A former walk-on, Adam Amar has developed into one of the countries top players. The Tiger's 6-4 first baseman was named a Third Team Preseason All-American by the NCBWA, and a preseason Brooks Wallace Award candidate by the CBF.

Nov. 21, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - After a breakout junior campaign in 2006, the preseason recognition has begun to roll in for University of Memphis first baseman Adam Amar. Amar was named an National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Third Team All-American, as well as receiving recognition as a preseason candidate for the College Baseball Foundation's Brooks Wallace Award--the CBF's College Baseball Player of the Year Award.

Amar joins Rice shortstop Brian Friday and Tulane pitcher Daniel Latham on the NCBWA Third Team. Rice utility player Joe Savery and Marshall catcher Brendan Murphy were each tabbed preseason second teamers. U.S. National team pitcher Cole St. Clair, of Rice, was the league's lone first team selection.

One of the most feared hitters in C-USA, Amar was picked as one of the nation's top 120 college baseball student-athletes by the CBF's Preseason Watch list committee. Amar joins the likes of 2006 Wallace Award finalists, Wes Roemer of Cal Fullerton, and Sean Doolittle of Virginia. Friday and Savery of Rice, Brad Emaus and Warren McFadden of Tulane, Luis Flores of Houston, Marshall's Murphy, and Trey Sutton of Southern Miss round out a group of eight C-USA performers named the 2007 Brooks Wallace Watch list.

One of three Conference USA players to earn third team honors, Amar had one of the most memorable seasons in recent history for head coach Daron Schoenrock's squad. He becomes the first baseball All-American pick since former Tigers standout and current Florida Marlins All-Star Dan Uggla in 2001. A First Team All C-USA performer in 2006, the 6-4 first baseman led the Tigers and Conference USA, as well as ranking 33rd nationally with a .395 batting average. His .459 in C-USA play is the third-highest conference average ever. He eclipsed the .400 average mark four times. The Lake Mary, Fla., native started in 55 games at first base, hit a career-high 10 home runs and drove in a career and team-best 66 runs-good for third in C-USA and 29th nationally. Amar pounded out 17 doubles and scored 40 runs to go with 31 walks. He was one of four Tigers to post 80 or more hits. The two-time C-USA Hitter of the Week finished second in C-USA in slugging (.648) and on base percentage (.472), while also finishing in the league's Top-10 in hits (83), doubles (17), home runs (10) and total bases (136). Amar twice knocked multiple homers, hitting three round trippers in an 11-4 win over #14 Tulane and accomplishing the feat again with a pair of home runs in a 6-for-6 effort in the series finale against ECU. Amar welcomed pressure situations, and was one of the Tigers top clutch bats with a team-best 26 two-out RBI.

The senior will continue his RBI record chase this spring and needs just 30 RBI and 50 hits to become the program's all-time leader in both categories. He currently ranks fourth with 141 RBI and fifth with 130 hits in his three years in a Memphis uniform.

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, TX, 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.

Dedicated to the memory of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach, Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977-1980. A 4-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District Six his senior year when he led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984 he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27.