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LeBlanc Selected as Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist
5/14/2026 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
DALLAS – Kansas Baseball junior Tyson LeBlanc was named a 2026 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced on Thursday. LeBlanc is one of 48 semifinalists from 31 different schools to earn a spot on the list.
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The prestigious honor has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members. This is the 39th year of the Dick Howser Trophy, and the 2026 finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 4.
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LeBlanc is having a monster season for the Jayhawks. He leads the team in home runs, RBI, batting average, total bases, slugging percentage and stolen bases. His 17 home runs and 136 total bases are both tied for sixth in the Big 12. LeBlanc's 17 homers are tied for the fourth most ever in a season by a Jayhawk.
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The Maurice, Louisiana, native hit nine home runs in a two-week stretch from March 20-April 4. Seven of the nine home runs came in the sixth inning or later. Following that period, LeBlanc was named the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week, the NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Hitter of the Week, earned a spot on the Baseball America National Team of the Week, was the Big 12 Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice.
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Through the first month of the season, LeBlanc had only a .194 batting average. Over the next 15 games, he raised his season batting average to .320. During that stretch, he hit .450 and had a 1.539 OPS. LeBlanc had 27 hits, with 14 of them being extra-base hits, 26 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
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After never having a semifinalist for the award before the 2025 season, Kansas has now had a semifinalist in back-to-back seasons for the Dick Howser Trophy. Brady Ballinger received a spot on the semifinalist list a season ago.
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ABOUT THE DICK HOWSER TROPHY
The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. The trophy is regarded as baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage – all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.
A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at FSU (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979, after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year coaching in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
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The prestigious honor has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members. This is the 39th year of the Dick Howser Trophy, and the 2026 finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 4.
Â
LeBlanc is having a monster season for the Jayhawks. He leads the team in home runs, RBI, batting average, total bases, slugging percentage and stolen bases. His 17 home runs and 136 total bases are both tied for sixth in the Big 12. LeBlanc's 17 homers are tied for the fourth most ever in a season by a Jayhawk.
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The Maurice, Louisiana, native hit nine home runs in a two-week stretch from March 20-April 4. Seven of the nine home runs came in the sixth inning or later. Following that period, LeBlanc was named the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Week, the NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Hitter of the Week, earned a spot on the Baseball America National Team of the Week, was the Big 12 Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice.
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Through the first month of the season, LeBlanc had only a .194 batting average. Over the next 15 games, he raised his season batting average to .320. During that stretch, he hit .450 and had a 1.539 OPS. LeBlanc had 27 hits, with 14 of them being extra-base hits, 26 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
Â
After never having a semifinalist for the award before the 2025 season, Kansas has now had a semifinalist in back-to-back seasons for the Dick Howser Trophy. Brady Ballinger received a spot on the semifinalist list a season ago.
Â
ABOUT THE DICK HOWSER TROPHY
The Dick Howser Trophy, presented by The Game Headwear, is given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. The trophy is regarded as baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage – all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.
A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at FSU (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979, after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year coaching in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
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