University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Conor Dillon/UGAAA
Daniel Jackson Named Finalist For The Dick Howser Trophy
June 04, 2026 | Baseball
ATHENS ----- The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear have selected University of Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson as a finalist for the 38th Dick Howser Trophy.
The award is presented to the college baseball player of the year at a national news conference at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska., on Friday, June 12, at 11 a.m. ET.
Along with Jackson, the other finalists are UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Louisville sophomore first baseman Tague Davis, UC Santa Barbara junior starting pitcher Jackson Flora and Arizona State sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston. All five NCAA Division I players have consensus All-America laurels on their radar screens and were either their respective conference's players or pitchers of the year in 2026.
Jackson, a 6-2, 200-pound native of Sandy Springs, Ga., paced the Southeastern Conference hitters in numerous statistical categories including the regular season Triple Crown (batting average, home runs and RBI) while leading the Bulldogs to their first SEC title since 2008 and their first postseason tourney crown. He was named SEC Player of the Year with his .860 slugging percentage (fourth nationally), 29 home runs (fourth), 93 hits (seventh) and .396 batting average (15th).
Jackson's defensive play and 25 stolen bases aided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Athens Regional title, a consensus No. 1 national ranking on June 1 and host's role In the Athens Super Regional against seventh-ranked Mississippi State. He is only the sixth Division 1 player (and first catcher) to have a 25-25 season (home runs and stolen bases).
The winner's name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser and both the recipient and his school receive a special trophy for their awards' cases. Georgia's Charlie Condon claimed the Dick Howser Trophy in 2024.
NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death, and has been presented every year except 2020, shortened COVID year. Previous winners of the Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear are Mike Fiore, OF, Miami (Fla.), 1987; Robin Ventura, 3B, Oklahoma State, 1988; Scott Bryant, 1B-P, Texas, 1989; Alex Fernandez, P, Miami-Dade Community College South, 1990; Frank Rodriguez, P, Howard College (Texas), 1991; Brooks Kieschnick, UT-P, Texas, 1992 and 1993; Jason Varitek, C, Georgia Tech, 1994; Todd Helton, 1B, Tennessee, 1995; Kris Benson, P, Clemson, 1996; J. D. Drew, OF, Florida State, 1997; Eddy Furniss, 1B, LSU, 1998; Jason Jennings, UT-P, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Georgia Tech, 2000; Mark Prior, P, USC, 2001, Khalil Greene, SS, Clemson, 2002; Rickie Weeks, 2B, Southern U., 2003; Jered Weaver, P, Long Beach State, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005; Brad Lincoln, P/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, P, Vanderbilt, 2007; Buster Posey, C, Florida State, 2008; Stephen Strasburg, P, San Diego State, 2009; Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice, 2010; Taylor Jungmann, P, Texas, 2011; Mike Zunino, C, Florida, 2012; Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego, 2013; A.J. Reed, DH-P, Kentucky, 2014; Andrew Benintendi, OF, Arkansas, 2015; Seth Beer, OF, Clemson, 2016; Brendan McKay, DH-P, Louisville, 2017; Brady Singer, P, Florida, 2018; Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State, 2019; No Award, COVID-19, 2020; Kevin Kopps, P, Arkansas, 2021; Ivan Melendez, 1B, Texas, 2022; Paul Skenes, P, LSU, 2023; Charlie Condon, OF-1B, Georgia, 2024; and Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State, 2025.
The award is presented to the college baseball player of the year at a national news conference at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska., on Friday, June 12, at 11 a.m. ET.
Along with Jackson, the other finalists are UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Louisville sophomore first baseman Tague Davis, UC Santa Barbara junior starting pitcher Jackson Flora and Arizona State sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston. All five NCAA Division I players have consensus All-America laurels on their radar screens and were either their respective conference's players or pitchers of the year in 2026.
Jackson, a 6-2, 200-pound native of Sandy Springs, Ga., paced the Southeastern Conference hitters in numerous statistical categories including the regular season Triple Crown (batting average, home runs and RBI) while leading the Bulldogs to their first SEC title since 2008 and their first postseason tourney crown. He was named SEC Player of the Year with his .860 slugging percentage (fourth nationally), 29 home runs (fourth), 93 hits (seventh) and .396 batting average (15th).
Jackson's defensive play and 25 stolen bases aided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Athens Regional title, a consensus No. 1 national ranking on June 1 and host's role In the Athens Super Regional against seventh-ranked Mississippi State. He is only the sixth Division 1 player (and first catcher) to have a 25-25 season (home runs and stolen bases).
The winner's name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser and both the recipient and his school receive a special trophy for their awards' cases. Georgia's Charlie Condon claimed the Dick Howser Trophy in 2024.
NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death, and has been presented every year except 2020, shortened COVID year. Previous winners of the Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear are Mike Fiore, OF, Miami (Fla.), 1987; Robin Ventura, 3B, Oklahoma State, 1988; Scott Bryant, 1B-P, Texas, 1989; Alex Fernandez, P, Miami-Dade Community College South, 1990; Frank Rodriguez, P, Howard College (Texas), 1991; Brooks Kieschnick, UT-P, Texas, 1992 and 1993; Jason Varitek, C, Georgia Tech, 1994; Todd Helton, 1B, Tennessee, 1995; Kris Benson, P, Clemson, 1996; J. D. Drew, OF, Florida State, 1997; Eddy Furniss, 1B, LSU, 1998; Jason Jennings, UT-P, Baylor, 1999; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Georgia Tech, 2000; Mark Prior, P, USC, 2001, Khalil Greene, SS, Clemson, 2002; Rickie Weeks, 2B, Southern U., 2003; Jered Weaver, P, Long Beach State, 2004; Alex Gordon, 3B, Nebraska, 2005; Brad Lincoln, P/DH, Houston, 2006; David Price, P, Vanderbilt, 2007; Buster Posey, C, Florida State, 2008; Stephen Strasburg, P, San Diego State, 2009; Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice, 2010; Taylor Jungmann, P, Texas, 2011; Mike Zunino, C, Florida, 2012; Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego, 2013; A.J. Reed, DH-P, Kentucky, 2014; Andrew Benintendi, OF, Arkansas, 2015; Seth Beer, OF, Clemson, 2016; Brendan McKay, DH-P, Louisville, 2017; Brady Singer, P, Florida, 2018; Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State, 2019; No Award, COVID-19, 2020; Kevin Kopps, P, Arkansas, 2021; Ivan Melendez, 1B, Texas, 2022; Paul Skenes, P, LSU, 2023; Charlie Condon, OF-1B, Georgia, 2024; and Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State, 2025.
Players Mentioned
C/OF
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