Stanford's Grech named 2021 Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year

PAC-12 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

SAN FRANCISCO - STANFORD's Zach Grech was named the 2021 Pac-12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference office announced on Friday. The award, which is presented in each of the 24 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

A fifth-year from Las Vegas, Nev., Grech completed both his master's degree in sustainability science and practice (4.01 grade-point average) and bachelor's in management science and engineering (3.66 GPA) in less than five years on The Farm. He has received Conference academic laurels in each of his eligible seasons - Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team in 2018, First Team in 2019, and Academic Honor Roll in 2020.

The right-handed reliever and NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List member earned Pac-12 All-Conference honors after closing the 2021 regular-season tied for the league lead with 13 saves. The 13 saves are currently tied for second-most in NCAA Division I, and are three shy of equaling the Stanford program's single-season record.

Grech has factored into the decision in 23 of his 28 appearances so far in 2021, with a career-best five wins to go along with his 13 saves for NCAA Regional host Stanford (33-14, 17-10 Pac-12). Across 43.0 innings, he has held opposing hitters to a .213 average while striking out 32. His four-year career numbers currently stand at 137 innings pitched in 100 appearances with a 10-6 record and 17 saves, the fourth-most in Cardinal history.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling. The award was first established during the 2007-08 academic year.

ALSO NOMINATED: Nick Cheema, Arizona State; Quentin Selma, California; Gabe Matthews, Oregon; Andy Armstrong, Oregon State; Zach Pettway, UCLA; Brady Shockey, USC; Jack Smith, Washington State.