CHARLOTTE, N.C. - High Point University baseball athlete Konni Durschlag has been voted the Big South Conference Male Athlete of the Year for the 2024-25 season by the league's Athletics Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Sports Information Directors, it was announced today by the conference office. The candidates for the annual award consist of the Players of the Year from each sport, and must be deemed eligible for the honor by their respective school.

Durschlag is the first High Point student-athlete to be voted the Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year Award since the award began in 1999-00, and is the first baseball player to earn the honor since 2015-16. He earned 62 points and five first-place votes in this year's balloting, ahead of Charleston Southern basketball player Taje' Kelly (58 points, five first-place votes) and Longwood golfer Justin LaRue (58 points, two first-place votes).

The Big South Player of the Year finished his senior season with a team leading .434 batting average, earning him third in the nation in that category. He was second in on base percentage (.546), and seventh in hits (96), while also leading in five offensive categories in the Big South Conference. Durschlag roped 15 home runs in the leadoff spot, 23 doubles, and 59 rbi, while starting in center field in all 56 games played in. Durschlag finished the regular-season with 30 multi-hit games -- including 14 three-hit efforts, along with 16 multi-RBI contests and a 12-game hitting streak. He completed the 24-game Big South season with a .439 batting average with six home runs, 32 RBI, 44 runs scored, 11 doubles, a .710 slugging clip and .574 on-base average.He was named to the D1 Baseball Midseason All-American Watch list, while also being named to the NCAA National Lineup of the Week. Durschlag was also named to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I Atlantic All-Region First Team and All-American Team, as well as a NCBWA All-America Second Team recipient. Durschlag signed with the Seattle Mariners as an undrafted free agent on July 16. 

In March 2000, the Big South Conference Executive Committee voted to create an annual Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year award, and named the male award in honor of former Charleston Southern Athletic Director Howard Bagwell, who was one of the founders of the Big South Conference and an inaugural inductee into the league's Hall of Fame. In June 2022, the Executive Committee named the female award in honor of former Campbell women's basketball coach/administrator and Big South Hall of Famer Wanda Watkins.
 
The Athlete of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1999-00, with the exception of 2019-20 due to the season being incomplete and eventually canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The annual honorees are listed below.

HOWARD BAGWELL MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2024-25               Konni Durschlag, High Point (baseball)
2023-24               Drew Pember, UNC Asheville (basketball)
2022-23               Drew Pember, UNC Asheville (basketball)
2021-22               Athanas Kioko, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2020-21               Athanas Kioko Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2018-19               Chris Clemons, Campbell (basketball)
2017-18               Amon Kemboi, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2016-17               Amon Terer, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2015-16               Andrew Beckwith, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2014-15               Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina (football)
2013-14               Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina (football)
2012-13               Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook (football)
2011-12               Ashton Bennett, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2010-11               Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2009-10               Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2008-09               Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2007-08               Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2006-07               Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2005-06               Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2004-05               Mike Costanzo, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2003-04               Joseph Ngwenya, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2002-03               Joseph Ngwenya, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2001-02               Justin Owens, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2000-01               Jason Colson, Winthrop (baseball)
1999-00               Keith Butler, Liberty (baseball)