AMERICUS, Ga. — The Georgia Southwestern State University baseball program was well represented in the 2026 Peach Belt Conference postseason awards, highlighted by Evan Koehler earning Pitcher of the Year and Johnny Nutt being named Freshman of the Year, the league announced Thursday.

In total, the Hurricanes placed six players on the All-PBC teams, with Evan Wainman, Koehler, and Cooper Sain earning First Team All-Conference honors, while Devon Murphy, Nutt, and Kelsen Johnson were named to the Second Team.

Koehler's selection as Pitcher of the Year marks the sixth time in the last seven seasons that Georgia Southwestern has claimed the award, continuing the program's dominance on the mound. Nutt's recognition as Freshman of the Year is a first in program history, signaling the emergence of another frontline arm for the Hurricanes.

Koehler Named Pitcher of the Year

A senior from Orange City, Fla., Koehler turned in one of the most dominant seasons in Division II, finishing 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA over 87 2/3 innings.

He led the Peach Belt Conference in strikeouts (114), strikeouts looking (34), and innings pitched, while ranking second in ERA and opposing batting average (.215) and tying for third in wins.

On the national stage, Koehler leads NCAA Division II in strikeouts, holding a margin of 20 more than the next closest pitcher, and ranks fifth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.33).

Nutt Earns Freshman of the Year

Nutt, a freshman from Fitzgerald, Ga., delivered an impressive debut campaign, going 6-2 with a 3.72 ERA across 75 innings.

Five of his wins came in conference play, with his sixth coming against then No. 1 Tampa. He ranks fourth in the PBC in innings pitched, fifth in ERA, tied for fifth in fewest earned runs allowed (31), sixth in wins, and eighth in strikeouts (53). Nutt was named the PBC Freshman of the Week for four consecutive weeks earlier in the season. 

First Team All-Conference Selections

Evan Wainman (DH), a senior from Lithia, Fla., was one of the league's top power bats. In conference games, he ranked second in home runs (8) while finishing fifth overall in slugging percentage (.612) and sixth in OPS (1.054).

Koehler added First Team honors to his Pitcher of the Year recognition, while Cooper Sain, a graduate student from Cherryville, N.C., earned a spot as a relief pitcher after posting four saves and a 2.00 ERA in PBC play.

Second Team All-Conference Selections

Devon Murphy, a junior from LaGrange, Ga., enjoyed a breakout season, ranking second in the PBC in runs scored (40) and seventh in OPS (1.098) in league play. Overall, he ranks fourth in the conference in doubles (18) and RBIs (58), while batting .350 on the season.

Nutt also earned Second Team recognition, while Kelsen Johnson, a redshirt junior from Lithia, Fla., was honored at second base. Johnson is second on the team in on-base percentage (.448) and is tied for the PBC lead in walks (38). He has recorded 19 multi-hit games, including a current stretch of four straight conference games and five overall.

Georgia Southwestern's six All-Conference selections and two major awards highlight another strong season for the Hurricanes, as the program continues to establish itself among the elite in the Peach Belt Conference.