University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Roch Cholowsky
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Cholowsky Named Brooks Wallace Award Finalist for Second Straight Season
June 02, 2026 | Baseball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. โ UCLA junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky has been named a Brooks Wallace Award finalist for the second straight season, the College Baseball Foundation announced Tuesday morning.
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Cholowsky is the reigning Brooks Wallace Award winner, the honor presented annually to the nation's top shortstop.
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Cholowsky became just the third player in Big Ten history to be named the conference's Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. He anchored UCLA's lineup throughout 2026, leading the conference in home runs (21) and runs scored (73) while hitting .320 with 74 hits, 60 RBIs, 10 doubles, and 19 multi-hit games across 60 contests. He also set a UCLA single-season record with 25 hit-by-pitches.
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Defensively, he remained one of the nation's elite shortstops, posting a .965 fielding percentage, turning 30 double plays, and ranking second among Division I shortstops with a 4.53 wins-above-replacement (WAR), 14.73 defensive-runs-saved, and 1.08 defensive WAR.
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The 2026 Brooks Wallace Award will be announced at a press conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT/10:30 a.m. PT on Saturday, June 13, in the media room at Charles Schwab Field, prior to the start of the second day of action at the MCWS.
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2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Finalists
Name, Class, School, Hometown, Conference
About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
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The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
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Cholowsky is the reigning Brooks Wallace Award winner, the honor presented annually to the nation's top shortstop.
ย
Cholowsky became just the third player in Big Ten history to be named the conference's Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. He anchored UCLA's lineup throughout 2026, leading the conference in home runs (21) and runs scored (73) while hitting .320 with 74 hits, 60 RBIs, 10 doubles, and 19 multi-hit games across 60 contests. He also set a UCLA single-season record with 25 hit-by-pitches.
ย
Defensively, he remained one of the nation's elite shortstops, posting a .965 fielding percentage, turning 30 double plays, and ranking second among Division I shortstops with a 4.53 wins-above-replacement (WAR), 14.73 defensive-runs-saved, and 1.08 defensive WAR.
ย
The 2026 Brooks Wallace Award will be announced at a press conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT/10:30 a.m. PT on Saturday, June 13, in the media room at Charles Schwab Field, prior to the start of the second day of action at the MCWS.
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2026 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Finalists
Name, Class, School, Hometown, Conference
- Dylan Carey, Senior, Nebraska, Castle Rock, Colorado, BIG TEN
- Roch Cholowsky, Junior, UCLA, Chandler, Arizona, Big TEN
- Carson Kerce, Junior, Georgia Tech, Marietta, Georgia, ACC
- Chris Ramirez, Sophomore, California Baptist, Corona, California, WAC
- Jake Schaffner, Junior, North Carolina, Janesville, Wisconsin, ACC
About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
ย
The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website.
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Players Mentioned
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