DALLAS – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association recognized Florida Gulf Coast's Evan Dempsey on the eve of the start of the 2026 season by bestowing Preseason First Team All-America honors on the Eagle junior as a utility player.

Dempsey is the only Atlantic Sun Conference player recognized by the NCBWA and is one of only two players in the state receiving first-team honors. He was listed as a utility player, reflecting his effectiveness both as a pitcher and an outfielder.

As the 168th season of NCAA Division I baseball begins on Friday, the 2026 NCBWA Preseason All-America teams (25th annual) reflect the large talent pool for national championship contenders as they strive for a spot in the 79th NCAA World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, beginning on June 12.

A Consensus All-American last season, Dempsey received the 2025 John Olerud Award, presented by the College Baseball Foundation to the nation's top two-way player. He was named National 2-Way Player of the Year by Perfect Game and earned First Team All-American honors as a two-way player from Baseball America. Both D1Baseball and the College Baseball Foundation recognized him as a First Team utility player. He was also named a Second Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

On the mound, Dempsey went 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA in 15 appearances, including 10 starts. The sophomore logged 68.2 innings, striking out 75 and walking 20. Of the 57 hits he allowed, only six went for extra bases. Opponents batted just .225 against him. In his final start of the season, on four days' rest, Dempsey pitched five innings to lead FGCU to a 6-5 win over Stetson, clinching a share of the Atlantic Sun Conference championship.

As an outfielder, the Tampa native played in all 60 games, starting 59. He batted .309 with 71 hits, including 18 doubles and three home runs, for a .435 slugging percentage. He scored 41 runs, drove in 30 and was a perfect 14-for-14 on stolen base attempts, tying for the team lead.
 
Defensively, Dempsey committed just one error in 99 chances, recording 86 putouts and 12 assists—including two from the outfield—for a .990 fielding percentage.

Dempsey and the Eagles open the season Friday evening at Swanson Stadium. FGCU hosts reigning Summit League champion North Dakota State with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
 
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ABOUT THE NCBWA
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, please visit the association's official website  www.ncbwa.com. The preseason All-America squads are considered the first step toward the eventual selection of the 2025 Dick Howser Trophy presented by the Game Headwear and voted upon for 28 seasons by members of the NCBWA.
 
