Another Hatter earning national recognition, Stetson's junior shortstop Lorenzo Meola has been named to the 2025 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation. The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented later this year.
Meola, a native of Green Brook, N.J., has been a cornerstone of the Hatters' success this season, contributing to their 27-14 overall record and 16-2 mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play. The junior has started all 41 games at shortstop, batting .340 with 54 hits, including 8 home runs, 6 doubles, and 2 triples. He has driven in 34 RBIs, ranking seventh in the ASUN Conference, and crossed the plate 36 times himself.
In addition to his offensive performance, Meola has been especially clutch, batting .423 with runners in scoring position and driving in 20 RBIs with two outs. He's also drawn 25 walks on the year to contribute to a .429 on-base percentage, while his 8 stolen bases add another dynamic to his game. Meola also leads the team with 18 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games.
On the defensive side, Meola's play has been equally impressive. Recognized as the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and ranking 40th in D1Baseball.com's Top 50 preseason positional rankings, he has established himself as one of the top shortstops in the country. His defensive prowess was even displayed to the nation last week when he made a diving catch against Florida that earned him a spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, coming in at No. 5.
Meola has come up big in critical moments, including a walk-off hit against Mount St. Mary's. He was also named an ASUN Player of the Week earlier this season when he went 9-for-19 including a double and a triple while driving in a team-high seven RBIs.
The 2025 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List recognizes the best shortstops in the country, highlighting players who excel both offensively and defensively. The award is named in honor of former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who tragically passed away from leukemia at the age of 27.
Meola and the Hatters look to stay hot as they turn their attention to the #4 Florida State Seminoles, who they'll face in Tallahassee on Tuesday at 6:00 PM while they continue their road trip.
