Waxahachie, Texas | January 26, 2026 — Andrew Ortiz of Nelson University has been named the NCCAA Baseball Student-Athlete of the Week following a dominant opening series to kick off the 2026 season.

Ortiz set the tone for the Lions in their season-opening doubleheader sweep of Sterling College, delivering a blistering performance at the plate. The Weatherford, Texas native recorded seven hits in nine at-bats, including four doubles—two in each game—showcasing consistency and extra-base power from the top of the order.

Across the two games, Ortiz scored three runs, drove in one RBI, and added a stolen base, helping fuel an offense that piled up 24 total runs on opening day. His advanced numbers told the same story: a .780 batting average, 1.22 slugging percentage, and a remarkable .778 on-base percentage, as he consistently found ways to reach base and pressure opposing pitching.

Ortiz's opening-week performance highlighted both his experience and his ability to set the tempo offensively. His disciplined approach, gap-to-gap power, and aggressive baserunning played a key role in Nelson's undefeated start and sent an early message as conference play approaches.

Ortiz was selected from a strong group of weekly nominees and earned the NCCAA honor after delivering one of the most complete individual performances across the association during opening week.

Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.