KINGSTON, R.I. - Recent Rhode Island baseball graduate Tim Caputo has been announced as the winner of TD Ameritrade's 2015 Fan's Choice Award. The annual award recognizes college baseball players for their inspiring accomplishments both on and off the baseball field.

"I want to thank everyone that voted for me these past few weeks," Caputo said. "I feel very blessed and am thankful to have so much support from so many great family members, teammates and friends."

With 34% of the total fan votes, Caputo narrowly edged out Georgia Southern's Aaron Mizell, who finished with 33%. The two flip-flopped between the #1 and #2 spots throughout much of the final week if voting. The other two finalists - Adam Boghosian (North Greenville) and Kevin Wortman (Florida Tech) - split the remaining 33% of fan votes.

Overall, 18 collegiate baseball players were selected as finalists for the award. The initial list was revealed on May 26, when voting first opened. From there, the field was cut down to 10 on June 8, before the top-four moved on to the final round of voting on June 15. Caputo was announced as the overall winner a week later, on June 22.

"It was an honor just to be nominated alongside the 17 other finalists," Caputo added. "I want to congratulate those guys on what they accomplished over the course of their careers. Each and every one of them is deserving of this award. It's very humbling to be selected as the winner in a group with so much characer and talent." 

Caputo will be presented with his award in Omaha, at the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby, which will air live on ESPN on July 2. 

More About Tim Caputo

COMMITMENT TO LEADERSHIP

• A true leader by example, Caputo has been a two-year team captain at Rhode Island, with his work ethic setting the standard for the Rams, both on an off the field.
• Shortly after his freshman season began, Caputo took over as Rhode Island's starting shortstop when then-senior captain Mike Le Bel suffered a season-ending injury just five games in to the 2012 campaign. As an all-conference performer, Le Bel left big shoes to fill, but Caputo rose to the occasion and put together a freshman season that landed him three Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week awards as well as a spot on the league's All-Rookie squad. He was URI's only freshman starter that season. 
• The following year as a sophomore, he helped lead URI to a share of the A-10 regular season title and battled through injury to appear in 43 games as a junior.
• Most recently, he helped guide Rhode Island to a second-place finish in the Atlantic 10 - as well as an appearance in the conference final - after Rhody was picked to finish 11th of 13 in the preseason coaches poll. 
• After taking over as Rhody's starting shortstop his freshman year, he recorded 118 consecutive starts before missing seven games with an injury early last season. His eventual return to the field came in the form of a ninth-inning, pinch-hit at-bat where he hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to lead URI to a victory over Marshall. That is the only appearance over the course of his career in which he did not start.
• He finished his career as Rhode Island's all-time leader in both assists (610) and sacrifices (43).

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

• Despite his rigorous schedule of playing baseball year round and maintaining a Dean's List GPA, Caputo has gained significant experience in his field of study through volunteer work. 
• At home on Long Island, he has spent time at North Shore LIJ Hospital as both a volunteer aide and a shadow for various Physical Therapists and Physician Assistants. 
• While playing summer ball for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2013, he was a Physical Therapy Aide at Beacon Physical Therapy. 
• He spent the following summer playing for the Ocean State Waves (NECBL) and logged over 100 hours of volunteer work at nearby Olympic Physical Therapy, where he continued work as a Physical Therapy Aide throughout his senior year at URI.
• Caputo also has been involved with the American Cancer Society's Relay for life since 2008 and has helped organize URI Baseball's Galilee 5K, which serves to raise funds for the Autism Project of Rhode Island. Through this event, as well as URI's Autism Awareness fundraiser games, the Rhode Island baseball program has raised more than $10,000 for the cause. 
• On campus, Caputo has served as a peer tutor for academics and has coached at numerous youth baseball camps and clinics.

COMMITMENT TO CLASSROOM

• A Kinesiology major, Caputo is a six-time Dean's List honoree and three-time member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
• He boasts an overall GPA of 3.53 and is a 3.80 student within his major. 
• He is a recipient of URI's Scholar-Athlete Award as well as a two-time member of the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team (2014, 2015). 
• He also represented all of Rhode Island's student-athletes as an honorary speaker at URI's annual Dean's List reception and, most recently, received the 2015 Elizabeth Holmes award at URI's annual Senior Banquet. The award recognizes the most outstanding male student-athlete who has combined exceptional scholastic achievement with outstanding athletic ability. 
• After his playing career, Caputo plans to attend grad school and eventually pursue a career as a physical therapist.