WSU’s John Olerud named Pac-12 Player of the Century

Former Washington State first baseman and pitcher John Olerud has been named the Pac-12 Baseball Player of the Century.

Olerud headed the conference’s All-Century team, which was announced Monday night on Pac-12 Networks.

A 36-member panel cast their ballots for the conference’s top 20 infielders/outfielders, top 10 pitchers and Pitcher, Player and Coach of the Century. Former Washington pitcher Tim Lincecum was among the pitchers selected.

Olerud was the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1988, when he became the only pitcher in NCAA history to win 15 games (he was 15-0) and hit 20 home runs (he hit 23) in a season. He also was named the College Athlete of the Year in 1988 by Baseball America. For his career, Olerud was 26-4 with a 3.17 ERA and hit .464. He is a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, and the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, given annually by the Hall of Fame, was named in his honor.

He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays after his junior season and went directly to the big leagues, playing for five teams over a 17-year career. One of those teams was the Mariners, for whom he played from 2000-04.

Lincecum, from Liberty High School, was 30-13 with a 2.82 ERA from 2004-06. He holds the Pac-12 record with 491 career strikeouts and the Washington pitching records for most wins and starts (51). He is the only Husky to win the Golden Spikes Award for the nation’s top college player, doing so in 2006. That year he was 12-4 with a 1.94 ERA, striking out 199 in 125 1/3 innings.

Lincecum was the first Husky selected in the first round of the draft when he was the No. 10 overall pick in 2006 by the San Francisco Giants. He played nine seasons for the Giants (2007-15).

USC’s Mark Prior was named Pitcher of Century, and USC’s Raoul “Rod” Dedeaux is the Coach of the Century.

Former Mariners Randy Johnson (USC) and Bret Boone (USC), and former Redmond High School standout Michael Conforto (Oregon State), also made the team.

Here is the Pac-12 All-Century team:

CATCHER

A.J. Hinch, Stanford, 1992-96

Casey Myers, Arizona State, 1998-01

Todd Zeile, UCLA, 1984-86

FIRST BASE

Mark McGwire, USC, 1982-84

John G. Olerud, Washington State, 1987-89

SECOND BASE

Bret Boone, USC, 1988-90

Xavier Nady, California, 1998-2000

Chase Utley, UCLA, 1998-2000

SHORTSTOP

Dustin Pedroia, Arizona State, 2002-04

Jackie Robinson, UCLA, 1940

THIRD BASE

Troy Glaus, UCLA, 1995-97

Chip Hale, Arizona, 1984-87

Brett Wallace, Arizona State, 2006-08

OUTFIELD

Barry Bonds, Arizona State, 1983-85

Michael Conforto, Oregon State, 2012-2014

Jacoby Ellsbury, Oregon State, 2003-2005

Terry Francona, Arizona, 1978-80

Mike Kelly, Arizona State, 1989-91

Fred Lynn, USC, 1971-73

Oddibe McDowell, Arizona State, 1983-84

PITCHER

Mark Appel, Stanford, 2009-13

Trevor Bauer, UCLA, 2009-11

David Berg, UCLA, 2012-15

Randy Johnson, USC, 1983-85

Mike Leake, Arizona State, 2007-09

Tim Lincecum, Washington, 2004-06

Jack McDowell, Stanford, 1983-87

Mike Mussina, Stanford, 1988-90

Mark Prior, USC, 2000-01

Tom Seaver, USC, 1965

COACH OF THE CENTURY

Raoul “Rod” Dedeaux, USC, 1942-86

PITCHER OF THE CENTURY

Mark Prior, USC, 2000-01

PLAYER OF THE CENTURY

John G. Olerud, Washington State, 1987-89