Cholowsky Named Brooks Wallace Award Winner as Nation's Top Shortstop
June 13, 2025 | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - UCLA sophomore Roch Cholowsky has been named the recipient of the 2025 Brooks Wallace Award, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation on Friday.
Presented annually, the award honors the nation's top shortstop based on both offensive and defensive performance. It is named in memory of former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980 and tragically passed away from leukemia at age 27.
Griff O'Ferrall of the University of Virginia was the 2024 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year. Cholowsky becomes the first sophomore and the first UCLA player to win the award. Other 2025 finalists included junior Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas), junior Aiva Arquette (Oregon State), senior Matt King (Arizona State), and junior Alex Lodise (Florida State).
"What an incredible year it has been for shortstops in college baseball," Brooks Wallace Award Chair Larry Wallace said. "We are incredibly proud to have Roch as our winner of Brooks' award. Roch was instrumental in turning around a team that had a losing record last year and led them to Omaha this year. Roch defines what we look for to represent the award through his leadership off the field without overlooking the defensive prowess and power numbers he put up as well. Welcome to the Wallace family Roch!"
The Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Cholowsky has been a cornerstone of UCLA's success this season. Heading into the College World Series, he is hitting .367 with 23 home runs and 73 RBI. He leads the Big Ten in OPS (1.235), slugging percentage (.742), total bases (178), and runs scored (79), while ranking third in on-base percentage (.494). His 23 home runs mark the most by a Bruin since 2000.
Defensively, Cholowsky has committed only seven errors on 297 chances, recording 175 assists and 115 putouts while posting a .976 fielding percentage. He has also contributed to 47 double plays. UCLA will face Murray State in a College World Series opening-round matchup on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
Cholowsky earned First Team All-America honors from Perfect Game and Second Team recognition from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The Chandler, Arizona native becomes the first UCLA non-freshman position player to be named an All-American since JT Schwartz in 2021. At 47-16, this season marks UCLA's highest win total since the 2019 team finished 52-11.
"Roch has been one of the most consistent players in the country this season, making a significant impact on both sides of the ball in every game," ย saidย Head Coach John Savage. "His passion for becoming one of UCLA's greatest players is matched by his relentless desire to win."
The Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award was first awarded in 2004. Before 2009, the award recognized the National Player of the Year.
"Recognized as the Big 10 Player of the Year, Roch has a keen eye at the plate while also possessing outstanding defensive skills at shortstop," Brooks Wallace Award Assistant Chair Tom Quigley said. "He was a Brooks Wallace weekly award winner early in the season and has continued his spectacular play throughout the year. Roch leads UCLA in almost every offensive category and has been instrumental in leading his team to Omaha."
