Huskers' Schwellenbach Named College Baseball's Two-Way Player of Year

The Nebraska junior excelled at the plate, on the mound and as an infielder.

Joe Hudson | Jun 16, 2021

Pool photo via SEC Media

Nebraska’s Spencer Schwellenbach was named Wednesday as the 2021 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year.

The 2021 Big Ten Player of the Year and a semifinalist for college baseball's Golden Spikes Award, Schwellenbach was Nebraska's No. 3 hitter all season, started every game at shortstop and served as the team's closer.

Offensively, Schwellenbach ranked in the top 10 in the Big Ten in runs, RBIs and walks and committed just four errors in 186 chances.

The Saginaw, Mich., native took the mound for the first time during his Husker career this season and led the Big Ten with 10 saves. He registered a blistering 0.57 ERA in 31.2 innings over 18 appearances while striking out 34 and allowing just two runs. He pitched a season-high 4.2 innings in Nebraska's win over No. 1 Arkansas at the Fayetteville Regional.

two-way-player-of-year — College Baseball Foundation

The award was started in 2010, and Schwellenbach is the first Husker to be honored with the trophy. Jake Meyers was a finalist in 2017 but lost to three-time winner Brendan McKay from Louisville.

“Every year, the quality of athletes in college baseball makes it harder and harder to narrow down to a winner for this award,” said George Watson, chairman of the selection committee. "Each of our five finalists was deserving of this award. In the end, what set Spencer apart was not only his ability to have an impact in every game for the Cornhuskers, but his leadership in helping guide Nebraska to the top of the Big Ten and a berth in the NCAA postseason.”

The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award is named for the former Washington State standout who had a National College Baseball Hall of Fame career as a first baseman and pitcher during the late 1980s. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation during the virtual Night of Champions event June 26.

Also Wednesday, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association paced Schwellenbach on its third-team All-America squad, and Schwellenbach was named to the Central-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region team.

Published Jun 16, 2021

JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.