Former AHS star named CUSA Player of Year and Defensive Player of Year

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Liberty University shortstop and Asheboro High School graduate Tanner Marsh was named the CUSA Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year, conference officials announced.

One of 50 of the nation’s best shortstops to be named a 2026 Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist by the College Baseball Foundation, the junior has started every game in his Liberty career. 

This season, he leads the Flames with a .341 batting average and 63 runs scored. As Liberty’s leadoff hitter, he also leads the Flames with 78 hits, 15 doubles, five triples, 22 stolen bases and 22 multi-hit games. Marsh entered last week with 43 RBI, five home runs, a .513 slugging percentage, 38 walks and a .430 on-base percentage.

Defensively, Marsh has committed seven errors in 223 chances for a .969 fielding percentage. He is second in Conference USA with 133 assists. He entered the CUSA Baseball Tournament eighth nationally and tops in CUSA among shortstops with 11.79 Defensive Runs Saved.

Marsh is among CUSA leaders in several offensive categories, leading in runs scored and hits. Marsh is also among the CUSA leaders in batting average (5th), triples (2nd), walks (9th) and stolen bases (4th).