A Rising Star in College Baseball
Wes Mendes, a junior left‑handed pitcher for Florida State, has been crowned the ACC Scholar‑Athlete of the Year, a distinction that underscores his dual excellence on the mound and in the classroom.
Hailing from Tampa, Florida, Mendes combines a 4.00 GPA with a stellar 40‑19 record that helped the Seminoles secure a third straight season with at least 40 wins, a feat that has become a hallmark of the program.
His performance earned him a suite of honors: five All‑America selections, the ACC Pitcher of the Year award, and a place on D1Baseball’s First Team, while his academic standing placed him among just eleven Seminoles named to the All‑ACC Academic Team.
Mendes’ impact extended beyond individual accolades; he was named to the ABCA Southeast All‑Region First Team, collected CSC Academic All‑District honors, and reached the semifinals for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the National Pitcher of the Year award.
The 2026 campaign saw the Seminoles finish third in the ACC with a 19‑11 conference slate and eight series victories, culminating in the team hosting an NCAA Regional for the 38th time in program history — one of only three schools to achieve that distinction over the past three years.
Florida State University, a public institution located in Tallahassee, continues to leverage such standout student‑athletes to reinforce its reputation for competitive athletics and academic rigor.