SAN FRANCISCO (June 1, 2023) – Washington State Baseball senior Jacob McKeon was named the 2023 Pac-12 Conference Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference office announced Thursday.
 
McKeon, a two-time All-Pac-12 Conference selection and a 2022 Academic All-American, is the program's fourth scholar-athlete of the year and first since 2014. Cougar Baseball's previous winners were pitcher Jayson Miller in 2008, catcher Greg Lagreid in 2009, designated hitter Matt Fanelli in 2010 and outfielder/catcher Collin Slaybaugh in 2014.
 
McKeon, who earned all-league honors last season, excelled in the classroom during every season in Pullman, earning Academic All-America honors last season, is a two-time Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll selection, was named to the Academic All-District Team last month and graduated with a 3.95 GPA while majoring in kinesiology.
 
The designated hitter from Phoenix was named the All-Pac-12 Team for the second straight season, the first Cougar to earn All-Pac-12 honors in back-to-back seasons since pitcher Ian Hamilton in 2014 and 2015. McKeon earned all-league honors as a designated hitter after hitting .341, tied for sixth in the Pac-12 with 18 doubles, added eight home runs, 47 RBI, 52 runs scored and was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts. The senior tallied 21 multiple-hit games including the team's only five-hit game of the season, was second with 14 multiple-RBI games and closed his career with a 30-game on-base streak.
 
In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport's regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12's 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, beach volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's golf, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse, men's rowing, women's rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track & field, women's track & field, women's volleyball, and wrestling. The award was first established during the 2007-08 academic year.

ALSO NOMINATED: Tyler Casagrande, Arizona; Owen Cobb, Stanford; Ben Ferrer, Oregon State.

Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2023 - Jacob McKeon, Washington State
2022 - Alex Williams, Stanford
2021 - Zach Grech, Stanford
2020 - No award
2019 - Mason Cerillo, Washington
2018 - Jack Anderson, Oregon State
2017 - Max Engelbrekt, Oregon State
2016 - Nick Halamandaris, California
2015 - Tyler Davis, Washington
2014 - Collin Slaybaugh, Washington State
2013 - Mark Appel, Stanford
2012 - Andrew Triggs, Stanford
2011 - Chris Metzger, USC
2010 - Matt Fanelli, Washington State
2009 - Greg Lagreid, Washington State
2008 - Jasyon Miller, Washington State