FORT MYERS, Fla. - A day after being named First Team Atlantic Sun Conference as a starting pitcher and Second Team ASUN as an outfielder, Florida Gulf Coast University sophomore Evan Dempsey has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year. The announcement was made by the College Baseball Foundation in Overland Park, Kansas.
A Tampa native, Dempsey has already won the weekly version of the John Olerud Two-Way Player award, taking the honor on April 8 after pitching six innings with two runs allowed in a win over Jacksonville April 6 and going 6-for-12 at the plate during that weekend's series. Since then, Dempsey has taken his game to another level. He is currently second in the nation in ERA with a 1.56 mark. He's raised his batting average to .299 for the season with a team-leading 16 doubles. He was named ASUN Player of the Week May 12 after going 10-for-13 at the plate in the series at West Georgia May 9-11. In the opening game of the UWG series, Dempsey went seven innings on the mound, allowing just two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts. He would record eight strikeouts in a row during the start.
"This may be the most competitive semifinal list we've had since the award was created as there is no clear-cut favorite yet to win the award in 2025," said Olerud Award chairman George Watson. "The next two weeks are going to be vital in determining not only who our finalists will be, but also to see whether someone puts on a late-season surge to rise to the top."
Dempsey and the Eagles will be back in action Tuesday night against Lipscomb in the final game of the first day of the ASUN Championship. First pitch in DeLand is set for 7:30 p.m.
2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
Name, Positions, Class, School, Player Hometown
• Bryce Calloway, RHP/OF, Senior, New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Evan Dempsey, OF/RHP, Sophomore, Florida Gulf Coast, Tampa, Florida
• Austin Eaton, RHP/IF, R-Senior, Texas State, Frisco, Texas
• Ethan Hedges, IF/RHP, Junior, USC, Fountain Valley, California
• Max Knight, LHP/1B, Sophomore, Missouri State, Bixby, Oklahoma
• Justin Lehman, RHP/1B, Senior, Army West Point, Fort Mill, South Carolina
• Will Rogers, RHP/DH, Senior, Michigan, Shoreview, Minnesota
• Austin Smith, LHP/OF, Senior, San Diego, El Cajon, California
• Ryan Sprock, RHP/IF, Junior, Elon, Morristown, New Jersey
• Noah Sullivan, DH/RHP, Senior, Mississippi State, Orlando, Florida