OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Evan Dempsey, the FGCU junior who won last year's John Olerud Two-Way National Player of the Year Award as a sophomore, leads a list of 49 players on the award's 2026 watch list that was announced Wednesday by the College Baseball Foundation.

Through 12 games this season, Dempsey is hitting .378 (17-for-45) with 18 runs scored, eight RBIs and nine extra-base hits. He has drawn nine walks and been hit by a pitch three times. On the mound, he currently has a 1-0 record with a 2.51 ERA in three starts, recording 24 strikeouts while only issuing six walks, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits.

The 49 players on this year's watch list reflect some of the biggest names in college baseball this season, including Dempsey. As usual, the watch list represents a wide swath of schools from across the country with players who have already made significant contributions to their team's success.

"This may be one of the deepest and most talented watch lists we've had since the John Olerud Award was created," said George Watson, chairman of the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. "Of course, we are thrilled to have our 2025 winner, Evan Dempsey, back in the fold again this season, but the competition for this award has already proven to be fierce in the first three weeks of the season. We have several players already making big impacts both on the mound and at the plate. We're excited to watch how each of our watch list honorees progress throughout the season."

The award is named after former Washington State University standout John Olerud, who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s. He was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. Headlining the watch list this year is the 2025 John Olerud Award winner from Florida Gulf Coast. Bryce Calloway was a finalist in 2025 while playing at New Orleans and is on the watch list again this season while playing at Georgia. Max Knight was also a 2025 finalist and is on the watch lists again while competing at Missouri State. Dempsey and Knight have already won an Olerud Award weekly honor with Josiah Overbeek of Army also taking home a weekly recognition.

Previous winners of the award are Mike McGee, RHP/OF, Florida State, 2010; Danny Hultzen, LHP/1B/OF, Virginia, 2011; Brian Johnson, LHP/DH, Florida, 2012; Marco Gonzales, LHP/1B, Gonzaga, 2013; A.J. Reed, 1B/LHP, Kentucky, 2014; Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Louisville; 2015-17; Brooks Wilson, RHP/DH/1B, Stetson; 2018; Aaron Schunk, 3B/RHP, Georgia, 2019; Not Awarded (Season Suspended), 2020; Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP/SS, Nebraska, 2021; Paul Skenes, RHP/C, Air Force, 2022; Caden Grice, LHP/1B/DH, Clemson, 2023; Jac Caglianone, LHP/1B, Florida, 2024; and Evan Dempsey, OF/RHP, Florida Gulf Coast, 2025.

The John Olerud Award is one of four weekly awards presented by the College Baseball Foundation. The CBF also awards the Brooks Wallace Award, National Pitcher and Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Week. For more information on the John Olerud Award or any of the CBF awards, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.

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About the College Baseball Foundation
The purpose of the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today. The College Baseball Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Support for the College Baseball Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of the sport for future generations. All donations to the College Baseball Hall of Fame are tax deductible and can be made via this link on the organization's website. The CBF presents the Brooks Wallace Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Shortstop), the National Pitcher of the Year Award, the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award, the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Wayne Graham Award for Teaching Excellence.

About the College Baseball Hall of Fame
Each year, more than 200 representatives nationwide vote on the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. The voting body is comprised of national and regional college baseball media, active and retired coaches, former players, former inductees, college baseball historians and members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) collegiate baseball committee. The College Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006. Since that time, 175 players, coaches, umpires, administrators and contributors have been selected for induction.

The College Baseball Hall of Fame will establish a physical location in Overland Park, Kansas in 2026. Located within the iconic Museum at Prairiefire, the College Baseball Hall of Fame will serve as a shared community asset, deepening connections to the nation's favorite pastime through a dynamic and ever-evolving space for college baseball enthusiasts to celebrate the sport's rich past, present, and future.

