On June 22, 2024, the final of the 2024 College World Series kicked off between two SEC rivals, Tennesee and Texas A&M. However, the attention on that date wasn’t just on those two teams but also on the University of Georgia. That’s because the winner of the 2024 Golden Spikes Award was announced on that date and it was none other than a slugger from Athens.

Georgia infielder/outfielder Charlie Condon won the 2024 Golden Spikes Award. Condon was the fifth finalist for the award to come out of the University of Georgia and the first from the school to win it.

The 2024 campaign was a sensational one for the Georgia slugger and Golden Spikes Award winner, who entered play on June 22 first in the nation in slugging percentage (1.009), total bases (233), and batting average (.433). Condon also set the BBCOR-era record for most home runs (37) in a single season. That figure beat out the 35 home runs hit by Jac Caglianone this season for Florida.

All of those numbers jumped from Condon’s terrific freshman campaign, one that saw the 21-year-old hit .386 with 25 home runs and a 1.284 OPS.

Condon was one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes. The other two finalists were Travis Bazzana (Oregon State) and Hagen Smith (Arkansas). Smith finished second in the NCAA in strikeouts (161) behind Chase Burns, while Bazzana was sixth in total bases (196) as of June 22.

Condon, a draft-eligible sophomore, has the opportunity to be the third Golden Spikes winner over the last five years the award’s been handed out, dating back to 2019, to be a top-two pick in that year’s MLB Draft.

Dylan Crews, last year’s winner, was selected second overall by the Nationals in 2023. Five years ago, the Orioles drafted 2019 Golden Spikes winner Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick in the MLB Draft.