Cal Poly center fielder Alex McKenna was named Big West Field Player of the Year on Wednesday, according to the Big West’s twitter account. 

#BWCHonors Field Player of the Year – Alex McKenna (@CalPolyStangs):

-1st Mustang since 2014 (Mark Mathias) & 5th overall so named.
-Led BWC in hits (81) & runs (41).
-2nd in BWC TB (121), 3rd in OBP (.424), 5th in BA/SLG (.339/.506).#RideHigh #BWCBaseball #PlayBig ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/fdrZEcQfdB

— Big West Baseball (@BigWestBaseball) May 30, 2018

McKenna is the fifth Mustang to win the award. Mark Mathias won the award in 2014 and Mitch Haniger — currently a member of the Seattle Mariners — also won the award in 2012 while manning centerfield at Baggett. 

In 2018, McKenna led the conference with 81 hits and 51 runs while committing just one error all season. On the year, McKenna hit .339 with 15 doubles, 5 triples, and 5 home runs. In three seasons in San Luis Obispo, McKenna hit .323 with 16 home runs, 32 doubles, 9 triples, and 89 RBIs in 158 games. His career OPS was .874 for the Mustangs. A junior this past season, McKenna figures to be selected in the first 3-5 rounds of the draft next week. 

Another junior, catcher Nick Meyer, earned the Defensive Player of the Year award for the conference.

#BWCHonors Defensive POY – Nick Meyer (@CalPolyStangs):

– 3rd Mustang in 5 years to earn honor (Peter Van Gansen, 2015; Chris Hoo, 2014)
– .984 fielding (395 putouts, 44 assists, 7 errors in 446 chances).
– Earned 2016 BWC Freshman Field POY.#RideHigh #BWCBaseball #PlayBig pic.twitter.com/PYt50PuoVS

— Big West Baseball (@BigWestBaseball) May 30, 2018

Following in the catching footsteps of Chris Hoo, Meyer is Cal Poly’s third ever defensive player of the year. Meyer started behind the plate from day one at Cal Poly, earning the conference’s freshman of the year award two seasons ago. Meyer played his usual stellar defense while taking a step forward at the plate this season. In 2018, Mayer hit .344 with 14 doubles and two triples. His OPS was .836 and, at times during his career, Meyer’s mustache was one of the best in the game. Meyer figures to be the second Mustang selected in the upcoming amateur draft.

Junior Kyle Marinconz — who has played shortstop for most of his time at Cal Poly — and senior Trent Shelton — who emerged as Cal Poly’s Friday night ace in 2018 — were named to the All-Conference second team. 

Freshman infielder Tate Samuelson and freshman pitcher Taylor Dollard earned honorable mention honors along with senior pitcher Austin Dondanville.

#BWCHonors All-Conference from @CalPolyStangs:

Alex McKenna, Nick Meyer (1st Team)
Kyle Marinconz, Trent Shelton (2nd)
Taylor Dollard, Austin Dondanville, Tate Samuelson (HM)#RideHigh #BWCBaseball #PlayBig ⚾️

— Big West Baseball (@BigWestBaseball) May 30, 2018

Big West Release

Cal Poly Release

When Molly Schlemer’s Big West Player of the Year Award was announced, Cal Poly head coach Faith Mimnaugh couldn’t contain her excitement. You can watch it at about 4:50 of the press conference video below, but here’s the quote:

“It was probably one of my all-time favorite basketball moments thus far,” said Schlemer. “I had just got out of practice, and I was sitting on my stool in front of my locker and coach Faith runs in… jumps on the couch, goes ‘Molly got player of the year!’ and then jumps off and runs out.”

“It didn’t hit me until a minute or two after.”

You can find head coach Faith Mimnaugh’s press conference comments here.

Schlemer became the fourth consecutive Big West Women’s player of the year from Cal Poly, following Kristina Santiago (2009-10 and 2011-12) and Rachel Clancy (2010-11). The junior center from Santa Maria, who didn’t even make her high school all-conference team as a senior, has now been recognized as the best player in the Big West.

“I was really excited for Molly but also for the team because in my experience in coaching it’s the team that wins that award. If we hadn’t finished in first place I don’t think Rachel Clancy would have won the award… because the team did well,” said Mimnaugh. “As you heard from Molly, she recognizes that her achievement is a direct result of having great teammates around her, unselfish teammates around her, but also she worked her butt off to put herself in that position.”

Molly Schlemer earned Big West Player of the Year honors this week. By David Livingston

Schlemer was joined on the all-conference team by Jonae Ervin, Ariana Elegado, and Kayla Griffin, all of whom earned Honorable Mention praise. Griffin also earned the hustle award, becoming the fourth Mustang to earn the award.

On the men’s side, forward Chris Eversley was awarded first-team all-Conference for his outstanding play. Eversley led Cal Poly to their best-ever conference record and an undefeated conference season at home.

With less than a minute remaining and the final regular season game in the balance on Saturday night versus Cal State Fullerton, Eversley got the ball at the top of the key, drove, and scored on a left-handed Gervin-like finger-roll to help seal the victory and his spot as one of the top players in the Big West.

Both Cal Poly teams now look toward Anaheim and the Honda Center.

The men will play on Thursday at 2:30 against UC Davis, with whom they split the season series. In Davis, Corey Hawkins threw in a last-second shot to give the Aggies the win and the Mustangs their first conference loss. Cal Poly avenged themselves in San Luis Obispo, winning 68-53 in a game played mostly without Eversley, who injured himself in the game. The men’s bracket re-seeds after the first round.

On the women’s side, Cal Poly earned a bye into the semifinals on Friday at 2:30. For the most up-to-date information visit www.bigwest.org and www.gopoly.com.

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