CARY, N.C. – Florida Gulf Coast junior Evan Dempsey has been a national leader in both hitting and pitching categories throughout the season. Now, his hard work is being recognized from coast to coast as he was named one of 25 semifinalists for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award by USA Baseball.

The 48^th edition of the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top amateur baseball player in the nation, will be presented on June 29 on MLB Network at 7:30 p.m.

One key component of whittling the list of 25 semifinalists down to a much shorter finalist list is fan voting, and this is where Eagles fans can make their impact. With today's announcement, fan voting opened up on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists. Fans of the Green & Blue, and fans of the nation's best two-way player, are encouraged to visit GoldenSpikesAward.com to vote for Evan Dempsey now until June 10.

Dempsey is just one of three players from a non-Power 4 school to be named a semifinalist along with UC Santa Barbara's Jackson Flora and Fort Worth Christian High School's Grady Emerson. Dempsey joins Florida's Aidan King as the only two players from Florida schools to be listed.

Twenty different schools are represented in this year's semifinalist group, including four schools that placed two or more players on the list: Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Texas and Texas A&M.

"With another terrific amateur baseball season nearing the finish line, we are thrilled to honor the twenty-five best players in the country as Golden Spikes Award semifinalists," said USA Baseball CEO/Executive Director Paul Seiler. "These athletes have put together tremendous seasons and are extremely deserving of this honor. We anticipate an exciting race throughout the remainder of the season and look forward to naming the forty-eighth winner of the Golden Spikes Award on MLB Network next month."

Dempsey currently ranks sixth in the nation in total strikeouts delivered (106), 24^th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.44) , 40^th nationally in WHIP (1.07) and 44^th nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.82), leading the Atlantic Sun Conference in all four categories.
Offensively, he leads the ASUN and ranks 73^rd nationally in runs (5%) while ranking 66^th nationally in hits per game (1.47), a mark that ranks fourth in the league with two of the three ASUN players ahead of him being teammates Jon Embury and Javier Gorostola. Dempsey also ranks 36^th nationally in hits (75), 39^th nationally in doubles (18) and 135^th in the country in batting average (.361).

Impressively, 20 of the 25 semifinalists were featured on at least one watch list this season. Dempsey was named to watch lists for the Golden Spikes Award and the John Olerud Two-Way Player Award, an honor that was bestowed upon him last season.

Overall, six different conferences are represented among the 25 semifinalists. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) features 10 players, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with six and the Big 12 with four. Additionally, the Big Ten has two athletes and the Atlantic Sun and Big West have one player apiece.

Arkansas' Wehiwa Aloy is the most recent winner of the Golden Spikes Award, earning the prestigious honor after a prolific season in 2025. He joins an elite group of recent winners including Charlie Condon (2024), Dylan Crews (2023), Ivan Melendez (2022), Kevin Kopps (2021), Adley Rutschman (2019), Andrew Vaughn (2018), Brendan McKay (2017), Kyle Lewis (2016), Andrew Benintendi (2015), A.J. Reed (2014), Kris Bryant (2013), Mike Zunino (2012), Trevor Bauer (2011), Bryce Harper (2010), Stephen Strasburg (2009), Buster Posey (2008), and David Price (2007).

Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2026. Following today's semifinalist announcement, baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 10, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the winner before closing on June 28.

The 2026 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:
• May 14: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 9: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 10: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 28: Golden Spikes Award finalists fan voting ends
• June 29: Golden Spikes Award winner announced
 
To stay up to date on the 2026 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and
follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter/X.
 
Name - Position - Year - School - Conference

• Jarren Advincula - INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
• Drew Burress - OF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
• Lorenzo Carrier - OF - R-Senior - Pittsburgh - ACC
• Roch Cholowsky - INF - Junior - UCLA - Big Ten
• Tague Davis - INF - Sophomore - Louisville - ACC
• Jason DeCaro - RHP - Junior - North Carolina - ACC
• Evan Dempsey - RHP/OF - Junior - FGCU - ASUN
• Hunter Dietz - LHP - R-Sophomore - Arkansas - SEC
• Mason Edwards - LHP - Junior - Southern Cal - Big Ten
• Grady Emerson - INF - Senior (HS) - Fort Worth Christian (HS)
• Jackson Flora - RHP - Junior - UC Santa Barbara - Big West
• Gavin Grahovac - INF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
• Landon Hairston - INF - Sophomore - Arizona State - Big 12
• Ryder Helfrick - C - Junior - Arkansas - SEC
• Daniel Jackson - C - Junior - Georgia - SEC
• Gavin Kelly - C/INF - Sophomore - West Virginia - Big 12
• Dee Kennedy - INF - Junior - Kansas State - Big 12
• Aidan King - RHP - Sophomore - Florida - SEC
• Vahn Lackey - C/INF - Junior - Georgia Tech - ACC
• Kollin Ritchie - OF - Junior - Oklahoma State - Big 12
• Aiden Robbins - OF - Junior - Texas - SEC
• Caden Sorrell - OF - Junior - Texas A&M - SEC
• Cade Townsend - RHP - Sophomore - Ole Miss - SEC
• Tomas Valincius - LHP - Sophomore - Mississippi State - SEC
• Dylan Volantis - LHP - Sophomore - Texas – SEC

 
FGCU/ASUN Players Named Golden Spikes Award Semifinalists
 
FGCU
2010: Chris Sale, LHP
2014: Michael Murray, RHP
2026: Evan Dempsey, RHP/OF
 
ASUN
2010: Paul Hilman, RHP/INF, East Tennessee State
2010: Chris Sale, LHP, FGCU
2011: Adam Brett Walker, INF/OF, Jacksonville
2014: Michael Murray, RHP, FGCU
2014: Drew Weeks, OF/INF, North Florida
2015: Donnie Dewees, OF, North Florida
2018: Frank German, RHP, North Florida
2018: Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson
2026: Evan Dempsey, RHP/OF, FGCU
2022: Kendal Ewell, OF, Eastern Kentucky
 
About Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the most outstanding amateur baseball player in the nation with the Golden Spikes Award. The award is given each year to the player who
best exhibits exceptional on-field ability, exemplary sportsmanship and character, and an overall positive contribution to the sport. The 2025 Golden Spikes Award winner is Wehiwa Aloy from the University of Arkansas. Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman ('19), Andrew Benintendi ('15), Kris Bryant ('13), Mike Zunino ('12), Trevor Bauer ('11), Bryce Harper ('10), Stephen Strasburg ('09), Buster Posey ('08), David Price ('07), Tim Lincecum ('06), Alex Gordon ('05), and Jered Weaver ('04). Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter/X @USAGoldenSpikes.
 
About USA Baseball
Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, USA Baseball serves as the national governing body for baseball in the United States. Since 1978, the organization has been
dedicated to Leading the Growth of Our Pastime's Future, supporting and protecting the game for its 15.6 million participants nationwide. A proud member of the United States
Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), USA Baseball's national teams have earned 70 gold medals in international competition, including two Olympic gold medals and a World Baseball Classic title. Beyond competition, USA Baseball champions the sport's growth and wellbeing through initiatives such as BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education), Fun At Bat, Pitch Smart, PLAY BALL, the Prospect Development Pipeline, and USABat.
 
Additionally, it recognizes the nation's top amateur baseball player each year with the prestigious Golden Spikes Award. For more information about USA Baseball, its national teams, or its development initiatives, visit USABaseball.com or USABDevelops.com.
 
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