Baseball's Emaus, McFadden Named To Brooks Wallace Watch
Nov 22, 2006 | Baseball
Nov. 22, 2006
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Tulane University baseball standouts Brad Emaus and Warren McFadden were named among the nation's elite players as the Green Wave duo were named to the 2007 Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist, the College Baseball Foundation announced Wednesday.
Emaus and McFadden, who came to Tulane on the same weekend for official visits three years ago, represent the last two Conference USA Freshmen of the Year as Emaus claimed the honor while playing third base in 2005 before McFadden earned the distinction as a right fielder last season. The duo was also Cape Cod League All-Stars this past summer for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and Falmouth Commodores, respectively.
As a sophomore in 2006, Emaus made the move from third to second base and finished the year hitting .289 (70-for-242) with 17 doubles, six home runs and 45 RBI. He showed good speed on the base paths with nine steatls and committed just nine errors defensively on 297 opportunities.
During the summer, Emaus helped the Red Sox win the CCL Championship after hitting .247 (37-for-150) with six home runs. He led Yarmouth-Dennis with seven doubles, 28 RBI and 25 walks. Emaus got off to a slow start during the summer, tallying just one hit in his first 26 at-bats, but bounced back to hit .311 with six bombs - which ranked second in the CCL - the rest of the way en route to the championship.
McFadden, meanwhile, redshirted the 2005 season with a wrist injury, but bounced back last season with a performance that earned him C-USA and Louisiana Freshman of the Year honors and first-team Freshman All-America recognition from Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball magazines.
As a redshirt-freshman last season, McFadden led the Green Wave with a .382 batting average and 24 doubles while finishing second on the club in RBI (50) and on-base percentage (.457), and third in total bases (122) and slugging percentage (.513). He also tallied a pair of triples, one home run and six stolen bases.
With the Commodores over the summer, McFadden hit .239 (38-for-159) with a team-leading two triples, eight home runs, 21 RBI and 23 walks while pacing the club with 29 runs scored. His home run total was second in the CCL, and he also added four doubles.
Emaus and McFadden are two of seven student-athletes from C-USA schools to be named to the Wallace Watchlist, joining Memphis first baseman Adam Amar, Houston pitcher/catcher Luis Flores, Rice shortstop Brian Friday, Marshall first baseman/designated hitter Brendan Murphy and Southern Miss second baseman Trey Sutton.
The Tulane pair are also two of seven players from Louisiana schools to claim the preseason distinction as UNO pitcher Bryan Cryer, Louisiana Tech pitcher/outfielder Jericho Jones, McNeese State outfielder Charlie Kingery, Louisiana-Lafayette pitcher Hunter Moody and LSU outfielder J.T. Wise.
The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year. The Wallace Watch will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by late May. Then the selection committee will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals, prior to the College World Series. The finalists, their head coaches, and their parents will be invited to Lubbock, Texas, for a schedule of special events tied to the award banquet, which will again be nationally televised by Fox Sports Network and Fox College Sports.