2026 NCBWA Division I Preseason All-America Team

FIRST TEAM
Pos.	Name, School, Year
C	Carson Tinney, Texas, Jr.
1B	Brady Ballinger, Kansas, Jr.
2B	Camden Kozeal, Arkansas, Jr.
SS	Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, Jr.
3B	Daniel Cuvet, Miami (Fla.), Jr.
OF	Drew Burress, Ga. Tech, Jr.
OF	Derek Curiel, LSU, So.
OF	Michael DiMartini, Duke, Jr.
OF	Lucas Moore, Louisville, Jr.
OF	Sawyer Strosnider, TCU, So.
DH	Noah Sullivan, Mississippi State, Grad.
DH	Nico Azpilcueta, Troy, Sr.
UT	Evan Dempsey, FGCU, Jr.
Pos.	Name, School, Year
SP	Hunter Elliott, Ole Miss, Sr.
SP	Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina, Jr.
SP	Aidan Knaak, Clemson, Jr.
SP	Ethan Norby, East Carolina, Jr.
SP	Dylan Volantis, Texas, So.
SP	Dax Whitney, Oregon State, So.
RP	Tony Pluta, Arizona, Sr.
RP	Colby Allen, Southern Miss, Sr.
RP	Cal Higgins, Texas, Grad.
RP	Mason Patel, Georgia Tech, Grad.
RP	Ricky Ojeda, UC Irvine, Jr.
RP	Ryan Lynch, Coastal Carolina, Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Pos.	Name, School, Year
C	Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas, Jr.
C	Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech, Jr.
1B	Myles Bailey, Florida State, So.
1B	Kade Lewis, Wake Forest, Jr.
2B	Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech, Jr.
2B	Jimmy Nati, Stanford, Sr.
SS	Justin Lebron, Alabama, Jr.
SS	Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M, Jr.
3B	Ace Reese, Mississippi State, Jr.
3B	Gavin Gallaher, North Carolina, Jr.
OF	Tyler Minick, Connecticut, Jr.
OF	AJ Gracia, Virginia, Jr.
OF	Harrison Feinberg, Northeastern, R-Sr.
OF	Dean Toigo, Arizona State, Sr.
OF	Zion Rose, Louisville, Jr.
DH	Johnny Sweeney, USC Upstate, 5th
DH	Dominic Hellman, Oregon, Sr.
UT	Bryce Calloway, Georgia, Grad.
Pos.	Name, School, Year
SP	Jack Ohman, Yale, So.
SP	Trey Beard, Florida State, Jr.
SP	Casan Evans, LSU, So.
SP	Tommy LaPour, TCU, Jr.
SP	Mason Blasche, Samford, So.
SP	Liam Peterson, Florida, Jr.
RP	Isaac Yeager, Oregon State, Sr.
RP	Brady Frederick, Tennessee, Jr.
RP	Dominick Carbone, Coastal Carolina, Jr.
RP	Robert Orloski, UTSA, Jr.
RP	Chase Meyer, West Virginia, Jr.
THIRD TEAM
Pos.	Name, School, Year
C	Garrett Wright, Tennessee, Jr.
C	Jack Natili, Cincinnati, Jr.
1B	Blake Cavill, Troy, Sr.
1B	Mulivai Levu, UCLA, Jr.
2B	Chris Rembert, Auburn, So.
SS	Eric Becker, Virginia, Jr.
3B	Judd Utermark, Ole Miss, Sr.
3B	Roman Martin, UCLA, Jr.
OF	Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M, Jr.
OF	Henry Ford, Tennessee, Jr.
OF	Logan Hughes, Texas Tech, Jr.
OF	Aiden Robbins, Texas, Jr.
OF	Chase Brunson, TCU, Jr.
DH	Kuhio Aloy, Arkansas, Jr.
UT	Alex Hernandez, Georgia Tech, So.
Pos.	Name, School, Year
SP	Ethan Kleinschmit, Oregon State, Jr.
SP	Jason DeCaro, North Carolina, Jr.
SP	Jack Radel, Notre Dame, Jr.
SP	Connor Fennell, Vanderbilt, Jr.
SP	Blake Morningstar, Wake Forest, Jr.
SP	Ryan Marohn, NC State, Jr.
RP	Walker McDuffie, North Carolina, So.
RP	Cole Carlon, Arizona State, Jr.
RP	Kros Sivley, Southern Miss, Sr.
RP	Ryan Bilka, Miami (Fla.), Sr.
RP	Alex Lyon, Col. of Charleston, R-Sr.
FOURTH TEAM
Pos.	Name, School, Year
C	Matt Quintanar, Texas Tech, Jr.
C	Cider Canon, Duke, Jr.
1B	Chayton Krauss, DBU, Sr.
1B	Evan Appelwick, Miami (OH),  R-Sr.
2B	Logan Sutter, South Carolina, Sr.
2B	Joe Tiroly, Virginia,  Jr.
SS	Maddox Molony, Oregon, Jr.
SS	Tyler Bell, Kentucky, So.
3B	Tre Phelps, Georgia, Jr.
3B	Ray Velazquez, Austin Peay, R-Jr.
OF	Armani Guzman,West Virginia, Jr.
OF	Aidan Teel, Mississippi State, R-Jr.
OF	Nate Savoie, Clemson, So.
OF	Scott Campbell Jr., Kentucky, Sr.
DH	Josh Livingston, Texas, Grad.
DH	Tague Davis, Louisville
UT	Noah Franco, TCU, So.
Pos.	Name, School, Year
SP	Ben Cleaver, Kentucky, Jr.
SP	Eric Segura, Oregon State, Jr.
SP	Cooper Katskee, Nebraska, R-Jr.
SP	Ernesto Lugo-Canchola, Florida, Grad.
SP	Ian Korn, West Virginia, Grad.
SP	Aiden Robertson, Virginia Tech, Jr.
SP	Ryan Borberg, DBU, Sr.
RP	Mason Brassfield, TCU, So.
RP	Zac Cowan, LSU, Sr.
RP	Lucas Hartman, Virginia, Grad.
RP	Ryan Hetzler, Auburn, Jr.