FORT MYERS, Fla. - Florida Gulf Coast University's Evan Dempsey has been named the 2025 John Olerud National Two-Way Player of the Year as announced by the College Baseball Foundation Friday morning in Overland Park, Kansas.

"I'm honored to win the John Olerud Award. He is a two-time World Series champion and was an incredible all-around player," said Dempsey. "I'd like to thank my family, my coaches and my teammates for helping me to win this award. To win the same award that players like Paul Skenes and Jac Caglianone have won before me is pretty special."

"Evan is a special kind of player that only comes around once or twice in a coach's career," FGCU head coach Dave Tollett said. "I am incredibly proud of him for being named the winner of the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year award. He is a true throwback. He would rather play this game 365 days a year. That's how much he loves it. He's the kind of player that can do it all – pitching, hitting and defense – and more importantly, he does it all with grit."

"We could not be more pleased to name Evan Dempsey as our winner of the 2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award," Olerud Award chairman George Watson said. "Evan's selflessness to help his team in whatever capacity he can, and his competitive spirit to put his teammates on his back, when needed, exemplify all the qualities we look for in our winners. Not only that, Evan is a leader both on and off the field and will be a key contributor as the Eagles look to build on the momentum gained from a tremendous run in 2025. We are honored to have Evan join our distinguished list of Olerud Award honorees."

The award is named for 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 College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. 

A Tampa native, Dempsey was selected for the award after a standout season for the Eagles as both a right-handed pitcher and an outfielder. Dempsey earned first-team Atlantic Sun Conference honors for his work on the mound and second-team ASUN honors as an outfielder.

Dempsey was 5-1 this season with a 1.97 ERA. He pitched in 15 games, including making 10 starts. Dempsey logged 68.2 innings, striking out 75 and walking 20. Of the 57 hits he allowed this season, only six of them went for extra-bases. He held opposing batters to a .225 batting average. In his final start of the season, on just four days rest, Dempsey worked five innings and led FGCU to a 6-5 win over Stetson University to clinch a share of the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.

As an outfielder, Dempsey played in all 60 of FGCU's games, starting in 59 of those. He posted a .309 batting average, tallying 71 hits, including 18 doubles and three home runs, for a .435 slugging percentage. Dempsey scored 41 runs and racked up 30 RBIs. He was also a perfect 14-for-14 on stolen bases on the season, tying for the team lead.

In the field, Dempsey committed only one error on 99 chances, earning 86 putouts and 12 assists, with two coming from the outfield. His fielding percentage was .990. 

As a freshman, Dempsey pitched in just six games but was intended to be a big piece of their bullpen this season as a sophomore. However, through the course of non-conference and into ASUN play, FGCU lost all three starting pitchers to injury, Coach Tollett went to Dempsey to ask him to move into the starting rotation, He was more than happy to do so. FGCU started 1-7 in the ASUN, but once they moved Dempsey to the starting role, Coach Tollett said their turnaround began. Starting with Dempsey's win over North Florida in his first start on March 29, FGCU went 15-7 in conference play and earned the No. 3 seed from the Graphite Division for the ASUN tournament. There, FGCU went 5-1 to finish tied with Stetson for the ASUN Tournament title. Unfortunately, because Stetson and FGCU finished with 1-1 records against each other in the tournament, Stetson was awarded the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament per ASUN policy after weather cancelled the championship game between the two schools.

"He has a team first mentality," Coach Tollett said. "When we needed him the most, he didn't flinch. He just said, 'Whatever you need, coach,' and he delivered in all aspects. I truly feel he's the best player in the country and he deserves every bit of this recognition. He has earned it with his talent, his work ethic and his loyalty. We are fortunate to have him here at FGCU. I truly believe the best is ahead of him."

Jac Caglianone of the University of Florida was the 2024 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year. Caglianone made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals earlier this month.

For more information on the Olerud Award, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at www.collegebaseballhall.org.

2025 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Recipients
Year - Name, Positions, Class, School
2025 - Evan Dempsey, OF/RHP, Sophomore, Florida Gulf Coast 
2024 – Jac Caglianone, LHP/1B, Junior, Florida
2023 – Caden Grice, LHP/1B/DH, Junior, Clemson
2022 – Paul Skenes, RHP/C, Sophomore, Air Force 
2021 – Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP/SS, Junior, Nebraska
2020 – Not Awarded (Season Suspended)
2019 – Aaron Schunk, 3B/RHP, Junior, Georgia
2018 – Brooks Wilson, RHP/DH/1B, Senior, Stetson
2017 – Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Junior, Louisville
2016 – Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Sophomore, Louisville
2015 – Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Freshman, Louisville
2014 – A.J. Reed, 1B/LHP, Junior, Kentucky
2013 – Marco Gonzales, LHP/1B, Junior Gonzaga
2012 – Brian Johnson, LHP/DH, Junior, Florida
2011 – Danny Hultzen, LHP/1B/OF, Junior, Virginia
2010 – Mike McGee, RHP/OF, Junior, Florida State