DALLAS – Tennessee ace Liam Doyle added another notch to his impressive list of accolades this season by being named a finalist for the 38th Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced on Thursday afternoon.
Doyle is one of four finalists for this year’s award and is the only pitcher. Three of the nation’s top shortstops Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas), Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) and Alex Lodise (Florida State) were the other finalists.
One of the most prestigious awards in college baseball, the Dick Howser Trophy has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members since 1987. It is given in memory of the former Florida State All-American shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. 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.
Doyle will look to join Tennessee legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1995) as the only Vols to ever win the award. The junior lefty is just the fourth UT player to be named a finalist in the award’s history, joining the likes of Trey Lipscomb (2022) and Chris Burke (2001). Doyle is also the first UT player to be selected as a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award in the same season since Burke in 2001.
For the season, Doyle boasts a 10-3 record with a 2.84 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 18 appearances (16 starts). He leads the NCAA with 158 strikeouts,15.46 strikeouts per nine innings and ranks in the top 12 nationally in victories (ninth), WHIP (12th) and hits allowed per nine innings (seventh).
The Derry, New Hampshire, native, was named the Knoxville Regional’s Most Outstanding Player last weekend after going 1-0 and recording a save in his two appearances against Miami (OH) and Wake Forest. Doyle pitched nine innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out 16 batters during the regional.
In his most recent outing against Wake Forest on Monday night, Doyle broke Luke Hochevar’s single-season strikeout record of 154 by punching out five of the seven batters he faced to bring his season total to 158, which leads the nation entering this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional at Arkansas.
The 2025 Dick Howser Trophy will be presented to this year’s winner during a press conference at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday, June 13 at 11 a.m. (ET).
For more information on the Dick Howser Trophy, visit the NCBWA’s official website.
