Trevor Austin, Mercer, Southern, RS-Senior
• Colton Becker, Morehead State, Ohio Valley, Junior
• Joey Berini, East Carolina, American, Junior
• Ryan Black, UT- Arlington, American, Freshman
• Andy Blake, Columbia, Ivy League, Senior
• Chase Bloomer, Siu-Edwardsville, Ohio Valley, Freshman
• Alex Bouche, Old Dominion, Sun Belt, Freshman
• Kolby Branch, Baylor, Big 12, Freshman
• Peter Brookshaw, North Dakota State, Summit, Senior
• Marcus Brown, Oklahoma State, Big 12, Junior
• Zack Budzik, UNC Greensboro, Southern, Senior
• Ali Camarillo, Cal-State Northridge, Big West, Sophomore
• Jordan Carrion, Florida State, ACC, Junior
• CJ Castillo, Texas Southern, SWAC, Junior
• Cam Clayton, Washington, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Nolan Clifford, Creighton, Big East, Junior
• Owen Cobb, Stanford, Pac-12, Senior
• Drew Cowley, Oregon, Pac-12, Senior
• Mario Demera, San Francisco, West Coast, Junior
• Austin Denlinger, Monmouth, Colonial, Grad
• Randal Diaz, Indiana State, Missouri Valley, Sophomore
• Dustin Dickerson, Southern Miss, Sun Belt, Junior
• Kevin Dubrule, Army, Patriot, Senior
• Jack Dragum, Charlotte, Conference USA, Senior
• Blake Evans, Georgia Southern, Sun Belt, Senior
• Pascanel Ferraras, Western Carolina, Southern, Junior
• Noah Fisher, Northern Kentucky, Horizon, Grad
• Cole Foster, Auburn, SEC, Junior
• JJ Freeman, Delaware, Colonial, RS-Senior
• Kaster Furr, New Orleans, Southland, Junior
• Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay, ASUN, Sophomore
• Phillip Glasser, Indiana, Big Ten, Grad
• Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss, SEC, Junior
• Nick Goodwin, Kansas State, Big 12, Junior
• Clay Grady, Virginia Tech, ACC, Freshman
• Payton Green, North Carolina State, ACC, Sophomore
• Hunter Haas, Texas A&M, SEC, Junior
• Luke Heefner, Dallas Baptist, Conference USA, Sophomore
• Troy Hamilton, USC-Upstate, Big South, RS-Junior
• Dakota Harris, Oklahoma, Big 12, Junior
• Jay Harry, Penn State, Big Ten, Junior
• Luka Hill, Arizona State, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Ty Hill, Jackson State, SWAC, Grad
• Taylor Hopkins, Eastern Michigan, Mid-American, RS-Junior
• Jim Jarvus, Alabama, SEC, Senior
• Cody Jefferis, Michigan, Big Ten, Grad
• Justin Johnson, Wake Forest, ACC, RS-Junior
• Mikey Kane, Oregon State, Pac-12, Sophomore
• Matt King, UTSA, Conference USA, Sophomore
• Christian Knapczyk, Louisville, ACC, Junior
• Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers, Big Ten, Sophomore
• Josh Leslie, McNeese State, Southland, Senior
• Alex Lodise, North Florida, ASUN, Freshman
• Tracer Lopez, Texas Tech, Big 12, Freshman
• Noah Lucier, Fairfield, Metro Atlantic, Grad
• Chase Malloy, Jacksonville, ASUN, Senior
• Brice Matthews, Nebraska, Big Ten, Junior
• Jacob McCaskey, Gardner-Webb, Big South, Senior
• Nik McClaughry, Arizona, Pac-12, Senior
• Mac McCroskey, Oral Roberts, Summit, RS-Senior
• Kyler McIntosh, Alabama State, SWAC, Sophomore
• Michael McNamara, Kent State, Mid-American, Junior
• Alex Mooney, Duke, ACC, Sophomore
• Sam Mongelli, Sacred Heart, Northeast, Senior
• Zac Morris, VMI, Southern, Grad
• Jake Mummau, Florida Gulf Coast, ASUN, Sophomore
• Paul Myro, UNLV, Mountain West, Junior
• Griff O'Ferrall, Virginia, ACC, Sophomore
• Bryan Padilla, Connecticut, Big East, RS-Sophomore
• Crew Parke, Abilene Christian, American, Junior
• John Peck, Pepperdine, West Coast, Junior
• Dominic Pitelli, Miami, ACC, Junior
• Davis Powell, Texas State, Sun Belt, Junior
• Drew Reckart, Western Kentucky, Conference USA, Grad
• Sawyer Reeves, The Citadel, Southern, Junior
• Jack Renwick, Wofford, Southern, Junior
• Jake Rainess, Maine, American East, RS-Junior
• Josh Rivera, Florida, SEC, Junior
• Nick Rodriguez, Missouri Sate, Missouri Valley, Sophomore
• Kaeber Rog, Southern Illinois, Missouri Valley, Senior
• Matt Ruiz, Georgia State, Sun Belt, Junior
• Simon Scherry, Evansville, Missouri Valley, Junior
• Michael Seegers, Iowa, Big Ten, Junior
• Matt Shaw, Maryland, Big Ten, Junior
• Anthony Silva, TCU, Big 12, Freshman
• Grant Smith, Kentucky, SEC, Senior
• Eric Snow, South Florida, American, Freshman
• John Taylor, Louisiana, Sun Belt, Junior
• Adam Tellier, Ball State, Mid-American, Senior
• Jordan Thompson, LSU, SEC, Junior
• Tevin Tucker, West Virginia, Big 12, RS-Senior
• Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt, SEC, Sophomore
• Max Viera, Seton Hall, Big East, Junior
• Jeron Williams, Toledo, Mid-American, Junior
• Colby Wilkerson, North Carolina, ACC, Junior
• Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon, WAC, Junior
• Braylen Wimmer, South Carolina, SEC, Senior
• Kade York, UTRGV, American, Junior