Pair of UNC Baseball standouts named as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy

On Thursday, the 68 semifinalists for the annual Dick Howser Trophy were announced by the NCBWA.

The Dick Howser Trophy is considered to be baseball's most prestigious award. It is presented annually to the top player in college baseball based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members.

This year, two UNC baseball standouts made the semifinalist list.

Junior outfielder Vance Honeycutt and sophomore right-handed pitcher Matthew Matthijs both earned a spot on the list as they've put together stellar seasons thus far.

Honeycutt is once again proving why he is one of the country's best all-around players, as he's putting together yet another strong season in Carolina Blue. He ranks second in the ACC in home runs and stolen bases and is the only 20-20 player in Division I heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Honeycutt also serves as the only player in the entire NCAA to rank among the top 25 players nationally in home runs, runs, and stolen bases.

Matthijs has been a lethal weapon for Scott Forbes to call upon, as his 11 victories are tied for the most in the country. He's made 28 appearances and currently is holding opposing hitters to a .253 average over 43 1/3 innings of work.

It's been a very good season thus far for the Diamond Heels, a team that hopes to make a deep postseason run over the next couple of weeks. If North Carolina plans on making a trip to Omaha, expect both of these student-athletes to be a big part of that run.