Barton, Baughcum Earn Mercer Student-Athlete Of The Week Honors
3/18/2026 2:18:00 PM | Baseball, Softball, Athletics Department
MACON – A pair of senior sluggers had monster weeks for their respective teams to take home Mercer Student-Athlete of the Week nods.
Avery Barton, an infielder from Monticello, Georgia, had an outstanding weekend that led to a series win over Bryant for the Mercer softball team. The Southern Conference named Barton the Player of the Week after the senior posted a .778 (7-for-9) batting average and a 2.722 OPS with three home runs, a double, six RBI and three walks. Barton began the series against Bryant with a 3-for-4 performance with a double, home run and three RBI to power the Bears towards an 8-6 extra-inning victory on Friday night. Although Mercer ultimately fell on Saturday, Barton finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk. Barton ended the weekend with a 2-for-2 outing with two home runs, three RBI and a walk in the Bears' 8-0 win over Bryant.
Brant Baughcum, a third baseman from Buford, Georgia, slugged the Mercer baseball team to a 3-1 record with a series win over Tennessee Tech last week. Baughcum began the Bears' road trip 3-for-5 with three RBI, a home run and three runs scored at Georgia State. The senior third baseman finished the weekend in Cookeville 6-for-13 with six total RBI, two homers, a double, two walks and a hit-by-pitch as Mercer took the series over Tennessee Tech. Baughcum went 9-for-18 with a 1.579 OPS, nine RBI, three home runs, seven runs scored, a double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch on the week.
Barton and the softball team open Southern Conference play this weekend against Samford (9-20) at Sikes Field. The Bears have a doubleheader with the Bulldogs on Saturday, March 21 with first pitch of the first game scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Mercer and Samford conclude the weekend series on Sunday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free.
Baughcum and the baseball team also open SoCon play this weekend at home. The Bears welcome The Citadel (8-10) to OrthoGeorgia park for a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 20 at 6:00 p.m. Mercer and the Bulldogs are scheduled to play on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. as well. Tickets are available here. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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| 2025-26 MERCER STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK | |||
| Week Ending | Male Honoree | Female Honoree | Official Release |
| March 16 | Brant Baughcum, Baseball | Avery Barton, Softball | March 18 |
| March 9 | Eli Stephens, Baseball | Caroline Glus, Lacrosse | March 11 |
| March 2 | Titan Kamaka, Baseball | Talia Kemp, Basketball | March 5 |
| February 22 | Braydon Kersey, Baseball | Katie Scheck, Golf | February 25 |
| February 18 | Chris Katz, Baseball | Grace McKillop, Softball | February 18 |
| February 11 | Michael Frederick, Lacrosse | Avery Barton, Softball | February 11 |
| February 4 | Zaire Williams, Basketball | Ines Hömberg Fernandez, Tennis | February 4 |
| January 28 | Baraka Okojie, Basketball | Marina de Diego Quinones, Tennis | January 28 |
| October 6 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Marie Bannmeyer, Tennis | October 6 |
| September 28 | CJ Miller, Football | Katie Scheck, Golf | September 29 |
| September 21 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Sammi Bergjans, Volleyball | September 22 |
| September 14 | Andrew Zock, Football | Nikki Harris, Cross Country | September 15 |
| September 7 | Henry Hampshaw, Soccer | Morganne Eikelbarner, Soccer | September 8 |
