University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Roch Cholowsky
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Cholowsky Named Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist for Second Straight Season
May 14, 2026 | Baseball
CARY, N.C. – For the second consecutive season, UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist by USA Baseball, the organization announced Thursday afternoon.
The Golden Spikes Award is presented annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player. In 2025, Cholowsky became UCLA's first semifinalist since Ryan Garcia in 2019 and the program's first position-player honoree since Jeff Gelalich in 2012.
Cholowsky has delivered another standout campaign in 2026, hammering a Big Ten-leading 21 home runs, the most among Division I shortstops. He owns a team-best 1.170 OPS, ranking third in the conference, and is hitting .338 with 59 RBIs and a conference-high 140 total bases. He also leads the Big Ten with 69 runs scored, a total that ranks seventh nationally.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2026. Following today's
semifinalist announcement, baseball fans can vote for their favorite players
on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists. USA Baseball will announce
the finalists for the award on June 10, and fan voting will once again open at
GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the winner before closing on June 28.
The 2026 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
• May 14: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 9: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 10: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 28: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
• June 29: Golden Spikes Award winner announced
To stay up to date on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter/X.
Name - Position - Year - School - Conference
Jarren Advincula - INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Drew Burress - OF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Lorenzo Carrier - OF - R-Senior - Pittsburgh - ACC
Roch Cholowsky - INF - Junior - UCLA - Big Ten
Tague Davis - INF - Sophomore - Louisville - ACC
Jason DeCaro - RHP - Junior - North Carolina - ACC
Evan Dempsey - RHP/OF - Junior - FGCU - A-SUN
Hunter Dietz - LHP - R-Sophomore - Arkansas - SEC
Mason Edwards - LHP - Junior - Southern Cal - Big Ten
Grady Emerson - INF - Senior (HS) - Fort Worth Christian (HS)
Jackson Flora - RHP - Junior - UC Santa Barbara - Big West
Gavin Grahovac - INF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
Landon Hairston - INF - Sophomore - Arizona State - Big 12
Ryder Helfrick - C - Junior - Arkansas - SEC
Daniel Jackson - C - Junior - Georgia - SEC
Gavin Kelly - C/INF - Sophomore - West Virginia - Big 12
Dee Kennedy - INF - Junior - Kansas State - Big 12
Aidan King - RHP - Sophomore - Florida - SEC
Vahn Lackey - C/INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Kollin Ritchie - OF - Junior - Oklahoma State - Big 12
Aiden Robbins - OF - Junior - Texas - SEC
Caden Sorrell - OF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
Cade Townsend - RHP - Sophomore - Ole Miss - SEC
Tomas Valincius - LHP - Sophomore - Mississippi State - SEC
Dylan Volantis - LHP - Sophomore - Texas – SEC
The Golden Spikes Award is presented annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player. In 2025, Cholowsky became UCLA's first semifinalist since Ryan Garcia in 2019 and the program's first position-player honoree since Jeff Gelalich in 2012.
Cholowsky has delivered another standout campaign in 2026, hammering a Big Ten-leading 21 home runs, the most among Division I shortstops. He owns a team-best 1.170 OPS, ranking third in the conference, and is hitting .338 with 59 RBIs and a conference-high 140 total bases. He also leads the Big Ten with 69 runs scored, a total that ranks seventh nationally.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2026. Following today's
semifinalist announcement, baseball fans can vote for their favorite players
on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists. USA Baseball will announce
the finalists for the award on June 10, and fan voting will once again open at
GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the winner before closing on June 28.
The 2026 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
• May 14: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 9: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 10: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 28: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
• June 29: Golden Spikes Award winner announced
To stay up to date on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter/X.
Name - Position - Year - School - Conference
Jarren Advincula - INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Drew Burress - OF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Lorenzo Carrier - OF - R-Senior - Pittsburgh - ACC
Roch Cholowsky - INF - Junior - UCLA - Big Ten
Tague Davis - INF - Sophomore - Louisville - ACC
Jason DeCaro - RHP - Junior - North Carolina - ACC
Evan Dempsey - RHP/OF - Junior - FGCU - A-SUN
Hunter Dietz - LHP - R-Sophomore - Arkansas - SEC
Mason Edwards - LHP - Junior - Southern Cal - Big Ten
Grady Emerson - INF - Senior (HS) - Fort Worth Christian (HS)
Jackson Flora - RHP - Junior - UC Santa Barbara - Big West
Gavin Grahovac - INF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
Landon Hairston - INF - Sophomore - Arizona State - Big 12
Ryder Helfrick - C - Junior - Arkansas - SEC
Daniel Jackson - C - Junior - Georgia - SEC
Gavin Kelly - C/INF - Sophomore - West Virginia - Big 12
Dee Kennedy - INF - Junior - Kansas State - Big 12
Aidan King - RHP - Sophomore - Florida - SEC
Vahn Lackey - C/INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
Kollin Ritchie - OF - Junior - Oklahoma State - Big 12
Aiden Robbins - OF - Junior - Texas - SEC
Caden Sorrell - OF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
Cade Townsend - RHP - Sophomore - Ole Miss - SEC
Tomas Valincius - LHP - Sophomore - Mississippi State - SEC
Dylan Volantis - LHP - Sophomore - Texas – SEC
Players Mentioned
INF
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