Vandy’s Price earns major college honor

Price was 11-1 with 194 strikeouts last season and a 2.63 ERA. He had a career-high 17 strikeouts against Austin Peay in the opening round of the NCAA Nashville Regional and allowed only two home runs last season, including a pinch-hit homer that knocked the Commodores out of the tournament.

Price, who received the award on Tuesday, broke the Vanderbilt career strikeout record with 441 in three seasons.

The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually by the College Baseball Foundation, and voting is done by a panel of coaches, writers, broadcasters, sports information directors and former winners. It’s dedicated to the memory of a former Texas Tech player and assistant coach, who died of cancer in 1985 ‘ when he was just 27.

Houston pitcher Brad Lincoln won the award last year.

Price, who was drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, also won the Dick Howzer Trophy for athletic and scholastic achievements and the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s best amateur baseball player.