May 20, 2008

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - On the day before the 2008 Big Ten Baseball Tournament, the conference office announced the 2008 All-Big Ten baseball teams and individual award winners. From Big Ten Champion Michigan, senior Nate Recknagel was honored as Player of the Year, junior Zach Putnam was named Pitcher of the Year and Rich Maloney was recognized as Coach of the Year. Rounding out the individual awards, Northwestern pitcher Eric Jokisch was named Freshman of the Year. This marks the first time since 2002 and the fourth time overall that the Player, Pitcher and Coach of the Year all hailed from the same institution.

A unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team at first base, Recknagel broke Michigan's single-season home runs record earlier this season, currently with a Big Ten-best 23 long balls in the 2008 campaign. In conference play, he recorded 10 dingers, tying him for the Big Ten's lead. He also ranked in the conference's top five in slugging percentage (.676), RBI (34) and total bases (73) during Big Ten  games. In overall competition Recknagel led the conference in slugging percentage (.787) and total bases (155) and posted an on-base percentage of .471 with 54 runs scored and 68 RBI.

Putnam, who is also a first-team honoree at designated hitter and a unanimous selection for first-team All-Big Ten pitcher, closed out the conference season ranking second in ERA (2.20) opponents' batting average (.211) strikeouts (46) and wins (6), making him the only pitcher to rank in the top three in each of those categories. The junior recorded a 6-0 record in Big Ten play and was 7-0 overall in 2008. Earlier this season, the right-hander became the first player since 1993 to be named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Player of the Week in the same season. On offense, Putnam batted .326 with eight home runs, 24 RBI and a .663 slugging percentage during conference action.

Maloney earns his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor after leading Michigan to a record-breaking season in which his team set a new standard for wins in a Big Ten season with a 26-5 mark. Under Maloney's tutelage, the Wolverines maintained a spot in the national rankings and are currently rated No. 17 by Baseball America. The sixth-year mentor led his squad to its third consecutive Big Ten title and the program's 35th overall. Maloney has guided his team to a Big Ten Tournament appearance in each of his six seasons at the helm and is poised to lead the Maize and Blue to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

Jokisch emerged as the ace of Northwestern's staff, combining to post a Big Ten-best seven wins in eight conference starts this season. The left-hander led the Wildcats with a 4.84 ERA and registered two complete games, including a complete-game shutout over conference champion Michigan on May 16. Jokisch's shutout marked the first time the Wolverines had been blanked all season and the first time in 64 games that the squad had not scored a run at home. Jokisch was also voted a member of the All-Big Ten second team as a starting pitcher.

The All-Big Ten first team features four unanimous selections, including Recknagel and Putnam. Illinois outfielder Kyle Hudson was a unanimous choice after finishing first in the Big Ten in runs scored (40), second in stolen bases (25) and third in on-base percentage (.522) during conference games. He also ranked in the Big Ten's top 10 in batting average (.407), hits (44) and doubles (9). His 25 swipes make him one of just two players in history to record 20 or more steals in a Big Ten season. Also a unanimous decision, Indiana catcher Josh Phegley finished the conference slate first in slugging percentage (.776), RBI (45) and total bases (90) and tied for the lead in home runs (10). He also ranked in the top five in average (.431), on-base percentage (.500), runs scored (38) and hits (50).

Joining Recknagel, Putnam, Hudson and Phegley on the first team are Purdue second baseman Ben Wolgamot, Michigan shortstop Jason Christian, Minnesota third baseman Nate Hanson, Indiana outfielder Andrew Means, Minnesota outfielder Matt Nohelty, Indiana pitcher Matt Bashore, Michigan hurler Chris Fetter, Purdue starter Matt Bischoff and Penn State reliever Drew O'Neil.

The 2008 All-Big Ten teams featured two multiple honorees as Putnam was named a first-team designated hitter and starting pitcher for the second year in a row. In 2007, Putnam became the first player in conference history to be named to the first team at two different positions. Also this year, Ohio State's J.B. Shuck was named to the All-Big Ten third team as a starting pitcher and an outfielder.

The Big Ten office also announced honorees from each of the conference's 10 baseball squads for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Honorees for baseball are Illinois' Hudson, Indiana's Means, Iowa's Caleb Curry, Michigan's Leif Mahler, Michigan State's Mark Sorensen, Minnesota's Tom Steidl, Northwestern's Jake Goebbert, Ohio State's Dan DeLucia, Penn State's Brian Ernst and Purdue's Ryne White.

These 10 student-athletes are now candidates for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the conference office will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.

The complete 2008 All-Big Ten Baseball teams can be found below.

FIRST TEAM

1B - Nate Recknagel, MICH#

2B - Ben Wolgamot, PUR

SS - Jason Christian, MICH

3B - Nate Hanson, MINN

OF - Kyle Hudson, ILL#

OF - Andrew Means, IND

OF - Matt Nohelty, MINN

C - Josh Phegley, IND#

DH - Zach Putnam, MICH

SP - Matt Bashore, IND

SP - Chris Fetter, MICH

SP - Zach Putnam, MICH#

SP - Matt Bischoff, PUR

RP - Drew O'Neil, PSU

 

SECOND TEAM

1B - Jake Goebbert, NU

2B - Joe Bonadonna, ILL

SS - Brandon Wikoff, ILL

3B - Kevin Hoef, IOWA

OF - Caleb Curry, IOWA

OF - Kevin Cislo, MICH

OF - Brandon Haveman, PUR

C - Jeff DeSmidt, MINN

DH - Daniel Webb, ILL

SP - Eric Jokisch, NU

SP - Jake Hale, OSU

SP - Dean Wolosiansky, OSU

SP - Mike Wanamaker, PSU

RP - Josh Lindblom, PUR

 

THIRD TEAM

1B - Ryne White, PUR

2B - Leif Mahler, MICH

SS - Justin Toole, IOWA

3B - Adam Abraham, MICH

OF - Chris Roberts, MSU

OF - Mike Kalina, NU

OF - J.B. Shuck, OSU

C - Joe Blackburn, PSU

DH - Rob Yodice, PSU

SP - Kevin Manson, ILL

SP - Mark Sorensen, MSU

SP - J.B. Shuck, OSU

SP - Matt Jansen, PUR

RP - Michael Powers, MICH

 

Player of the Year: Nate Recknagel, MICH

Pitcher of the Year: Zach Putnam, MICH

Freshman of the Year: Eric Jokisch, NU

Coach of the Year: Rich Maloney, MICH

 

# Unanimous Selection

 

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees: Kyle Hudson, ILL; Andrew Means, IND; Caleb Curry, IOWA; Leif Mahler, MICH; Mark Sorensen, MSU; Tom Steidl, MINN; Jake Goebbert, NU; Dan DeLucia, OSU; Brian Ernst, PSU; Ryne White, PUR.

 

Big Ten Baseball

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