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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Virginia’s Jacob Thompson (Jr., Danville, Va.) and David Adams (Jr., Margate, Fla.) have been named to USA Baseball’s watch list for the 2008 Golden Spikes Award, presented at the end of the season to the nation’s top player.

The initial list the first ever of its kind for the Golden Spikes Award features 75 of the nation’s top collegiate talents, as nominated by baseball sports information directors across the country. The watch list will be “rolling” to ensure that athletes who play themselves into consideration by USA Baseball for the Golden Spikes Award are not ignored. The Golden Spikes Award is sponsored by Major League Baseball.

The honor is one of many for the duo in the preseason. Both were named to the preseason Louisville Slugger All-America squad, with Thompson nabbing first-team honors and Adams taking third-team laurels, and both were named to the second team of Baseball America’s preseason All-America team. Both are also on the watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award. Thompson also was a first-team NCBWA Preseason All-American.

Thompson went 11-0 with a 1.50 earned run average in 2007. In 114 innings, he allowed just 79 hits and 23 runs (19 earned). He walked 32 batters and struck out 101, as batters hit just .198 against him.

Thompson was a unanimous First-Team All-American last year and also earned First-Team All-ACC honors. He capped off his banner season by competing for the United States National Team at the Pan American Games, where he won a silver medal.

Adams hit .372 last year with five home runs and 43 runs batted in. He tied for the team lead with 11 doubles and was second with 45 runs scored, a .454 on base percentage and .522 slugging percentage. He was a second-team All-ACC pick in 2007.

On May 20, USA Baseball officials will cut the watch list of players to 50 names. On June 3, USA Baseball will announce the five finalists.

The 2008 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award will be presented nationally July 16. Past winners of the Golden Spikes Award include Terry Francona (1980), Will Clark (1985), Robin Ventura (1988), Jason Varitek (1994), J.D. Drew (1997), Mark Prior (2001), Jered Weaver (2004), and David Price (2007).

Virginia opens the 2008 season at home at 4 p.m. Friday vs. Lehigh.

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