May 16, 2008

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State sophomore right-hander Stephen Strasburg has been named a semifinalist for the 2008 Dick Howser Trophy and the Roger Clemens Award announced Thursday, May 15.

Strasburg, from San Diego, Calif. (West Hills HS), is 8-2 on the season with a 1.59 earned run average. His NCAA-best 128 strikeouts have come in just 90.1 innings pitched and he surrendered only 13 walks. This season he has set a new MWC record for strikeouts in conference games with 92 and finished league play with a 0.63 ERA to set a new all-time league mark. He is six K's shy of a new conference mark for overall strikeouts (all games) in a season.

In addition, every strikeout he records the rest of the way will add to his San Diego State single-season record which he set two weeks ago. The old mark was 122 by Roby Brown in 1989.

Strasburg is one of 10 semifinalists for the fifth annual Roger Clemens Award, which is given to the best college pitcher in America. The voters for the Roger Clemens Award are broken down into three groups. All Division I head baseball coaches are issued ballots, as are a selected group of writers and broadcasters who cover the college game. In addition, the 16 winners of the R.E. Bob Smith Award, which was presented in Houston in 1998-2003, are asked to vote, along with the 13 finalists from the first four years of the Clemens Award. The Clemens Award is named after pitching legend Roger Clemens. Voting to determine the three finalists for the 2008 award will begin on May 26.

Strasburg is one of 16 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is given to the top player in collegiate baseball. The Dick Howser Trophy, regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award, 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 membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy recipient based on three rounds of voting. Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities based on Dick Howser's life. The Dick Howser Trophy winner will be announced June 14.