At the end of each regular season, the Atlantic Sun Conference, branded since the 2016–17 school year as the ASUN Conference, names major award winners in baseball. Currently, it names a Coach, Pitcher, Player, Freshman, and Defensive Player of the Year. The Coach of the Year award, which dates to 1979, is the oldest. The others—Player (1982), Freshman (2001), Pitcher (2004), and Defensive Player (2014)—were added later. Through the 2001 season, the then-existing awards were known as the major awards of the Trans America Athletic Conference, the ASUN's former name.
Through the end of the 2019 season, Stetson has won 29 major awards, the most of any school in the conference.
On six occasions, a team has won swept the major awards given out in a season: Mercer in 1983, Georgia Southern in 1986 and 1987, Stetson in 1989, Florida International in 1995, and Florida Atlantic in 1999. All six instances came before 2001, when only the Coach and Player of the Year awards existed.
Four individuals have won more than one of the awards. Mercer's Craig Gibson was named Player of the Year in 1985 and Coach of the Year in 2013; Mercer's Chesny Young was named Freshman of the Year in 2012 and Player of the Year in 2013; Jacksonville's Michael Baumann was Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in 2015; and Florida Gulf Coast's Jake Noll was Freshman of the Year in 2014 and Player of the Year in 2016.
Coach of the Year The conference's Coach of the Year award is presented annually to the conference's most outstanding baseball coach, as chosen by a vote of ASUN coaches taken at the end of the regular season. From 1979–1981 and 1987–1992, the award was given automatically to the coach of the TAAC's tournament champion, rather than chosen by the league's coaches.
The award was first presented in 1979. From 1979–2001, it was known as the Trans America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award, until the conference switched to its current name for the 2002 season.
With the exception of 2012, the award has been given to the coach of the league's regular season champion in each season since 2004. In 2012, USC Upstate's Matt Fincher was given the award after his team, picked to finish last, finished second in the ASUN.
Stetson's Pete Dunn, who has coached in the conference since 1986, has won the award six times, the most of any coach. He is one of three coaches to win the award in three straight years (1988–1990), along with Georgia Southern's Jack Stallings (1985–1987) and Florida Gulf Coast's Dave Tollett (2008–2010).
Winners by season Below is a table of the award's winners since it was first given out in 1979.
SeasonCoachSchoolConf. (Rk.)Overall 1979 Barry Myers Mercer N/A 38–16 1980 Jack Stallings Georgia Southern N/A 38–21–1 1981 Barry Myers (2) Mercer 3–4 (2nd, East) 39–12–1 1982 Larry Martindale Hardin–Simmons 7–5 (T-1st, West) 23–32 1983 Barry Myers (3) Mercer N/A (4th) 29–26–1 1984 Mike Knight Nicholls State 18–5 (1st, West) 38–21 1985 Jack Stallings (2) Georgia Southern 14–3 (1st, East) 41–23 1986 Jack Stallings (3) 12–6 (1st, East) 36–23 1987 Jack Stallings (4) 13–5 (1st, East) 33–30 1988 Pete Dunn Stetson 9–8 (2nd, East) 35–25 1989 Pete Dunn (2) 13–5 (1st, East) 38–23 1990 Pete Dunn (3) 10–8 (2nd, East) 33–31 1991 Danny Price Florida International 11–7 (2nd, East) 43–23 1992 Greg Marten Southeastern Louisiana 12–4 (T-1st, West) 38–22 1993 Greg Marten (2) 19–5 (1st, West) 38–17 1994 Barry Myers (4) Mercer 15–9 (T-1st, West) 32–24 1995 Danny Price (2) Florida International 27–3 (1st) 50–11 1996 Pete Dunn (4) Stetson 12–6 (1st, South) 42–23 1997 Rudy Abbott Jacksonville State 14–4 (1st, West) 39–13 1998 Danny Price (3) Florida International 15–5 (1st, South) 41–24 1999 Kevin Cooney Florida Atlantic 26–4 (1st) 54–9 2000 Chip Smith Campbell 12–15 (6th) 31–25 2001 Jay Bergman UCF 22–5 (1st) 51–14 2002 Jay Bergman (2) 23–7 (1st) 41–22 2003 Dave Jarvis Belmont 19–14 (T-3rd) 29–23 2004 Jay Bergman (3) UCF 24–6 (1st) 47–18 2005 Bobby Pierce Troy 23–7 (1st) 37–21 2006 Terry Alexander Jacksonville 23–7 (1st) 43–19 2007 Pete Dunn (5) Stetson 21–6 (1st) 42–21 2008 Dave Tollett Florida Gulf Coast 25–8 (1st) 38–15 2009 Dave Tollett (2) 23–7 (1st) 36–18 2010 Dave Tollett (3) 25–5 (1st) 38–20 2011 Pete Dunn (6) Stetson 23–7 (1st) 43–20 2012 