Marsh and Blair Garner CUSA Honors; Joined by Three Flames on All-Conference Team
5/19/2026 12:52:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty shortstop Tanner Marsh was named the CUSA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while right-hander Ben Blair was selected the CUSA Pitcher of the Year, as Conference USA announced its 2026 baseball awards and all-conference teams this afternoon.
Selected by the conference's head coaches, the two were joined by outfielder Nick Barone, starting pitcher Bradley Zayac and relief pitcher Cooper Harrington on the CUSA All-Conference teams. Marsh, Blair and Barone were each named to the first team. Zayac and Harrington were selected to the second team.
Marsh becomes the sixth Flame to be named conference player of the year. The junior joins Jonathan Embry (2019 – ASUN), D.J. Artis (2017 – Big South), Ryan Seiz (2014 – Big South), Keith Butler (2000 – Big South) and Jason Benham (1998 – Big South) as Liberty players who have won a conference player of the year award.
Meanwhile, Blair becomes the fourth Flame to be selected conference pitcher of the year. The junior right-hander joins Trevor DeLaite (2021- ASUN), Jared Lyons (2015 – Big South) and Trey Lambert (2014 – Big South) as Liberty pitchers who have won a conference pitcher of the year award.
The Flames' five all-conference selections are the most for Liberty in its three seasons in the CUSA.
Honoree Capsules
Tanner Marsh (Jr., SS, Asheboro, N.C.)
CUSA Player of the Year, CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, CUSA All-Conference first team
One of the 50 of the nation's best shortstops to be named a 2026 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist by the College Baseball Foundation, Marsh has sparked the Liberty offense this season.
The junior, who has started every game in his Liberty career, leads the Flames with a .341 batting average and 63 runs scored. Liberty's leadoff hitter also leads the Flames with 78 hits, 15 doubles, five triples, 22 stolen bases and 22 multi-hit games. Marsh enters the week with 43 RBI, five home runs, a .513 slugging percentage, 38 walks and a .430 on-base percentage.
Defensively, the shortstop has committed seven errors in 223 chances for a .969 fielding percentage. Marsh is currently second in Conference USA with 133 assists. He enters the CUSA Baseball Championship eighth nationally and tops in CUSA among shortstops with 11.79 Defensive Runs Saved.
The shortstop is among the CUSA leaders in several offensive categories. He currently leads the conference in runs scored and hits. Marsh is also among the leaders in batting average (5th), triples (2nd), walks (9th) and stolen bases (4th). In addition, Marsh tops CUSA with 3.42 Wins Above Replacement.
Ben Blair (Jr., RHP, Gretna, Va.)
CUSA Pitcher of the Year, CUSA All-Conference first team
This season, Blair became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. A 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team member, the junior right-hander also appeared on the National Pitcher of the Year Watchlist for the second time in his career this season.
The CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Blair has posted a 6-5 record with a 3.87 ERA over 81 1/3 innings. In 14 starts, he has struck out 102 and walked 12, while holding opponents to a .225 batting average. He boasts a stellar 8.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a 1.33 walks allowed per nine innings average and a 1.00 WHIP.
Blair enters this week's CUSA Baseball Championship among the national leaders in several categories. The junior is fifth in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 14th in WHIP. He is also among the national leaders in strikeouts (22nd) and walks allowed per nine innings (12th).
The right-hander, who has already been named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week three times this season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23), leads the conference in strikeouts. He is also among the league leaders in wins (tied 2nd), ERA (8th), innings pitched (2nd), opponent batting average (7th) and fewest walks issued (2nd).
Blair's 102 strikeouts tie him for third on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he enters the week with 238 career strikeouts. The total is currently fifth on Liberty's career strikeout list.
Nick Barone (Sr., OF, Montoursville, Pa.)
