Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Photo by: ©JC Ridley/Florida Atlantic
Ostrander Garners 2021 Iron Owl
1/14/2022 11:34:00 AM | Baseball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Braden Ostrander has been crowned the winner of the fall 2021 Florida Atlantic University Iron Owl.
Ostrander, a right-handed sophomore pitcher from Melbourne, Florida, won the hard-fought battle with a cumulative score of 312. When he hoists the coveted trophy on opening night, Friday, February 18, it will mark the first time a pitcher has earned the holistic honor since Austin Kirksey did so in the fall of 2016.
Ostrander captured the award in just his second year with the program, which is a feat in and of itself. Just one other sophomore has won the competition, and that was Lou Morrey in the competition's inaugural season (fall 2007). No freshman has earned the honor. The contest runs throughout the fall and challenges athletic ability, teamwork, mental toughness, and the final assessment - fall grade point average. Ostrander edged out fellow pitcher Hayden Compton, who accumulated 303 points, and outfielder Gabriel Rincones, Jr., who ended the competition with 302.5.
"I enjoyed being able to compete alongside my teammates throughout a challenge-filled week," said Ostrander. "Although it is great to be the individual champion, the real victory was being able to lead team Brown to a win."
While Ostrander captured the basketball and obstacle course competitions, he was the most consistent in the among 11 events scoring in the top-84% in seven events, including the gauntlet, basketball, garage run, 300-yard run, grip, obstacle course? and GPA. He clinched the Iron Owl by posting the second-highest GPA.
"I'm very happy for Braden," said John McCormack, who is in his 14th season as FAU's head coach and 32nd with the program. "He competed all the way through the competition, from the first thing to the last thing. His team won the team competition as well, so he was totally invested in it. It came right down to the end, and his GPA put him over the top. [It was] a good win and well deserved."
Team "Brown" captained by Ostrander and comprised of Brock Helverson, Jake Millan, Caleb Pendleton, Tibur Rivero, and Robert Wegielnik, walked away as the team champions, securing five of the 12 events. Team Brown tallied 56 points by winning: football, garage, 300-yard runs, test and the obstacle course events. They also finished second in the field goal competition. Team Brown's lowest finish was next to last in water polo. They were five points higher than the next-closest team led by Mitchell Hartigan and a full 30 points higher than the last place team.
What's Next
The players have returned to campus for class, which began Monday, Jan. 10. The Owls will continue to work individually and will shift into team practices, on Friday, January 28. The 2022 season-opening weekend is a scheduled four-game series with Minnesota (Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 19 at 4 p.m., Feb. 20 at Noon and Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m.).
To purchase tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay tuned here at FAUSports.com, and on baseball's Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.
Ostrander, a right-handed sophomore pitcher from Melbourne, Florida, won the hard-fought battle with a cumulative score of 312. When he hoists the coveted trophy on opening night, Friday, February 18, it will mark the first time a pitcher has earned the holistic honor since Austin Kirksey did so in the fall of 2016.
Ostrander captured the award in just his second year with the program, which is a feat in and of itself. Just one other sophomore has won the competition, and that was Lou Morrey in the competition's inaugural season (fall 2007). No freshman has earned the honor. The contest runs throughout the fall and challenges athletic ability, teamwork, mental toughness, and the final assessment - fall grade point average. Ostrander edged out fellow pitcher Hayden Compton, who accumulated 303 points, and outfielder Gabriel Rincones, Jr., who ended the competition with 302.5.
"I enjoyed being able to compete alongside my teammates throughout a challenge-filled week," said Ostrander. "Although it is great to be the individual champion, the real victory was being able to lead team Brown to a win."
While Ostrander captured the basketball and obstacle course competitions, he was the most consistent in the among 11 events scoring in the top-84% in seven events, including the gauntlet, basketball, garage run, 300-yard run, grip, obstacle course? and GPA. He clinched the Iron Owl by posting the second-highest GPA.
"I'm very happy for Braden," said John McCormack, who is in his 14th season as FAU's head coach and 32nd with the program. "He competed all the way through the competition, from the first thing to the last thing. His team won the team competition as well, so he was totally invested in it. It came right down to the end, and his GPA put him over the top. [It was] a good win and well deserved."
Team "Brown" captained by Ostrander and comprised of Brock Helverson, Jake Millan, Caleb Pendleton, Tibur Rivero, and Robert Wegielnik, walked away as the team champions, securing five of the 12 events. Team Brown tallied 56 points by winning: football, garage, 300-yard runs, test and the obstacle course events. They also finished second in the field goal competition. Team Brown's lowest finish was next to last in water polo. They were five points higher than the next-closest team led by Mitchell Hartigan and a full 30 points higher than the last place team.
All-Time Iron Owl Winners
| Year | Position | Individual |
| Fall 2007 | RHP | Lou Morey |
| Fall 2007 | RHP | Lou Morey |
| Fall 2008 | RHP | Lou Morey |
| Fall 2009 | OF | Alex Hudak |
| Fall 2010 | LHP | Ahmed Garcia |
| Fall 2011 | RHP | Kevin Alexander |
| Fall 2012 | RHP | Kevin Alexander |
| Fall 2013 | RHP | Cody Mizelle |
| Fall 2014 | RHP | Seth McGarry |
| Fall 2015 | OF | Billy Endris |
| Fall 2016 | RHP | Austin Kirksey |
| Fall 2017 | OF | Cody Wilson |
| Fall 2018 | OF | Bobby Morgensen |
| Fall 2019 | OF | Jackson Wenstrom |
| Fall 2020 | INF | Wilfredo Alvarez |
| Fall 2021 | RHP | Braden Ostrander |
What's Next
The players have returned to campus for class, which began Monday, Jan. 10. The Owls will continue to work individually and will shift into team practices, on Friday, January 28. The 2022 season-opening weekend is a scheduled four-game series with Minnesota (Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 19 at 4 p.m., Feb. 20 at Noon and Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m.).
To purchase tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay tuned here at FAUSports.com, and on baseball's Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.
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