Grant Garza and Cole Miears secure All-WAC First Team and All-WAC Second Team titles

PHOENIX – Seniors Cole Miears and Grant Garza earned All-WAC honors to represent Tarleton State’s presence within the conference.

Garza secured a spot on the All-WAC First team. In his second season at Tarleton State, Garza has led the pitching staff with the most wins at 8-1. The right-handed pitcher for the Purple and White has also led the conference in ERA throughout the 2024 season and is currently sitting at a 3.34 ERA. Headed into the WAC Tournament, Garza has pitched a total of 56.2 innings, securing 45 strikeouts, giving up 15 walks, 21 runs and 53 hits. Garza was tied for most wins without a loss in the nation for the majority of the season.

Miears is also in his second season with the Purple and White and has been a relentless threat to both the offense and defense. The senior was added to the All-WAC Second Team roster for the 2024 season. Miears has consistently pulled weight for the Texans at the plate with a .306 batting average heading into tournament play. The Center Point, Texas, native, has compiled 42 runs, 60 hits, 10 doubles, seven home runs and 40 RBI for Tarleton State. Miears has 10 steals with a 38-game on base streak. With a .464 slugging percentage and a .450 on-base percentage, it is safe to say that the second baseman for the Texans has made major contributions to Texan Baseball. The senior has totaled 106 putouts on the season for a .938 fielding percentage, playing a contributing role in 24 double plays.

In two seasons with Tarleton State, the pair has continually built on the success the program has had in recent years, with the most wins in the Division I era with 27 headed into the WAC Tournament, their inaugural appearance.

The Texans are set to take on Sacramento State for the first round of postseason play in a single elimination matchup on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.

 The full list of WAC awards can be found below:

WAC Player of the Year
Tyler Wilson, Sr., OF, Grand Canyon

WAC Pitcher of the Year
Brett Lanman, Fr., LHP, Abilene Christian

WAC Freshman of the Year
Brett Lanman, LHP, Abilene Christian

WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Josh Paino, Jr., SS, California Baptist

WAC Coach of the Year
Gregg Wallis, Grand Canyon

All-WAC First Team
SP – Brett Lanman, LHP, Abilene Christian
SP – Isaac Lyon, So., RHP, Grand Canyon
RP – Grant Garza, Sr., RHP, Tarleton State
C – Burke Camper, Sr., Utah Valley
1B – Gino D’Alessio, Grad, Abilene Christian
2B – Daniel Dickinson, So., Utah Valley
SS – Josh Paino, Jr., California Baptist
3B – Mitchel Simon, Sr., California Baptist
OF – Miller Ladusau, Sr., Abilene Christian
OF – Nicholas Dumesnil, So., California Baptist
OF – Tyler Wilson, Sr., Grand Canyon
DH – Beau Ankeney, Jr., Grand Canyon

All-WAC Second Team
SP – Lukas Pirko, Fr., RHP, California Baptist
SP – Zach Tjelmeland, Sr., RHP, UTRGV 
RP – Nathan Hemmerling, Grad, RHP, California Baptist
C – Steven Lancia, Jr., UTRGV
1B – JP Smith, So., Sacramento State
2B – Cole Miears, Sr., Tarleton State
SS – Gunner Gouldsmith, Sr., Sacramento State
3B – Derek Gellos, Sr., Seattle U
OF – Cade Verdusco, Sr., Grand Canyon
OF – Hunter Katschke, Jr., Utah Tech
OF – Tyson Pointer, Sr., UT Arlington
DH – Luke Iverson, So., Utah Valley

WAC All-Defensive First Team
SS – Josh Paino, Jr., California Baptist
3B – Mitchel Simon, Sr., California Baptist
SS – Emilio Barreras, So., Grand Canyon
OF – Eddy Pelc, R-Sr., Grand Canyon
OF – Cade Verdusco, Sr., Grand Canyon

WAC All-Defensive Second Team
1B – Gino D’Alessio, Grad, Abilene Christian
C – Alton Gyselman, Fr., Grand Canyon
SS – Gunner Gouldsmith, Sr., Sacramento State
OF – Tyler White, Jr., Sacramento State
SS – Kade York, Sr., UTRGV