NICK EGLI WINS 2017 GREGG OLSON AWARD

OMAHA, NE - Belmont's Nick Egli has been named the 2017 Gregg Olson Award honoree. The award, presented by Toolshed Sports, honors college baseball’s breakout player of the year and is given to a top amateur baseball player who elevates his game to an elite level throughout the season.

Belmont's Nick Egli only managed a .175 average and 9 RBI in 57 at bats last season, but earned All OVC First Team honors as he erupted to top the team with a .353 batting average and 18 home runs in 2017.

After a freshman season at Auburn filled with only mixed success, Gregg Olson became one of the top collegiate players in the nation during an outstanding, unprecedented sophomore season. Despite being omitted from any preseason All American lists, Olson went on to lead the entire nation in ERA with a 1.26 mark and compiled an incredible 11-1 record with 10 saves for the Tigers.

Following a summer pitching for the USA National Team where he lead the club in strikeouts, Olson returned to Auburn for another spectacular season. He led the SEC with a 2.00 ERA and amassed a triple-digit strikeout total, issuing 113 K’s in only 72 innings with only 27 walks. He finished his collegiate career with back-to-back First Team All American honors, a 25-7 record, 3.03 ERA, 20 saves, 271 strikeouts and redefined the way college coaches used their top pitcher.

The Olson Award has been developed to honor college baseball’s success stories and showcase players like Olson who have raised the level of their game through hard work, strength of mind and determination. Eligible players will be those who are omitted from major publication’s preseason All American prognostications; however by the end of the season their on the field performance will demonstrate that they are among the top amateur baseball players in the nation.

Elgi, the Bruins' senior catcher, registered a lackluster .175 batting average with only 10 hits, two doubles and three home runs in 2016; however this season, he topped his team with a batting average of .353 while hitting 18 home runs and 17 doubles. Egli tallied 54 RBI and a slugging percentage of .715 which ranked him in the top ten nationally.

In addition to earning the Olson Award winner designation, Egli earned All-OVC First Team honors as well as CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team and Collegiate Baseball All-America Third Team status.

Other 2017 Gregg Olson Award finalists included:

JAKE THOMPSON, OREGON STATE
Prior to this season Thompson had a 4.61 ERA for his collegiate career with a ho-hum 6-6 record. This season he has become the ace of the top ranked Oregon State staff, earning a perfect 14-0 record with a 1.52 ERA. In 118.1 innings he’s only allowed 76 hits while striking out 113. He’s only allowed 20 earned runs all season whereas last year he gave up 29 in nearly half as many innings pitched.

BRETT CONINE, CAL STATE FULLERTON
In 15 appearances as a freshman last season Conine posted a 3-3 record with a 5.10 ERA. He allowed 34 hits in 30 innings with 24 strikeouts in a mixed role which included spot starts, middle relief and mop-up duty. This year Conine has appeared in 30 games for the CWS bound Titans as their closer. In 42.1 innings he limited batters to 34 hits and six walks while striking out 37. He has dutifully compiled a 1.49 ERA and 15 saves.

RYAN FLICK, TENNESSEE TECH
In 47 games last season Flick finished the season with a .256 batting average, 44 hits which included eight homeruns and 39 RBI. In 2017 he led the Golden Eagles to Ohio Valley Tournament regular season and tournament titles, multiple wins over nationally-ranked opponents and a thrilling regional championship run as he batted .377 with a 24 doubles and 19 home runs for a .727 slugging percentage. His doubles, slugging percentage and 168 total bases both place him in the top ten nationally.

WILL ROBERTSON, DAVIDSON
As a part time started in 2016, Robertson finished with 21 hits, 20 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in 100 at bats for a .210 batting average. This year he starred for Davidson as they captured their first-ever conference tournament crown in the program's 115-year existence, won the Chapel Hill Regional and finishing with a school record 35 wins. Robertson topped the team with a .333 batting average, 19 doubles and 18 home runs. Robertson was named an All American by multiple organizations and earend A-10 Player of the Week twice while graduating with a degree in economics.