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'The best player in college baseball': Charlie Condon wins Dick Howser trophy, named National Player of The Year

The potential No. 1 overall pick is the first UGA player to ever receive the honor.

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia baseball's Charlie Condon is officially the current best player in college baseball.

The redshirt sophomore, who stands atop the Bulldogs and all of college baseball’s record books for home runs, was awarded the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy as the nation’s top Division I baseball player on Thursday.

Condon was previously named the SEC Player of The Year among several other honors and has now added another following a spectacular season. He’s the first Georgia player to ever receive the honor.

“This is a very prestigious award, and it's been fun being around the people associated with the Dick Howser Trophy and the Howser family," Condon said. "It meant a lot to be up for the award and now also to win it. I've said before it's an individual recognition, but it comes from a big support staff including family, teammates and coaches from Georgia and a loving group in Athens. I'm honored to bring the award back to represent the University of Georgia.”

He beat out several top collegiate players including second baseman Travis Bazzana from Oregon State, pitcher Hagan Smith from Arkansas, pitcher Chase Burns from Wake Forest and first baseman and pitcher Jac Caglianone from Florida. 

The 2023 Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist couldn't crack the finalist list last year, but won the whole award this season. 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes won the award last year. If Condon is selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft, it would be two straight years of Dick Howser Trophy winners being selected first.

Condon is currently a finalist for Bobby Bragan Slugger of the Year and the Golden Spikes Award — another award given to the top player in college baseball. He’s a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award alongside Bazzana and Smith, which will be announced on Saturday, June 22. 

RELATED: Georgia baseball Charlie Condon in line for Golden Spikes Award, could achieve history

He, just this week, was also named Player of the Year by Baseball America, Perfect Game and earned First Team All-American nods by multiple outlets and organizations.

The 6-foot-6, 216-pound, Marietta native finished his 2024 season leading the NCAA in batting average at .443, slugging percentage at 1.009, total bases at 233, OPS at 1.565 and home runs at 37, which is a NCAA and UGA record. He is also third nationally in on base percentage at .566 — two spots behind teammate Corey Collins.

The third baseman, first baseman and outfielder posted a team-high 57 walks and received an absurd 28 intentional walks. He had seven multi-run home run games and hit home runs in eight straight games, which was one game shy of an NCAA record.

Both Condon and Georgia head coach Wes Johnson are currently in Omaha, Nebraska to accept the award. He’ll receive the award at a press conference on Friday morning at Charles Schwab Stadium. His name will also be inscribed into the copper plate on the trophy itself.

"It's an extreme honor for Charlie to be the Dick Howser Trophy winner," Johnson said. "You think about it, 300 teams in college baseball, and all the players on every team and to be recognized as the best player in college baseball in that pool is hard to describe and to put into words. What he's done for the University of Georgia and our baseball program in a short time is unrivaled.”

The award is given in memory of former Florida State All-American shortstop, major league player and manager Dick Howser, who died of brain cancer in 1987. According to Major League Baseball’s website, the trophy is given to the best player in college baseball and is likened to the Heisman Trophy in football.

The two-time All American was key for the Bulldogs reaching their highest placement in the NCAA Tournament since 2008. He, under Johnson’s first year as a head coach, and his teammates like Collins, were a game shy from playing in Omaha, instead of just being there to accept the award.

While one game away from playing in the 2024 College Baseball World Series, the Bulldogs still had one of its best seasons in decades. The team finished 43-17, largely thanks in large part to one of, if not the best player in Georgia baseball history.

“The great thing about Charlie is you always hope your best player is a great human being, who is caring and a great teammate, and how important it is to develop yourself and your teammates through leadership and hard work,” Johnson said. “Charlie checks all those boxes. It's an experience I'll never forget, and for the rest of my coaching career, I would bet I'll never have another Charlie Condon. For me, it's a season I'll never forget, and I'm one of Charlie Condon's biggest fans (for the) the rest of his life."

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