Ineich Named Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist
April 22, 2026 11:06 AM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore Matt Ineich has been named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation. He is one of 50 semifinalists for the award which honors the nation's top shortstop.
"Narrowing our list to even 50 is a difficult task to take on as there are so many deserving shortstops at midseason," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "All these kids are piling up big offensive numbers with power. But just as important are the defensive skills and how well they field their position."
Ineich has started every game this season at shortstop for the Mountaineers. He is hitting .327 with three home runs, and 30 RBI while leading the team with 42 runs scored. He has also collected eight doubles and two triples.
The South Lyon, Mich. native is the first semifinalist for WVU since Tevin Tucker in 2023. Former Mountaineer Jedd Gyorko won the award in 2010.
2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Semifinalists
Name, Classification, School, Conference
• Eric Becker, Junior, Virginia, ACC
• Chase Bloomer, Senior, SIUE, OVC
• Kolby Branch, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
• Owen Clyne, Senior, George Mason, A-10
• Noah Coy, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
• Dylan Cupp, Junior, Dallas Baptist, CUSA
• Caden Dulin, Senior, Pittsburgh, ACC
• Kade Dupont, RS-Senior, ULM, SBC
• Linkin Garcia, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Johnathan Gomez, Sophomore, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
• Reid Howard, Sophomore, Western Kentucky, CUSA
• Matt Ineich, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Titan Kamaka, Senior, Mercer, ASUN
• Dee Kennedy Jr., Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
• Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Camden Kozeal, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jamie Laskofski, Sophomore, William & Mary, CAA
• Luke Lawrence, Senior, Kentucky, SEC
• Brendan Lawson, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Justin Lebron, Junior, Alabama, SEC
• Jackson Lyda, Sophomore, Western Carolina, CUSA
• Tanner Marsh, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Michael Maloney, Graduate, Western Michigan, MAC
• Manny Marin, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Steven Milam, Junior, LSU, SEC
• Bo Moody, Freshman, Presbyterian, Big South
• Reece Moroney, Junior, Rhode Island, A-10
• PJ Moutzouridis, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ben North, Graduate, Creighton, BIG EAST
• Dawson Park, Sophomore, Texas State, SBC
• Zandt Payne, Graduate, Abilene Christian, WAC
• Willie Ponce, Graduate, High Point, Big South
• Andrew Ramirez, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, OVC
• Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, WAC
• Ryder Robinson, Junior, BYU, Big 12
• Ricky Sanchez, Gonzaga, WCC
• Travis Sanders, RS-Junior, Baylor, Big 12
• Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Kooper Schulte, Senior, Iowa, Big Ten
• Charlie Scholvin, Junior, Toledo, MAC
• Ike Shirey, Senior, Tarleton State, WAC
• Julio Solier, Sophomore, Boston College, ACC
• Petey Soto Jr., Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
• Jack Spanier, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
• Rhett Stokes, Senior, Nebraska, Big Ten
• Ryker Waite, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
• Karsen Waslefsky, Senior, New Mexico, MWC
• Jaxon Willits, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Dyerson Wouters, Senior, Dayton, A-10
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"Narrowing our list to even 50 is a difficult task to take on as there are so many deserving shortstops at midseason," said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. "All these kids are piling up big offensive numbers with power. But just as important are the defensive skills and how well they field their position."
Ineich has started every game this season at shortstop for the Mountaineers. He is hitting .327 with three home runs, and 30 RBI while leading the team with 42 runs scored. He has also collected eight doubles and two triples.
The South Lyon, Mich. native is the first semifinalist for WVU since Tevin Tucker in 2023. Former Mountaineer Jedd Gyorko won the award in 2010.
2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Semifinalists
Name, Classification, School, Conference
• Eric Becker, Junior, Virginia, ACC
• Chase Bloomer, Senior, SIUE, OVC
• Kolby Branch, Senior, Georgia, SEC
• Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
• Owen Clyne, Senior, George Mason, A-10
• Noah Coy, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
• Dylan Cupp, Junior, Dallas Baptist, CUSA
• Caden Dulin, Senior, Pittsburgh, ACC
• Kade Dupont, RS-Senior, ULM, SBC
• Linkin Garcia, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
• Johnathan Gomez, Sophomore, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast
• Reid Howard, Sophomore, Western Kentucky, CUSA
• Matt Ineich, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
• Titan Kamaka, Senior, Mercer, ASUN
• Dee Kennedy Jr., Junior, Kansas State, Big 12
• Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, ACC
• Camden Kozeal, Junior, Arkansas, SEC
• Jamie Laskofski, Sophomore, William & Mary, CAA
• Luke Lawrence, Senior, Kentucky, SEC
• Brendan Lawson, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
• Justin Lebron, Junior, Alabama, SEC
• Jackson Lyda, Sophomore, Western Carolina, CUSA
• Tanner Marsh, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
• Michael Maloney, Graduate, Western Michigan, MAC
• Manny Marin, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
• Steven Milam, Junior, LSU, SEC
• Bo Moody, Freshman, Presbyterian, Big South
• Reece Moroney, Junior, Rhode Island, A-10
• PJ Moutzouridis, Junior, Arizona State, Big 12
• Ben North, Graduate, Creighton, BIG EAST
• Dawson Park, Sophomore, Texas State, SBC
• Zandt Payne, Graduate, Abilene Christian, WAC
• Willie Ponce, Graduate, High Point, Big South
• Andrew Ramirez, Senior, Southeast Missouri State, OVC
• Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, WAC
• Ryder Robinson, Junior, BYU, Big 12
• Ricky Sanchez, Gonzaga, WCC
• Travis Sanders, RS-Junior, Baylor, Big 12
• Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
• Kooper Schulte, Senior, Iowa, Big Ten
• Charlie Scholvin, Junior, Toledo, MAC
• Ike Shirey, Senior, Tarleton State, WAC
• Julio Solier, Sophomore, Boston College, ACC
• Petey Soto Jr., Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
• Jack Spanier, Junior, Minnesota, Big Ten
• Rhett Stokes, Senior, Nebraska, Big Ten
• Ryker Waite, Sophomore, Vanderbilt, SEC
• Karsen Waslefsky, Senior, New Mexico, MWC
• Jaxon Willits, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
• Dyerson Wouters, Senior, Dayton, A-10
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUBaseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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