Mercer University Athletics

MACON, Ga. – After earning Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman honors in May, Mercer freshman third baseman Jacob Tanis added to his list of postseason awards when he landed a spot on the 2009 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team on Wednesday.

Tanis is the second Mercer Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in as many years, as sophomore leftfielder Joe Winker landed a spot on the team in 2008. The award is chosen by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

"In all my years of coaching that's one of the best freshman year's I've been a part of," Mercer head coach Craig Gibson said. "Had he not dislocated his finger in the middle of the season his numbers would have been even better." 

A native of Peachtree City, Ga., Tanis made an immediate impact on the team in 2009, leading the team in home runs (11) while starting 42 of Mercer’s 46 games at the hot corner and hitting primarily in the cleanup spot. Tanis made a good first impression in his Claude Smith Field debut, blasting two home runs and driving in four RBI in a 9-5 loss against Georgia State.

"Not only did he have a great season, but he did it in the four-spot at the Division I level in his first year of collegiate baseball," Gibson said. "We expect him to do nothing but get better throughout the rest of his career at Mercer."

Tanis ended the season with a .340 batting average, tied for third on the team. His .642 slugging percentage and .448 on-base percentage each ranked second on the squad while his 30 free passes led the team.

Tanis is one of five A-Sun representatives to earn Freshman All-American honors, as Stetson’s Nick Rickles (C) and Mark Jones (2B), ETSU’s Bo Reeder (3B) and Belmont’s Dylan Craig (OF) also made the team.