CUSA All-Conference first team
Barone enters the week hitting .313 with a team-high 50 RBI and has scored 45 runs. The outfielder has hit a team-leading 10 home runs and leads the Flames with a .558 slugging percentage. He has 13 doubles and five triples, while posting a .408 on-base percentage and stealing 19 bases.
Barone hit three home runs in a game in a 17-7 win at Duke on April 14. He became the first Flame to hit three in a game since Brady Gulakowski hit three in a win over North Florida at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium on April 22, 2022.
The senior is among the CUSA leaders in RBI (8th), triples (3rd) and stolen bases (10th). For the second consecutive year, Barone has hit 10 or more home runs and driven in 50 or more RBI.
Bradley Zayac (So., RHP, Chesapeake, Va.)
CUSA All-Conference second team
A National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Zayac has been a steady addition to the Flames' pitching staff in 2026. The sophomore enters the weekend with an 8-0 record and a 3.23 ERA over 75 1/3 innings. In 14 games, 13 starts, the right-hander has struck out 63 and walked 16. The Chesapeake, Va., native has held opponents to a .247 batting average.
Currently, Zayac leads CUSA in wins. He is also among the conference leaders in ERA (5th), innings pitched (6th), strikeouts (9th) and opponents' batting average (10th).
Zayac was named to the 2026 CUSA Baseball All-Academic team last week.
Cooper Harrington (So., RHP, Sanford, N.C.)
Harrington, one of the nation's top relief pitchers, was named to the 2026 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List on April 22. He enters the week with a 2-1 record, 3.83 ERA and 11 saves over 42 1/3 innings in 22 appearances, two starts. He has struck out 50 and walked 10.
Currently, Harrington is second in CUSA and eighth in the country in saves. Since taking over the closer role for the Flames in a 9-3 victory over Missouri State on March 15, he has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities.
The right-hander is fourth on the Liberty single-season save list. Josh Brey holds the program record for saves in a single season with 16 in 2000.
Next Up
The No. 2 seed for the 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship, the Flames (38-18, 21-9 CUSA) will open Pool B play at the Championship on Thursday at Mickey Dunn Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga. Liberty will face the No. 8 seed Sam Houston Bearkats (24-32, 13-17 CUSA), with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m.
Selected by the conference's head coaches, the two were joined by outfielder Nick Barone, starting pitcher Bradley Zayac and relief pitcher Cooper Harrington on the CUSA All-Conference teams. Marsh, Blair and Barone were each named to the first team. Zayac and Harrington were selected to the second team.
Marsh becomes the sixth Flame to be named conference player of the year. The junior joins Jonathan Embry (2019 – ASUN), D.J. Artis (2017 – Big South), Ryan Seiz (2014 – Big South), Keith Butler (2000 – Big South) and Jason Benham (1998 – Big South) as Liberty players who have won a conference player of the year award.
Meanwhile, Blair becomes the fourth Flame to be selected conference pitcher of the year. The junior right-hander joins Trevor DeLaite (2021- ASUN), Jared Lyons (2015 – Big South) and Trey Lambert (2014 – Big South) as Liberty pitchers who have won a conference pitcher of the year award.
The Flames' five all-conference selections are the most for Liberty in its three seasons in the CUSA.
Honoree Capsules
Tanner Marsh (Jr., SS, Asheboro, N.C.)
CUSA Player of the Year, CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, CUSA All-Conference first team
One of the 50 of the nation's best shortstops to be named a 2026 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist by the College Baseball Foundation, Marsh has sparked the Liberty offense this season.
The junior, who has started every game in his Liberty career, leads the Flames with a .341 batting average and 63 runs scored. Liberty's leadoff hitter also leads the Flames with 78 hits, 15 doubles, five triples, 22 stolen bases and 22 multi-hit games. Marsh enters the week with 43 RBI, five home runs, a .513 slugging percentage, 38 walks and a .430 on-base percentage.
Defensively, the shortstop has committed seven errors in 223 chances for a .969 fielding percentage. Marsh is currently second in Conference USA with 133 assists. He enters the CUSA Baseball Championship eighth nationally and tops in CUSA among shortstops with 11.79 Defensive Runs Saved.
