⚾️ Elvis Named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior Cole Elvis was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Elvis is the first Jayhawk to win a weekly award this season.

Elvis slashed .353/.476/.882 (6-for-17) with three home runs, six RBIs, four runs and four walks in four games last week. He hit a home run in each of the three games at West Virginia, marking the first time in his career he has homered in three consecutive games. All three home runs were hit to the opposite field (right field twice, right-center once). He posted a 1.167 slugging percentage in the three games at West Virginia.

The Vacaville, California, native and transfer from Cal has a home run in each of the last five conference games, making him the only player to homer in five straight conference games this season. He is hitting .389/.463/.917 (14-for-36) with four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs, 11 runs and five walks in nine Big 12 games this season. He also has multiple hits in four of the last six conference games.

Elvis is the only Kansas player to start every game this season and Coach Dan Fitzgerald has repeatedly called him the best leader he’s ever coached. He helped lead Kansas to a seven-game winning streak and back-to-back Big 12 series wins for the first time since the 2017 season. Elvis is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak during which his average has jumped from .253 to .298.

Elvis is the first Kansas player to win Big 12 Newcomer of the Week since Caleb Upshaw on May 2, 2022. He is the 14th player in Kansas history to win the honor.

Kansas (15-15, 5-4 Big 12) is off to its best start in conference play since 2014. The Jayhawks have won seven of their last eight games and play nine of the next 10 games at Hoglund Ballpark, where Kansas is 6-0 this season. The only game not at Hoglund Ballpark is on Tuesday night at Legends Field when Kansas hosts Texas Southern in the Buck O’Neil Classic at 6 p.m. CT.