Texas Tech University Athletics
Tomlinson Earns ABCA Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Award
June 23, 2011 | Baseball
Tomlinson's 212 assists rank fourth in Texas Tech single-season history
June 23, 2011
2011 ABCA Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Team 
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech junior shortstop Kelby Tomlinson (Elgin, Okla.) was named to the 2011 American Baseball Coaches Association Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Team as the top defensive shortstop in the nation, the ABCA has announced.
The Rawlings Gold Glove Team is comprised of only nine players to represent each position on the field while players from all 300 NCAA D-I programs were nominated. The gold glove team is selected by the ABCA.
Tomlinson is the first player from the Big 12 Conference to be awarded an ABCA Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Award, as Tomlinson ranked among the top defensive players in the nation during the 2011 season.
"Kelby had a great season for us this year," Texas Tech head coach Dan Spencer said. "He is very deserving of the award and we are extremely happy for him."
Tomlinson, an All-Big 12 second team selection and nominee for the Brooks Wallace Award, finished the season with the most assists (212) by a Red Raider since 2001 while his season total places him fourth in Texas Tech single-season history.
He completed the season with 24 consecutive games without committing an error, which is the longest errorless streak by a Tech third baseman/shortstop/second baseman in over 10 years.
Tomlinson fielded .971 on the season while making 86 putouts, 212 assists and committing nine errors. He recorded only two errors during 27 Big 12 Conference games while posting a .985 fielding percentage in league play.
In fact, Tomlinson, who started and played in all 58 games at shortstop on the season, committed only three errors in the final 43 games of the season.
Tomlinson was also effective at the plate where he led Texas Tech with 67 base hits and 43 RBI and was among team leaders with a .307 batting average, 39 walks, .415 on-base percentage and with 21-of-29 stolen bases.
Tomlinson recently signed a professional contract with the San Francisco Giants who drafted him in the 12th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft. Tomlinson has reported to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he will soon make his pro debut.
2011 ABCA Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Team
(Chosen by the ABCA)
C - Ronnie Shaeffer, Junior (UC Irvine)
1B - Mike Memeth, Senior (Connecticut)
2B - Caleb Clowers, Junior (Louisiana-Monroe)
SS - Kelby Tomlinson, Junior (Texas Tech)
3B - Brian Hernandez, Senior (UC Irvine)
OF - Taylor Dugas, Junior (Alabama)
OF - Pete Lavin, Senior (San Francisco)
OF - Trevor Willis, Senior (Iowa)
P - Spencer Patton, Senior (Southern Illinois - Edwardsville)
