American Conference baseball awards


At the end of each regular season, the American Athletic Conference names major award winners in baseball. Currently, it names a Coach, Pitcher, Player, and Freshman of the Year. The selections are determined by a vote of the conference's coaches at the end of each regular season. The awards were first given out in 2014, the conference's first season of competition.

Coach of the Year

In 2014, UCF head coach Terry Rooney was chosen as the conference's best coach. In the regular season, UCF went 34-22 to finish second in the conference.

Winners by season

Below is a table of the award's winners.
SeasonCoachSchoolConf. Overall
2014Terry RooneyUCF17–7 36–23
2015Cliff GodwinEast Carolina15–9 36–20
2016Jim PendersConnecticut14–9 38–25
2017Greg LoveladyUCF15–9 40–22
2018Todd WhittingHouston16–8 38–25
2019Cliff GodwinEast Carolina20–4 47–18
2020none- none -
2021Cliff GodwinEast Carolina20-8 44-17
2022Cliff GodwinEast Carolina20–4 46-21

Winners by school

The following is a table of the schools whose coaches have won the award, along with the year each school joined the conference, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School AwardsSeasons
Connecticut 12016
East Carolina 42015, 2019, 2021, 2022
Houston 12018
UCF 22014, 2017

Pitcher of the Year

In 2014, UCF's Eric Skoglund was chosen as the conference's best pitcher. In the regular season, the junior went 9-2 with a 2.04 ERA and 92 strikeouts. After the season, he was selected in the third round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals.

Winners by season

Below is a table of the award's winners.
SeasonPitcherSchool
2014Eric SkoglundUCF
2015Carson CrossConnecticut
2016Anthony KayConnecticut
2017Trey CumbieHouston
2017Robby HowellUCF
2018Aaron FletcherHouston
2019Jake AgnosEast Carolina
2020- none -
2021Gavin WilliamsEast Carolina
2022Carter SpiveyEast Carolina
2023Dalton FowlerMemphis

Winners by school

The following is a table of the schools whose players have won the award, along with the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School AwardsSeasons
East Carolina 32019, 2021, 2022
Connecticut 22015, 2016
Houston 22017, 2018
UCF 22014, 2017
Memphis 12023

Player of the Year

In 2014, Jeff Gardner was chosen as the conference's best player. Gardner had been selected as the Preseason Player of the Year, and in the regular season, he led the conference in slugging percentage, runs batted in, and total bases. After the season, he was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 8th round of the 2014 MLB draft.

Winners by season

Below is a table of the award's winners.

Winners by school

The following is a table of the schools whose players have won the award, along with the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School AwardsSeasons
Cincinnati 22015, 2022
East Carolina 22018, 2021
Tulane 22017, 2019
Connecticut 12016
Houston 12017
Louisville 12014
Wichita State 12023

Newcomer Pitcher of the Year

In 2014, the Newcomer Pitcher of the Year award was shared by Houston pitcher Andrew Lantrip and Rutgers pitcher Gaby Rosa. Lantrip, as a midweek starter, went 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in the regular season; Rosa went 6-2 with a 2.28 ERA. In the summer of 2014, Lantrip played for the California Collegiate League's Santa Barbara Foresters, and Rosa played for the Staten Island Tide of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League.

Winners by season

Below is a table of the award's winners.

Winners by school

The following is a table of the schools whose players have won the award, along with the year each school joined the conference, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School AwardsSeasons
Houston 32014, 2015, 2019
Connecticut 22016, 2017
Wichita State 22021, 2023
East Carolina 12018
Memphis 12022
Rutgers 12014

Newcomer Position Player of the Year

Winners by season

Below is a table of the Newcomer Position Player of the Year award's winners.

Winners by school

The following is a table of the schools whose coaches have won the award, along with the year each school joined the conference, the number of times it has won the award, and the years in which it has done so.
School AwardsSeasons
Houston 22016, 2023
Connecticut 12018
12019
Tulane 12021
UCF 12017
Wichita State 12022