Completed Event: Baseball at Stanford on May 9, 2025 , Win , 4, to, 3
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wilson named WAC Player of Year
5/20/2024 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Wallis wins 2nd straight WAC Coach of Year
Grand Canyon led All-WAC recognition for the sixth straight season by collecting 10 different awards, headlined by Tyler Wilson being named the WAC Player of the Year and Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis earning WAC Coach of the Year.
In addition to the two major awards, GCU landed three players on the All-WAC first team, one on the All-WAC second team and four on the All-WAC defensive teams.
After Wallis became the first rookie head coach in the history of the WAC to be named the conference's coach of the year last year, he repeated winning the honor in 2024 after the Lopes won the conference's regular season with a five-game margin over the other challengers.
On the first team, GCU landed: Wilson (outfielder), Isaac Lyon (starting pitcher) and Beau Ankeney (designated hitter).
Senior outfielder Cade Verdusco was a second-team selection.
GCU earned four spots on the WAC All-Defensive teams: Verdusco, Emilio Barreras (shortstop), Eddy Pelc (outfielder) and Alton Gyselman (catcher).
ÂTyler Wilson, WACÂ Player of the Year, First-Team All-WAC (Outfielder)
Wilson became GCU's first player to win WAC Player of the Year since Quin Cotton in 2018. A .405 hitter in conference play, Wilson led the WAC. He was in the conference's top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, runs scored, RBIs, doubles and home runs. He hit .300 or better for his fourth consecutive college season.
Gregg Wallis, WAC Coach of the Year
Wallis won the award for the second straight year after winning the conference for the second straight year. Wallis' Lopes won the league by five games and clinched before the final weekend of action. GCU has gone 45-14 (.763) in WAC games under Wallis' direction. The Lopes finished with one more win in WAC play than they did last season. GCU won all 10 of its conference series in 2024, extending a series win streak to 15 dating back to last season.
Isaac Lyon, First-Team All-WAC (Starting Pitcher)
Lyon finished WAC play with a 5-1 record and was one off the conference lead for wins. In back-to-back starts against Utah Tech and Seattle U on April 21 and 27, Lyon struck out eight and nine batters, respectively. His 2.73 ERA ranked sixth in the WAC. He struck out 51 batters during conference play to rank in the WAC's top five.
Beau Ankeney, First-Team All-WAC (Designated Hitter)
Ankeney had nine extra-base hits in conference play for the Lopes. Overall, he hit .298 with 10 home runs, eight doubles and 27 RBIs. Ankeney burst onto the scene with a two-homer game on MLB Network to help the Lopes defeat USC. That set the tone for a strong junior campaign for Ankeney who ended the year with first-team honors.
Cade Verdusco, Second-Team All-WAC (Outfielder), WAC All-Defensive First Team
Verdusco continued playing top-tier defense in the Lopes' outfield. He hit .327 on the season and stole six bases. Verdusco also walked 12 times and reached eight times after being hit by pitch for a .407 on-base percentage. The senior has started at least 35 games in all four of his seasons at GCU, accumulating 182 hits, 89 RBIs, 137 runs and 45 extra-base hits. He has made the seamless move from right field to center field in 2024.
Emilio Barreras, WAC All-Defensive First Team (Shortstop)
Barreras manned shortstop for 29 of the Lopes' 30 conference games. He was a part of 16 double plays and committed just five errors in 113 chances in WAC play. Although his recognition came on the defensive side of the ball, Barreras also had a standout season in conference play from the batter's box. His .357 WAC batting average ranked fourth among Lopes players and eighth in the league. He drove in 20 runs and scored 20 more.
Eddy Pelc, WAC All-Defensive First Team (Outfielder)
Pelc played strong defense in the Lopes' outfield to go along with his hot bat. Pelc played both right field and center field for the Lopes. In 109 chances, he committed only one error. His defense went alongside his offensive performances, where he ranked in the WAC's top five in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs and walks drawn.
Alton Gyselman, WAC All-Defensive Second Team (Catcher)
Gyselman started 27 of the Lopes' 30 games behind home plate in conference play. On the season, he committed just one error in 403 chances and caught 13 runners stealing.
