Washington, USC, Maryland, Oregon Earn Baseball Weekly Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its baseball weekly awards for games played March 2-8, 2026.

Player of the Week
Colton Bower, Washington
R-Jr. – C – Poulsbo, Wash. – Washington State (NCAA)

• Compiled a 2.220 OPS and a 1.636 slugging percentage to help Washington to a series win at Indiana on the opening weekend of Big Ten competition
• Batted .545 (6-for-11) with three home runs and 7 RBI
• Became just the second player in program history to hit three homers in a game on March 3
• Made 22 putouts behind the plate, fielding 1.000 for the week
• Last Huskie named Big Ten Player of the Week: AJ Guerrero (April 28, 2025)

Pitcher of the Week
Mason Edwards, USC
Jr. – S-LHP – Los Angeles, Calif. – Palisades Charter HS

• Posted his fourth-consecutive scoreless outing with a six-inning effort for No. 20 USC in a 4-0 win over Illinois on Friday
• Fanned 11 batters for the third-straight game and allowed two hits, both coming in the fourth inning when he got out of a bases-loaded jam
• Held the Fighting Illini to a .091 batting average to keep USC undefeated on the season
• Owns a 0.00 ERA with three hits allowed and 42 strikeouts in 24 innings this year
• Captures his second-straight Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Award

Co-Freshman of the Week
Ryan Costello, Maryland
R-Fr. – 1B/OF – Howell, N.J. – LSU (NCAA)

• Sported a .438 average, going 7-for-16 over four games while playing at first base, right field and at DH as Maryland went 3-1 on the week
• Produced a .550 on-base percentage with three home runs and 17 total bases
• Hit go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 7-6 comeback win at Troy
• Ranks tied for ninth in the NCAA with nine home runs
• Last Terrapin chosen Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Paul Jones II (May 12, 2025)

Co-Freshman of the Week
Angel Laya, Oregon
Fr. – OF – San Diego, Calif. – Eastlake HS

• Recorded a 1.133 slugging percentage and 1.633 OPS over four games
• Generated three home runs with seven RBI and 17 total bases
• Helped 10th-ranked Oregon to a pair of Big Ten wins at Purdue, going 4-for-5 with four runs and four RBI in the series finale
• Has struck out just three times in 61 plate appearances this season
• Earns his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor on the year
  

Team rankings are the highest position listed among the five polls: Baseball America, D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game, USA Today

2026 Big Ten Baseball Weekly Awards
Feb. 16
PL: Jackson Freeman, Jr., OF, NU
P: Grant Govel, So., S-RHP, USC
F: Angel Laya, Fr., OF, ORE

Feb. 23
PL: Will Gasparino, Jr., CF, UCLA
P: Wylan Moss, So., R-RHP, UCLA
F: AJ Putty, Fr., 1B, ILL

March 2
PL: Weber Neels, Sr., C, MINN
P: Mason Edwards, Jr., S-LHP, USC
F: Brayden Ricketts, R-Fr., DH, IND

March 9
PL: Colton Bower, Jr., C, WASH
P: Mason Edwards, Jr., S-LHP, USC
F: Ryan Costello, R-Fr., 1B/OF, MD
F: Angel Laya, Fr., OF, ORE