The shortstop is among the CUSA leaders in several offensive categories. He currently leads the conference in runs scored and hits. Marsh is also among the leaders in batting average (5th), triples (2nd), walks (9th) and stolen bases (4th). In addition, Marsh tops CUSA with 3.42 Wins Above Replacement.
Ben Blair (Jr., RHP, Gretna, Va.)
CUSA Pitcher of the Year, CUSA All-Conference first team
This season, Blair became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. A 2025 CUSA All-Conference first team member, the junior right-hander also appeared on the National Pitcher of the Year Watchlist for the second time in his career this season.
The CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Blair has posted a 6-5 record with a 3.87 ERA over 81 1/3 innings. In 14 starts, he has struck out 102 and walked 12, while holding opponents to a .225 batting average. He boasts a stellar 8.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a 1.33 walks allowed per nine innings average and a 1.00 WHIP.
Blair enters this week's CUSA Baseball Championship among the national leaders in several categories. The junior is fifth in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 14th in WHIP. He is also among the national leaders in strikeouts (22nd) and walks allowed per nine innings (12th).
The right-hander, who has already been named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week three times this season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23), leads the conference in strikeouts. He is also among the league leaders in wins (tied 2nd), ERA (8th), innings pitched (2nd), opponent batting average (7th) and fewest walks issued (2nd).
Blair's 102 strikeouts tie him for third on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he enters the week with 238 career strikeouts. The total is currently fifth on Liberty's career strikeout list.
Nick Barone (Sr., OF, Montoursville, Pa.)
CUSA All-Conference first team
Barone enters the week hitting .313 with a team-high 50 RBI and has scored 45 runs. The outfielder has hit a team-leading 10 home runs and leads the Flames with a .558 slugging percentage. He has 13 doubles and five triples, while posting a .408 on-base percentage and stealing 19 bases.
Barone hit three home runs in a game in a 17-7 win at Duke on April 14. He became the first Flame to hit three in a game since Brady Gulakowski hit three in a win over North Florida at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium on April 22, 2022.
The senior is among the CUSA leaders in RBI (8th), triples (3rd) and stolen bases (10th). For the second consecutive year, Barone has hit 10 or more home runs and driven in 50 or more RBI.
Bradley Zayac (So., RHP, Chesapeake, Va.)
CUSA All-Conference second team
A National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Zayac has been a steady addition to the Flames' pitching staff in 2026. The sophomore enters the weekend with an 8-0 record and a 3.23 ERA over 75 1/3 innings. In 14 games, 13 starts, the right-hander has struck out 63 and walked 16. The Chesapeake, Va., native has held opponents to a .247 batting average.
Currently, Zayac leads CUSA in wins. He is also among the conference leaders in ERA (5th), innings pitched (6th), strikeouts (9th) and opponents' batting average (10th).
Zayac was named to the 2026 CUSA Baseball All-Academic team last week.
Cooper Harrington (So., RHP, Sanford, N.C.)
Harrington, one of the nation's top relief pitchers, was named to the 2026 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List on April 22. He enters the week with a 2-1 record, 3.83 ERA and 11 saves over 42 1/3 innings in 22 appearances, two starts. He has struck out 50 and walked 10.
Currently, Harrington is second in CUSA and eighth in the country in saves. Since taking over the closer role for the Flames in a 9-3 victory over Missouri State on March 15, he has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities.
The right-hander is fourth on the Liberty single-season save list. Josh Brey holds the program record for saves in a single season with 16 in 2000.
Next Up
The No. 2 seed for the 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship, the Flames (38-18, 21-9 CUSA) will open Pool B play at the Championship on Thursday at Mickey Dunn Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga. Liberty will face the No. 8 seed Sam Houston Bearkats (24-32, 13-17 CUSA), with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m.
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