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In addition to the two major awards, GCU landed three players on the All-WAC first team, one on the All-WAC second team and four on the All-WAC defensive teams.
After Wallis became the first rookie head coach in the history of the WAC to be named the conference's coach of the year last year, he repeated winning the honor in 2024 after the Lopes won the conference's regular season with a five-game margin over the other challengers.
On the first team, GCU landed: Wilson (outfielder), Isaac Lyon (starting pitcher) and Beau Ankeney (designated hitter).
Senior outfielder Cade Verdusco was a second-team selection.
GCU earned four spots on the WAC All-Defensive teams: Verdusco, Emilio Barreras (shortstop), Eddy Pelc (outfielder) and Alton Gyselman (catcher).
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Tyler Wilson, WACÂ Player of the Year, First-Team All-WAC (Outfielder)
Wilson became GCU's first player to win WAC Player of the Year since Quin Cotton in 2018. A .405 hitter in conference play, Wilson led the WAC. He was in the conference's top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, runs scored, RBIs, doubles and home runs. He hit .300 or better for his fourth consecutive college season.
Gregg Wallis, WAC Coach of the Year
Wallis won the award for the second straight year after winning the conference for the second straight year. Wallis' Lopes won the league by five games and clinched before the final weekend of action. GCU has gone 45-14 (.763) in WAC games under Wallis' direction. The Lopes finished with one more win in WAC play than they did last season. GCU won all 10 of its conference series in 2024, extending a series win streak to 15 dating back to last season.
Isaac Lyon, First-Team All-WAC (Starting Pitcher)
Lyon finished WAC play with a 5-1 record and was one off the conference lead for wins. In back-to-back starts against Utah Tech and Seattle U on April 21 and 27, Lyon struck out eight and nine batters, respectively. His 2.73 ERA ranked sixth in the WAC. He struck out 51 batters during conference play to rank in the WAC's top five.
Beau Ankeney, First-Team All-WAC (Designated Hitter)
Ankeney had nine extra-base hits in conference play for the Lopes. Overall, he hit .298 with 10 home runs, eight doubles and 27 RBIs. Ankeney burst onto the scene with a two-homer game on MLB Network to help the Lopes defeat USC. That set the tone for a strong junior campaign for Ankeney who ended the year with first-team honors.
Cade Verdusco, Second-Team All-WAC (Outfielder), WAC All-Defensive First Team
Verdusco continued playing top-tier defense in the Lopes' outfield. He hit .327 on the season and stole six bases. Verdusco also walked 12 times and reached eight times after being hit by pitch for a .407 on-base percentage. The senior has started at least 35 games in all four of his seasons at GCU, accumulating 182 hits, 89 RBIs, 137 runs and 45 extra-base hits. He has made the seamless move from right field to center field in 2024.
Emilio Barreras, WAC All-Defensive First Team (Shortstop)
Barreras manned shortstop for 29 of the Lopes' 30 conference games. He was a part of 16 double plays and committed just five errors in 113 chances in WAC play. Although his recognition came on the defensive side of the ball, Barreras also had a standout season in conference play from the batter's box. His .357 WAC batting average ranked fourth among Lopes players and eighth in the league. He drove in 20 runs and scored 20 more.
Eddy Pelc, WAC All-Defensive First Team (Outfielder)
Pelc played strong defense in the Lopes' outfield to go along with his hot bat. Pelc played both right field and center field for the Lopes. In 109 chances, he committed only one error. His defense went alongside his offensive performances, where he ranked in the WAC's top five in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs and walks drawn.
Alton Gyselman, WAC All-Defensive Second Team (Catcher)
Gyselman started 27 of the Lopes' 30 games behind home plate in conference play. On the season, he committed just one error in 403 chances and caught 13 runners stealing.Â
Major WAC awards |
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| Award | Player | School |
| Player of the Year | Tyler Wilson | Grand Canyon |
| Pitcher of the Year | Brett Lanman | Abilene Christian |
| Freshman of the Year | Brett Lanman | Abilene Christian |
| Coach of the Year | Gregg Wallis | Grand Canyon |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Josh Paino | California Baptist |
Players Mentioned
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UTIL
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