DURHAM, N.C. -- Samford's Heath Quinn was officially named a semifinalist for the 2016 Golden Spikes Award Wednesday as the Bulldogs' junior right fielder moved another step closer to being naming the top amateur baseball player in the country.
 
Sponsored by Major League Baseball and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, the 39th Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 30 in Los Angeles. ESPN will once again serve as the programming sponsor for the Golden Spikes Award.
 
Wednesday's list of semifinalists features the nation's top 25 amateur players from the high school and college ranks.
 
GoldenSpikesAward.com – powered by MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) – is once again the online home of the award. The website features content devoted exclusively to the Golden Spikes Award, including news, voting history, past winner photo galleries, and photographs and biographical information for the 2016 semifinalists. 
 
Fans can follow online at GoldenSpikesAward.com as the list of 25 players is narrowed to a group of finalists on Wednesday, June 13.
 
The Southeastern Conference leads 12 different conferences represented on the list with seven semifinalists, followed closely by the Atlantic Coast Conference with six. 
 
The PAC 12 and Southern Conference both host a pair of semifinalists while the Big 12, Big East, Colonial Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, Southland and West Coast conferences each have one athlete on the list.
 
Samford's Quinn earned a spot as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award after finishing the 2016 campaign with a .343 batting average, 21 home runs and a school-record 77 RBI. The Bulldogs' right fielder also ended the season as a First-Team All-SoCon honoree and a member of the All-SoCon Tournament Team.
 
In his illustrious three-year career at Samford, Quinn has already compiled 44 home runs, 48 doubles, 168 runs, 181 RBI and a stellar .334 batting average.
 
USA Baseball officials will announce the finalists for the Golden Spikes Award on Monday, June 13. 
 
To select the finalists, the list of semifinalists is sent to a voting body consisting of past Golden Spikes Award winners, past USA Baseball National Team coaches and press officers, members of the media that closely follow the amateur game, select professional baseball personnel, and select current USA Baseball staff, representing a group of more than 200 voters in total.
 
Fan voting will once again be part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2016.  This announcement officially marks the opening of voting for amateur baseball fans from across the country on GoldenSpikesAward.com. As part of the selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of names.  Voting will be open until Wednesday, June 8.
 
The 2016 Golden Spikes Award winner will be named on Thursday, June 30, at a presentation in Los Angeles. The finalists and their families will be honored at the Rod Dedeaux Foundation Dinner that evening at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.
 
Last year, University of Arkansas' Andrew Benintendi took home the prestigious award, joining a group of recent winners that includes Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Buster Posey (2008).
 
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USA Baseball
2016 Golden Spikes Award
Semifinalists
 
Seth Beer, OF, Fr., Clemson
Jake Burger, 3B, So., Missouri State
C.J. Chatham, SS, Jr., Florida Atlantic
Zack Collins, C, Jr., Miami
Will Craig, 1B, Jr., Wake Forest
Brett Cumberland, C, So., California
Nick Feight, C, So., UNC-Wilmington
Jameson Fisher, C/IF, R-Jr., Southeastern Louisiana
Anfernee Grier, OF, Jr., Auburn
Thomas Hackimer, P, Sr., St. Johns
Dakota Hudson, P, Jr., Mississippi State
Connor Jones, P, Jr., Virginia
Eric Lauer, P, Jr., Kent State
Kyle Lewis, OF, Jr., Mercer
Brendan McKay, IF/P, So., Louisville
Sheldon Neuse, 3B, Jr., Oklahoma
AJ Puckett, P, Jr., Pepperdine
Heath Quinn, OF, Jr., Samford
Troy Rallings, P, Sr., Washington
Corey Ray, OF, Jr., Louisville
Nick Senzel, 3B, Jr., Tennessee
Jordan Sheffield, P, R-So., Vanderbilt
Logan Shore, P, Jr., Florida
Boomer White, IF, Jr., Texas A&M
Kyle Wright, P, So., Vanderbilt