A defensive milestone
Nick Lewis, a left‑handed pitcher from Washington State, has been awarded the 2026 ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove, the premier honor for defensive excellence in college baseball. The accolade underscores his extraordinary fielding skills and places him among the elite defensive players in the nation.
Lewis earned the prize after a head‑to‑head contest with finalists Ruger Riojas of Texas and Eric Segura from Oregon State. His selection marks the first time a Cougar pitcher has received All‑Region honors since 1993, a milestone that highlights the program’s rising profile.
The achievement follows in the footsteps of third baseman Paul Gran, the only previous Gold Glove winner for Washington State, who captured the award in 2008. The Gold Glove tradition began in 2007, making Lewis’s recognition a notable moment in the school’s defensive history.
Beyond the individual prize, Lewis was named the 2026 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year, the first such honor for a WSU pitcher in school history, and earned spots on both the ABCA All‑West Region Second Team and the all‑tournament teams at the conference tournament and the Eugene NCAA Regional.
He finished the season with a 10‑2 record and a 2.97 ERA over 100 innings, the first ten‑win pitcher for the Cougars since 2000. Defensively, he posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage across 25 chances, recorded 22 assists, three putouts and six pickoffs, showcasing a rare blend of pitching and fielding excellence.
Washington State’s campaign also delivered historic team achievements: a 31‑28 record, the most wins since the 2010 season, a Mountain West Tournament championship—the first since 1976—and a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years, underscoring the broader impact of Lewis’s contributions.