2026 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List
Name, Positions, Class, School, Conference
•    Dillon Adkins, LHP/OF, Freshman, Austin Peay, ASUN
•    Kyle Alivo, IF/RHP, Sophomore, Iowa, Big Ten
•    Blaine Brown, LHP/OF, Sophomore, Tennessee, SEC
•    Bryce Calloway, RHP/OF, Graduate, Georgia, SEC
•    Jay Campbell, OF/RHP, Sophomore, Florida A&M, SWAC
•    Jeremy Cheeseman, IF/RHP, Junior, Farleigh Dickinson, NEC 
•    Gio Colasante, IF/RHP, Senior, Harvard, Ivy League
•    Carter Danz, LHP/OF, Freshman, Northwestern, Big Ten
•    Michael Delph, IF/RHP, Sophomore, Army, Patriot
•    Evan Dempsey, OF/RHP, Junior, Florida Gulf Coast, ASUN
•    Myles Dickerson, IF/RHP, Freshman, Delaware State, NEC
•    Thomas Ealey, LHP/OF, Sophomore, Norfolk State, MEAC
•    Noah Franco, OF/LHP, Freshman, TCU, Big 12
•    Ben Green, RHP/IF, Freshman, UNC Asheville, Big South
•    Connor Grotyohann, OF/RHP, Senior, Rhode Island, A-10
•    Tyler Guerin, RHP/IF, Sophomore, Iowa, Big Ten
•    Dylan Harrison, RHP/OF, Freshman, Clemson, ACC
•    Alex Hernandez, OF/IF/RHP, Sophomore, Georgia Tech, ACC
•    Kenny Ishikawa, LHP/Util, Junior, Georgia, SEC
•    Kyle Johnson, LHP/OF, Junior, Virginia, ACC
•    Nathan Johnson, OF/RHP, Freshman, UTSA, American
•    Gavyn Jones, LHP/OF, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
•    Brock Ketelsen, OF/LHP, Freshman, Stanford, ACC
•    Max Knight, LHP/IF, Junior, Missouri State, CUSA
•    Caleb Koskie, OF/LHP, Junior, Indiana, Big Ten
•    Ryan Kroepel, RHP/Util, Junior, Utah Tech, WAC
•    Donte Lewis, RHP/OF, Sophomore, Kansas State, Big 12
•    Brayden Mazzacano, LHP/OF, Sophomore, Illinois, Big Ten
•    Nicholas Mazzotta, IF/RHP, Senior, Wagner, NEC
•    Christian Mitchelle, UTL/RHP, Senior, Cincinnati, Big 12
•    Breckin Nace, LHP/IF, Junior, Radford, Big South
•    Drew Nelson, LHP/UTL, Senior, Troy, SBC
•    Josiah Overbeek, RHP/1B, Freshman, Army, Patriot
•    Erik Paulsen, Junior, IF/LHP, North Carolina, ACC
•    Wyatt Pennington, IF/RHP, Freshman, Evansville, MVC
•    Jesse Rusinek, OF/LHP, Freshman, Texas Tech, Big 12
•    Connor Shouse, RHP/OF, Sophomore, Texas Tech, Big 12
•    Cayden Smith, SS/RHP, Sophomore, Central Michigan, MAC
•    James Smith IV, OF/RHP, Senior, Memphis, American
•    Nolan Stevens, IF/LHP, Junior, Oklahoma, SEC
•    Jayden Stroman, RHP/IF, Freshman, Virginia, ACC
•    Parker Sweeney, LHP/OF, Sophomore, College of Charleston, CAA
•    Trey Swygart, RHP/IF, Sophomore, Portland, WCC
•    Elijah Underhill, OF/RHP, Senior, Austin Peay, ASUN
•    Chase Van Ameyde, RHP/IF, Sophomore, Notre Dame, ACC
•    Colby Wallace, IF/RHP, Junior, East Carolina, American
•    T.P. Wentworth, OF/LHP, Sophomore, Oklahoma State, Big 12
•    Michael Zielinski, OF/LHP, Freshman, Wright State, Horizon
•    Brayden Zilis, RHP/IF, Freshman, Illinois State, MVC