Matt Fincher USC Upstate 16–10 (2nd) 33–20 2013 Craig Gibson Mercer 20–7 (1st) 43–18 2014 Dave Tollett (4) Florida Gulf Coast 19–8 (1st) 39–22 2015 Smoke Laval North Florida 16–5 (1st) 45–16 2016 Mike Sansing Kennesaw State 17–4 (1st) 29–27 2017 Chris Hayes Jacksonville 16–5 (1st) 36–24 2018 Steve Trimper Stetson 15–3 (1st) 48–11 2019 Dave Tollett (5) Florida Gulf Coast 16–7 (1st) 34–21 2021 Scott Jackson Liberty 19–2 (1st) 41–16 2022 Jeff ForehandLipscomb 20–10 (T–1st) 35–23 2023 Jeff Forehand (2) 23–7 (1st) 36–26 2024 Roland FanningAustin Peay 20–10 (T–1st) 35–21 2025 Roland Fanning (2) 26–4 (1st) 45–14 2026 Joe Mercadante North Florida 22–8 (1st, Graphite) 31–22
Winners by school The following is a table of the schools whose coaches have won the award, along with the first season each school played baseball in the conference, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
Because NCAA baseball is a spring sport, the first year of ASUN competition falls in the calendar year after each school formally joined the conference.
School (year joined)AwardsSeasons Stetson (1986) 7 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2007, 2011, 2018 Florida Gulf Coast (2008) 5 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2019 Mercer (1979) 5 1979, 1981, 1983, 1994, 2013 Georgia Southern (1979) 4 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987 Florida International (1991) 3 1991, 1995, 1998 UCF (1993) 3 2001, 2002, 2004 Austin Peay (2022) 2 2024, 2025 Jacksonville (1999) 2 2006, 2017 Lipscomb (2004) 2 2022, 2023 North Florida (2006) 2 2015, 2026 Southeastern Louisiana (1992) 2 1992, 1993 Belmont (2002) 1 2003 Campbell (1995) 1 2000 Florida Atlantic (1994) 1 1999 Hardin–Simmons (1979) 1 1982 Jacksonville State (1996) 1 1997 Kennesaw State (2006) 1 2016 Liberty (2019) 1 2021 Nicholls State (1983) 1 1984 Troy (1998) 1 2005 USC Upstate (2008) 1 2012
Pitcher of the Year
The conference's Pitcher of the Year award is given annually to the best pitcher in the ASUN, as chosen by a vote of the conference's coaches at the end of the regular season. The award was first presented in 2004, prior to which pitchers were eligible for the Player of the Year Award.
Five of the award's winners—Florida Gulf Coast's Richard Bleier and Chris Sale, Kennesaw State's Chad Jenkins, Stetson's Corey Kluber, and UCF's Matt Fox—have gone on to pitch in Major League Baseball.
Winners by season Below is a table of the award's winners since it was first awarded in 2004.
SeasonPitcherSchool 2004 Matt Fox UCF 2005 Brent Adcock Troy 2006 Matt Dobbins Jacksonville 2007 Corey Kluber Stetson 2008 Richard Bleier Florida Gulf Coast 2009 Chad Jenkins Kennesaw State 2010 Chris Sale Florida Gulf Coast 2011 Kurt Schluter Stetson 2012 Ricky Knapp Florida Gulf Coast 2013 Kerry Doane East Tennessee State 2014 Michael Murray Florida Gulf Coast 2015 Michael Baumann Jacksonville 2016 Brady Puckett Lipscomb 2017 Logan Gilbert Stetson 2018 2019 Brad Deppermann North Florida2021Trevor DelaiteLiberty2022Tyler ClevelandLipscomb2023Logan Van TreeckEastern Kentucky2024Jesse BarkerAustin Peay2025Jonathan GonzalezStetson2026Evan DempseyFlorida Gulf Coast
Winners by school The following is a table of the schools whose pitchers have won the award, along with the year each school first played ASUN baseball, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School (year joined)AwardsSeasons Florida Gulf Coast (2008) 5 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2026 Stetson (1986) 5 2007, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2025 Jacksonville (1999) 2 2006, 2015 Lipscomb (2004) 2 2016, 2022Austin Peay (2022)12024 East Tennessee State (2006) 1 2013Eastern Kentucky (2021)12023 Kennesaw State (2006) 1 2009Liberty (2019)12021 North Florida (2006) 1 2019 Troy (1997) 1 2005 UCF (1993) 1 2004
Player of the Year
The conference's Player of the Year award is given annually to the best position player in the ASUN, as chosen by a vote of the conference's head coaches at the end of each regular season. It was first awarded in 1982. Until 2004, when the Pitcher of the Year award was instituted, both pitchers and position players were eligible. Before the conference was renamed, the award was known as the Trans America Athletic Conference Player of the Year award from 1982 to 2001.
