Kyle Lewis wins Gregg Olson Award

MACON, Ga. (MERCER ATHLETICS) – Mercer University sophomore Kyle Lewis added another national honor to his 2015 awards haul, as he was named a co-winner of the 2015 Gregg Olson Award presented by Toolshed Sports on Wednesday evening.

Lewis received the honor just 24 hours before he is slated to participate in the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby in Omaha, as he joins National Player of the Year Andrew Benintendi of Arkansas as a co-winner of the award.

The award, which is named in honor of former All-American and Major League Baseball All-Star Gregg Olson, is given to college baseball’s breakout player of the year that elevates his game to an elite level throughout the season.

Lewis burst onto the scene in his first campaign as a full-time starter, putting together one of the best individual seasons at the plate in recent memory. The 2015 Southern Conference Player of the Year fell just shy of the league’s triple crown in 2015, topping the conference in batting average (.367) and home runs (17) while finishing fifth in RBIs (56).

The Snellville, Ga., native was awarded for his breakout season, as he earned All-America honors from Louisville Slugger (Collegiate Baseball), National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game while also garnering Rawlings/ABCA All-Region recognition. Lewis, who also led the SoCon in slugging percentage and total bases, posted 28 multiple-hit performances and 15 multiple-RBI efforts this season.

Lewis to Compete in College Home Run Derby

Lewis earned an invitation to participate in the sixth annual TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby on Thursday, July 2. The event, which features eight of college baseball’s top sluggers, will be shown live from TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET.