DALLAS – Junior shortstop Ryan Bliss has been named a semifinalist for the 2021 Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headware and announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Bliss, who has already been named Second Team All-SEC and a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, is one of 42 semifinalists nationally, including 14 from the Southeastern Conference. He is Auburn's third Dick Howser trophy semifinalist, joining Hunter Morris (2010) and Casey Mize (2018) on the list.
A native of LaGrange, Georgia, Bliss finished the regular season as the only player in the conference to rank in the top five in average (.366), slugging (.664), runs (31), hits (48), doubles (nine), home runs (10), RBI (30) and total bases (87) during league games. He also ranked in the top five in the league overall in average (.362), slugging (.643), hits (75) and total bases (133).
Bliss collected multiple hits in a league-best 26 of 51 games during the regular season, including 16 of 30 games in SEC play. His .362 average and 14 home runs are the most by an Auburn shortstop in the same season since Doug Gilcrease hit .386 with 17 home runs in 1982.
Balloting was done by the NCBWA in conjunction with the Dick Howser Trophy Committee and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The award, given to the top player in collegiate baseball, is based on two rounds of national voting.
The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 10, and the winner will be unveiled on MLB Network at a date and time to be determined in the near future.
