UVU baseball: NCBWA names Kallunki to All-America first team

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University’s Goose Kallunki added another honor on Wednesday when he was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association All-America first team.

Kallunki, one of three finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, was also named the District VIII Player of the year by the NCBWA last week and to the Louisville Slugger All-America first team on May 31.

As the nation’s RBI leader with 86, he was also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Great West Conference Player of the Year.

Kallunki is the first UVU athlete to receive first-team All-America distinction in the school’s NCAA Division I era. He led the Wolverines to a 47-12 record and the program’s third straight Great West regular season and tournament titles.

He batted .419 with 18 home runs, 96 hits and a .734 slugging percentage and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 27th round of last week’s MLB Draft. He will begin his professional career as a member of the Eugene Emeralds in the Northwest League.

The recipient for the 26th Annual Dick Howser Trophy, as voted upon by NCBWA members and awarded since 1987, will be announced on Friday, June 15, in Omaha at 11 a.m. (CDT) at the TD Ameritrade Stadium, home of the College World Series.

Clint Burgi is the assistant athletic director for sports information at Utah Valley University. For more information on Wolverine athletics, visit WolverineGreen.com.