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Overview — Will concentrate on one position of one sport for the first time in his athletic career … Described as the most all-around athletic player the Bruins have, he could play in an impact role on the staff (starter or closer) … Has a power arm and is developing his off-speed pitches on the fly … “Nick is making strides in his pitching knowledge and if he remains healthy, he should have a good year for us,” pitching coach Gary Adcock said.
2001—Redshirted.
2000 (As A Junior) – He started 37 of the first 38 games until a nagging hamstring injury kept him from playing all but three of the final 25 games … 37 of the starts were in right field (including the first 35 games) while two were at DH … The versatile junior also made his first collegiate appearance on the mound this season, getting the start against Long Beach State on May 9 … His .341 average was sixth on the team and his three triples tied for the team lead … He hit safely in 33 of 39 games and did not go more than one game without a hit since the first two games of the season … Had hitting streaks of 11 games (16-37 (.432) with nine runs, three doubles, two triples, three homers, and eight RBI during streak), February 9-26, and 12 games (19-43 (.442) with 13 runs, four doubles, a triple, three home runs and 12 RBI during streak) … Went 6-12 with three runs, a double, two triples (both coming in game three), hit first home run of the season, and five RBI in a weekend series at UNLV, February 11-13 … Went 3-4 with a double and a home run at USC on February 26 … Hit second career game-winning home run (February 15, 1998 at Cal) with a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Harvard, 5-4 … Went 7-11 (.636) including back-to-back 3-4 outings with a solo home run in each, in the first Pac-10 series vs. Washington, March 25-27 … Had biggest offensive output of the season at Oregon State, going 3-5 with a career-high-tying three runs (set earlier in the season vs. Bradley, 3/11), a double, a three-run home run, and a career-high four RBI on April 1 … Pitched two innings vs. Long Beach State, allowing just one run and striking out four in his collegiate pitching debut on May 9 … Hit .364 (16-44) with runners in scoring position.
1999 (Summer) - Played for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers of the Alaskan Baseball League with UCLA teammate Forrest Johnson ... Played every position except catcher ... Team finished first in league and second at the NBC World Series ... Hit .240 with 14 RBI in 96 at-bats.
1999 - Was the opening-day center fielder in Hawaii ... Started 29 games, including six in center, three in right, and 20 at third ... Played third for the first time in college vs. Loyola Marymount, 4/13 ... Started UCLA's rally from a 5-0 deficit vs. Loyola Marymount with a two-run home run, 2/19 ... Hit second homer of the year off ace Barry Zito in a 4-1 loss at USC, 4/30 ... Hit homers in back-to-back games, 5/9-5/11 ... Had four straight RBI games, 5/7-5/11 ... Had four multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games.
1998 (Summer) - Saw time at every position but catcher for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers of the talent-rich Alaskan Baseball League ... Helped lead his team to a first place divisional finish, fourth overall.
1998 - Began the season as a pinch hitter and pinch runner ... Forced his way into the starting lineup after two pinch-hit home runs but played sparingly the final six weeks of the season due to a knee injury ... Appeared in 29 games, making 10 starts ... Started five games in the DH spot, three in left field and two at shortstop... Hit a monstrous, game-winning two-run home run over the left field wall in the 10th inning at California on 2/15 ... In his next at bat, on 2/20 against Stanford, he hit another deep pinch-hit home run over the left field wall ... Led all freshmen on the team with five stolen bases.
1997 Summer - Played left field, center field, shortstop and first base for the Washington Bankers in the Connie Mack League under coach Tom McCabe ... Helped lead his team to a first place finish ... Selected to the All-State Team.
Monroe HS (Monroe, WA) - Lettered in baseball for four years as a pitcher, shortstop, third baseman and first baseman under coach Dave Rose, in basketball for three years as a center under coach Dave Brekke and in football for three years as a quarterback under coach Randy Olson ... Baseball: Earned All-League honors three times ... Named a second-team All-American by Student Sports Magazine and a third-team All-American by High School Baseball Magazine ...Listed as one of the top 20 high school players in the nation by Baseball America ... Set a record in doubles and hits at the Washington State "Vern Bean" Tournament ... Basketball: Averaged 28 points per game as a junior ... Did not play as a senior ... Football: Served as team captain for two years ... Listed as one of the "Best in the West" ... Throws a football over 70 yards ... Recruited by over 70 colleges ... Named MVP of the Idaho Football Camp (1996-'97) ... Selected as an All-Star at the Washington Football camp (1996-'97).
Personal -Selected in the 56th round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1997 draft and again in the 20th round of the 2000 draft, also by the Devil Rays … Also recruited by Washington, North Carolina, USC, California, and Arizona State ... Favorite MLB team is the Seattle Mariners ... Favorite player is Jay Buhner … Was one of the nation's top football recruits as well … His parents are Loren and Gloria Lyon … Has a younger sister, Hillary … Full name is Nicholas Alexander Lyon … Born on December 5, 1978, in Everett, Washington … History major.
CAREER STATISTICS
| YR | AVG | G-GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | SLG% | HBP | BB | SO | GDP | OB% | SH | SF | SB-SBA | PO | A | E | FLD% |
| 1998 | .313 | 29-10 | 48 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 25 | .521 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 1 | .389 | 1 | 0 | 5-6 | 12 | 11 | 6 | .793 |
| 1999 | .211 | 41-29 | 109 | 17 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 39 | .358 | 4 | 12 | 40 | 3 | .307 | 1 | 2 | 1-1 | 35 | 27 | 10 | .861 |
| 2000 | .341 | 40-39 | 135 | 31 | 46 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 84 | .622 | 9 | 21 | 29 | 2 | .455 | 2 | 3 | 3-4 | 53 | 1 | 2 | .964 |
| Totals | .288 | 110-78 | 292 | 64 | 84 | 16 | 3 | 14 | 58 | 148 | .507 | 13 | 39 | 88 | 6 | .390 | 4 | 5 | 9-11 | 100 | 39 | 2 | .885 |
