2008 Golden Spikes Award Unveils Semi-Finalists, New Website

USA Baseball released the names of the 2008 Golden Spikes Award Semi-Finalists Tuesday, May 20, 2008.  The Golden Spikes Award is given annually to the nation's premier amateur baseball player.

Highlighting the 50-player list is Allan Dykstra (Wake Forest), Preston Guilmet (Arizona), Brian Matusz (San Diego), Justin Smoak (South Carolina), and Brett Wallace (Arizona State)...all of whom were semi-finalists for 2007's Golden Spikes Award that went to Vanderbilt's south-paw, David Price.

The University of North Carolina leads the semi-finalist ballot as the Tar Heels are the only school to have three players on this year's list with sophomores Dustin Ackley, Tim Fedroff and Alex White.  Arizona State, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, San Diego, South Carolina, and Wichita State each have two players on the ballot.

Along with the release of the Semi-Finalists, the brand-new Golden Spikes Award website was also unveiled on Tuesday.  On the new website you will find updates and profiles for each semi-finalist, featuring pictures and videos.  This new website allows the fans, who will be allowed to vote for the first time, research each player individually.

You can access the brand-new Golden Spikes Award website via the front page of USABaseball.com or you can visit: www.GoldenSpikesAward.com

Visit the site and don't forget to cast your vote for who you think should win the coveted Golden Spikes Award for 2008!