Two players, both from Stetson, have won the award twice: shortstop Wes Weger in 1991 and 1992 and catcher Chris Westervelt in 2002 and 2004.
Five of the award's winners—Florida Gulf Coast's Jake Noll, Georgia Southern's Todd Greene, Jacksonville's Daniel Murphy, and Stetson's George Tsamis and Kevin Nicholson—have gone on to appear in Major League Baseball.
Winners by season Below is a table of the award's winners since it was first awarded in 1982.
SeasonPlayerPos.School 1982 Frank Millerd OF Mercer 1983 Jack Pool 3B 1984 Ben Abner OF Georgia Southern 1985 Craig Gibson 1B Mercer 1986 Craig Cooper 1B Georgia Southern 1987 Keith Richardson P 1988 Jeff Shireman SS 1989 George Tsamis P Stetson 1990 Todd Greene OF Georgia Southern 1991 Wes Weger SS Stetson 1992 SS 1993 Aaron Iatarola OF 1994 Chuck Beale P 1995 Evan Thomas P Florida International 1996 Jason Glover OF Georgia State 1997 Kevin Nicholson SS Stetson 1998 Sammy Serrano C 1999 Todd Moser P Florida Atlantic 2000 Frank Corr OF Stetson 2001 Justin Pope P UCF 2002 Chris Westervelt C Stetson 2003 Chad Hauseman C Jacksonville 2004 Chris Westervelt C Stetson 2005 Adam Godwin OF Troy 2006 Daniel Murphy 3B Jacksonville 2007 Pete Clifford OF 2008 Jason Peacock 1B Florida Gulf Coast 2009 Jeremy Cruz OF Stetson 2010 Paul Hoilman 1B East Tennessee State 2011 Adam Brett Walker 1B Jacksonville 2012 Gaither Bumgardner OF USC Upstate 2013 Chesny Young 3B Mercer 2014 Max Pentecost C Kennesaw State 2015 Donnie Dewees OF North Florida 2016 Jake Noll 2B Florida Gulf Coast 2017 Nick Rivera DH 2018 Brooks Wilson P/DH Stetson 2019 Jonathan Embry C Liberty 2021 Alex Kachler C North Florida 2022 Matt Higgins OF Bellarmine 2023 Edrick Felix 2B Florida Gulf Coast 2024 Lyle Miller-Green OFAustin Peay 2025 Cameron Nickens OF 2026 Jon Embury C Florida Gulf Coast
Winners by school The following is a table of the schools whose players have won the award, along with the season each school first played ASUN baseball, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School (year joined)AwardsSeasons Stetson (1986) 12 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2018 Florida Gulf Coast (2008) 5 2008, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2026 Georgia Southern (1980) 5 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990 Jacksonville (1999) 4 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011 Mercer (1979) 4 1982, 1983, 1985, 2013 Austin Peay (2022) 2 2024, 2025 North Florida (2006) 2 2015, 2021 Bellarmine (2021) 1 2022 East Tennessee State (2006) 1 2010 Florida Atlantic (1994) 1 1999 Florida International (1991) 1 1995 Georgia State (1984) 1 1996 Kennesaw State (2006) 1 2014 Liberty (2019) 1 2019 Troy (1998) 1 2005 UCF (1993) 1 2001 USC Upstate (2008) 1 2012
Freshman of the Year
The conference's Freshman of the Year award is given annually to the best freshman in the ASUN, as chosen by a vote of the conference's head coaches at the end of each regular season. It was first awarded in 2001. Since the ASUN did not change its name from the TAAC until after that season, the award was known as the Trans America Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year for one season.
Three of the award's recipients—Florida Gulf Coast's Jake Noll, Lipscomb's Rex Brothers, and Stetson's Chris Johnson—went on to play in Major League Baseball.
Winners by season Below is a table of the award's winners since it was first awarded in 2001.