Nick Backlund

Height:
6-1
Weight:
225
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
San Jose, Ca.
High School:
Valley Christian

2014 (Senior): Has already been named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason First Team All-American prior to his senior season.

2013 (Junior): Put together another stellar season at the dish, continuing to prove he is one of the most consistent and threatening slugger in the nation … Appeared and started in all 61 games as the Bears designated hitter … Hit .326 last season while leading the A-Sun Conference with a .579 slugging percentage, 22 doubles, 13 home runs and 68 RBI … His 68 RBI were the ninth-most in the country and the eighth-most in Mercer single-season history while his 22 doubles ranked 18th in the country and tied for fourth-most in Mercer single-season history … Also ranked second in the A-Sun with 140 total bases and sixth with a .426 on-base percentage … Led the team with 21 multi-RBI games and ranked second on the team with 24 multi-hit games …Hit .380 (57-for-150) with runners on base and led the team with 27 two-out RBI … Got off to a fast start, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in a season opening 6-5 win over Big 10 power Ohio State (Feb. 15) … Recorded the third multi-home run game of his career when he went 3-for-3 with two home runs, four RBI and a career-high four runs scored in a 19-4 win over Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 24) … Had a big game in a 13-5 win over Jacksonville (March 28), going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI … Put together a huge series against USC Upstate (April 26-27), going a combined 6-for-11 with a home run, five runs scored and six RBI … Was well recognized for his solid junior campaign by being named to the A-Sun All-Conference first team, NCBWA All-America second team, ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region second team and Louisville Slugger/CollegeBaseballInsider.com All-American Honorable Mention squad.

2012 (Sophomore): Turned in one of the best all-around campaigns in the country and immediately proved himself as one of the most feared hitters in all of collegiate baseball ... Showed his durability by being one of just two players to start in all 59 games for Mercer in 2012 ... Led the A-Sun Conference with a .381 batting average, a .668 slugging percentage, 85 hits and 149 total bases ... The Bears designated hitter finished second in the league with a .471 on-base percentage and 58 RBI, tied for second with 16 home runs and third with 51 runs scored ... Led the squad with 28 multi-hit games, 17 multi-RBI contests and 25 two-out RBI ... Made a Mercer debut few will forget when he went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and a season-high six RBI in a 22-6 win over Morehead State (Feb. 17) ... Continued his early season surge in the Bears series against Presbyterian (Feb. 24-26), going 7-for-12 with four doubles, a home run, six RBI and four runs scored ... Helped Mercer to a signature 6-1 win over SEC power Mississippi State (March 10) with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate with a home run and two runs scored ... Collected a season-high five hits in a 12-5 win at Georgia State (April 11) ... Put together his second multi-home run game of the season with a pair of dingers, two RBI and two runs scored in a 7-2 win over Alabama State (May 8) ... Went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in the Bears 11-2 A-Sun Championship opening round win over USC Upstate (May 23) ... Racked up numerous postseason awards for his stellar season including being selected to the A-Sun All-Conference first team, ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region first team, Louisville Slugger All-American first team and the NCBWA All-American second team.

Before Mercer: Played for one season at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR under head coach Nathan Pratt … Hit .326 in his only season at Chemeketa while leading the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) with 12 home runs and ranked third in the league with 43 RBI … Was named to the 2011 All-NWAACC first team as a designated hitter.

Personal: Son of Mike and Carol Backlund … Has two younger sisters, Lindsey and Janet … Born on December 21, 1990 in Huntington Beach, Ca. … Plans to major in economics at Mercer … Lists Josh Hamilton as his favorite athlete and Modern Family as his favorite TV show.