Dec. 10, 2008

Center Valley, Pa. - Navy junior Michael Speciale and Army sophomore Clint Moore both represent the Patriot League on the preseason watch list for the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate baseball player.

Speciale earned First-Team All-Patriot League and Second-Team All-Northeast Region honors with a strong 2008 season. He finished the year with a .350 (82-for-234) batting average with 15 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. The Navy outfielder led the Patriot League and set single-season school records for runs scored and total bases (139) and also led the league in triples. He also ranked among the Patriot League's top-10 hitters in batting average (fourth), hits (second), home runs (second), doubles (fourth), RBIs (third), stolen bases (seventh), walks (sixth, 21), slugging percentage (third, .594) and on-base percentage (eighth, .416)

Moore claimed the Patriot League Rookie of the Year award in his first campaign with the Black Knights in 2008, while he was also named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team and received First-Team All-League recognition. The Army shortstop batted .350 with 14 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 46 runs scored and 39 runs batted in while serving as the team's leadoff hitter. He led the Black Knights in at-bats (197), base hits (69), runs scored, total bases (105), walks (28), stolen bases (14) and multiple-hit games (22).

The Brooks Wallace Award will be presented in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction festivities. The 2009 award banquet will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 2, in the United Spirit Arena on the campus of Texas Tech University.

Bucknell's Jason Buursma was one of the final 16 candidates for the award last year.