Bryker Hurdsman is a man of many titles — student-athlete, husband, brother, and teammate, just to name a few. But for Bryker, the title that links him to Jesus Christ stands high above the rest.
“For me, it’s always been I’m a disciple first,” he said.
The senior right fielder made team headlines this offseason as the recipient of the program’s storied Cameron Tuckett Award.
The award is one of BYU baseball’s most prestigious honors, recognizing not only success on the field, but success in the classroom and as a contributor in the community. Yet atop the list of the baseball accolades and academic awards that make him an obvious candidate, none top his commitment to Jesus Christ and his gospel.
“I definitely don’t feel like I deserved it,” joked Hurdsman when asked about winning the Tuckett this year, “but I definitely feel like that’s a cool way to be remembered.”
Named after the late head coach and Cougar legend Glen Tuckett’s father, Cameron, the award has served as a badge of honor and character since it was first given out in 1978. Hurdsman’s humility shines through as one of his many traits that earned him the honor of being this year’s recipient.
“[Coach Trent Pratt] approached me one day at practice and talked to me about it, and so I went home and did some research. After doing some research, I felt super humbled and honored to receive something like that,” said Hurdsman.
BYU is the second stop for Hurdsman in his collegiate career. A native of St. George, Utah, Hurdsman began his college days playing for his hometown Utah Tech University in 2023.
After one successful season for the Trailblazers, he entered the transfer portal, receiving offers from BYU and fellow Big 12 foes Utah, Texas Tech, and UCF. As he describes it, the decision was pretty simple.
“When I entered the transfer portal, Trent called me pretty quickly, and I instantly was like, yeah, I didn't want to go anywhere else. I wanted to come to BYU," he said.
For Hursdman, what made that decision easiest was not the opportunities associated with a jump to a Big 12 program, playing in BYU’s world-class facilities, or even the high-level education he has now received. It was what BYU offered him spiritually that made it a no-brainer.
“I wanted to maintain good people around me that have the same values as me, pushing me not only on the baseball field but in all aspects of my life," he said. "That is really what set it in stone for me."
Hurdsman served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fort Collins, Colorado, before beginning his collegiate baseball career. He credits his time as a missionary, and the ways in which he grew closer to Jesus Christ, with him being drawn to BYU.
“During that time [as a missionary], you know, you develop a love for the Savior like no other," he said. "When I came home, I was still craving that and wanting that and wanting to put myself somewhere that not only pushes me to be a better athlete and a baseball player, but also will push me for the future. I don’t think there’s any other place like BYU, to have the chance to grow in all areas of my life.”
Hurdsman's love of Jesus Christ and his testimony of the gospel shining through. In conversation, even about baseball, his education, his priorities, or even his familial relationships, he always finds a way to reference it back to the Savior.
“I don't think that the Savior wants us just to be good at baseball. I think he wants us to be, you know, serving people, and looking out for others,” Hurdsman said.
While they require different skill sets and a different kind of “practice,” Hurdsman has found that his pursuit of becoming a better ball player and his pursuit of growing his faith are not too different from each other.
“Baseball is really hard. … It’s taught me that, you know, things in life are just hard. It's gonna require discipline and showing up every single day, and just trying to bring the best that you can every single day to the table, and I think that relates to faith,” said Hurdsman. “I think sometimes I wake up and I'm like, ‘oh, I haven't received this answer: or, like, is he really there?’ Baseball has definitely taught me that he is there, and he is coming, and he’s with me through the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
While “baseball is really hard” has became a theme of Hurdsman's athletic career, that wasn't reflected in his performance on the diamond. Speaking solely of his on-the-field success, it doesn’t take too much digging to see what made him an obvious Tuckett Award candidate.
The right fielder is coming off a career year in which he hit to the tune of a .337 batting average and .956 OPS, both of which led the team. He also led the team with 18 doubles, and finished second on the team in runs scored (51), hits (64), triples (3), and stolen bases (8), proving himself a threat on the basepaths and in the batter’s box.
But the Tuckett Award is about the all-around man, not just the player, and Hurdsman's response to what fueled the breakout year helped illuminate his Christ-like character and the type of teammate he is.
When asked about his career year at the plate, he simply said, “I just wanted to be able to win and play for the guy next to me. … I just trained to help my team win and do whatever I could, and it favored me a little bit in the numbers category.”
While Hurdsman stands out due to his work ethic and leadership on the field, he brings the same drive to being successful off the field.
“Baseball is something I love to do, I show up every single day and try to be the best I can be,” said Hurdsman. “But I think how you do one thing is how you should do all things. … So if I'm striving to be a great baseball player, I want to strive to be a great person too, and I think that comes from following the example of the Savior. … Whether I'm a great or bad baseball player, being a better person is always something that you can lean on.”
One of those ways in which Hurdsman strives to be great is academically, evident by the scholastic recognition he received last year. He was awarded the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12’s highest academic honor. Additionally, he was recognized by the College Sports Communicators with Academic All-District honors, and was even an Academic All-America finalist.
While the awards stack up, Hurdsman said the classroom is an area that takes an extra measure of focus and commitment for him.
“I don’t think academics is something that really just comes super easy for me. I honestly am not probably the smartest guy on our team,” he said. “But for me, if I'm spending all this time doing baseball, then outside of it I want to do as good as I can with academics. I have the opportunity to play good baseball here, but I also have a great opportunity to have an education.”
In balancing responsibilities as a ball player, a student, and most importantly to him, a disciple, Hurdsman says he really prioritizes it all by “being where [his] feet are.”
“I try to just stay focused on where I'm at, where my feet are at the moment, and try to be the best that I can be and see where that takes me,” said Hurdsman.
As he wraps up his senior year, Hurdsman recognizes that in what he says is the “long, long term,” the day will come that he will have to hang up the cleats. But while his feet remain in Miller Park, BYU fans and his teammates will enjoy one final ride with Bryker Hurdsman — Tuckett Award winner and disciple of Jesus Christ.