For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
#8 Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn. / East Grand Forks HS)
Minnesota Crookston
- Hit .447 in conference play, with a 1.521 OPS, and a 1.024 slugging percentage
- Scored 39 runs in conference, with 11 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, and 57 RBI
- Stole 10 bases on 11 attempts in NSIC play
- Finished the regular season hitting .403 overall, with a 1.343 OPS, and a .874 slugging percentage
- Set the school record with 22 home runs, which leads the NSIC, and 77 RBI, which also leads the NSIC.
- Named NSIC Player of the Week twice during season
- Had a three home run, seven RBI game against Southwest Minnesota State May 5
- Is tied for third in the country for home runs, is sixth in the country for slugging percentage, and is second in RBI
- Joins his brother Reed Hjelle (2018) as the first set of brothers to win NSIC Player of the Year accolades

NSIC PITCHER OF THE YEAR
#3 Alex Koep (Sr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn. / Parkers Prairie HS)
Minnesota Crookston
- Went 4-1 in conference play, with a 3.62 ERA in 37.1 innings pitched
- Opponents hit just .180 against him in conference play
- Finished with 46 strikeouts and 24 walks in NSIC action
- Had three one hitters on the season (Hawaii Pacific, Davis & Elkins, and Bemidji State)
- Notched 11 strikeouts and no walks against Notre Dame College
- Tallied nine strikeouts apiece versus Missouri-St. Louis and Northern State
- On the season, he was 7-1 with a 2.53 ERA in 57 innings pitched
- He notched 75 strikeouts and 29 walks
- Opponents this season hit just .169 against him
- Is the first Golden Eagle in program history to be named NSIC Pitcher of the Year

NSIC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
#13 Mike Hallquist (3B, Jr.,  Fargo, N.D. / Fargo North HS / Bismarck State College)
Minnesota Crookston
- Transferred to Minnesota Crookston from Bismarck State College
- Tied for ninth in the nation for home runs, and is seventh in the country for slugging percentage
- In NSIC play, he hit .352, with 44 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, and 38 RBI
- Posted a 1.274 OPS, an .803 slugging percentage, and a .471 on-base percentage in NSIC games
- Led the NSIC in OPS, and runs scored
- This season, he hit .403, with a 1.386 OPS, an .867 slugging percentage, and a .519 on-base percentage
- Scored a team-high 66 runs, with 19 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs, and 61 RBI
- Led the team with 39 walks
- Is the first Golden Eagle in program history to be named NSIC Newcomer of the Year

NSIC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR 
#32 Josh Dykhoff (RHP/1B, Fr., Wadena, Minn. / Wadena-Deer Creek HS)
Minnesota Crookston
- Earned NSIC Player of the Week honors, alongside his brother Jake Dykhoff (Pitcher of the Week)
- In NSIC play, hit .357, with 45 runs scored, 12 doubles, 13 home runs, and 36 RBI
- Posted a 1.220 OPS, and a .762 slugging percentage in NSIC play
- Finished the regular-season hitting .339, with 53 runs scored, 14 doubles, 14 home runs, and 48 RBI
- Posted a regular-season OPS of 1.125 and a slugging percentage of .673, with a .452 on-base percentage
- Joins Jake Poehler (2008) as Golden Eagles to be named NSIC Freshman of the Year
- Posted a 6.50 ERA in 36 innings pitched with a 3-2 record
- Struck out 27 and walked just nine
- Started seven games and made 11 total appearances

NSIC COACH OF THE YEAR
Paul Blanchard (27th Season)
Southwest Minnesota State University
- SMSU head coach for 27 seasons (1997-2023)
- Led the Mustangs, which were picked to finish 14th in preseason poll to fifth place league finish
- SMSU’s 27 victories this season marks the 13th time SMSU has won 25 or more games in a season
- SMSU’s all-time leader in victories with 591 career wins
- 16 NSIC Tournament appearances
- 3 NSIC Tournament Championships
- 4-time NSIC Tournament finalist 
 

2023 All-Conference First Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
16	Nick Banowetz	OF	Jr.	AUGIE	Robins, Iowa
40	Adam Diedrich	Relief	So.	AUGIE	Brillion, Wis.
14	Drey Dirksen	C	Jr.	AUGIE	Spicer, Minn.
28	Seth Miller	RHP	Sr.	AUGIE	Blaine, Minn.
48	Caleb Saari	RHP	Jr.	AUGIE	Moorhead, Minn.
5	Calvin James	3B	Jr.	UMary	Buffalo, Minn.
33	Jake Dykhoff	RHP	Sr.	UMC	Wadena, Minn.
13	Mike Hallquist	3B	Jr.	UMC	Fargo, N.D.
8	Jake Hjelle	OF	Jr.	UMC	East Grand Forks, Minn.
3	Alex Koep	LHP	Sr.	UMC	Parkers Prairie, Minn.
7	Derek Kay	2B	Jr.	MINOT	Prior Lake, Minn.
31	Gunnar Kozlowitz	1B	Jr.	MINOT	Littleton, Colo.
20	Matt Malone	DH	Sr.	MINOT	Plainview, N.Y.
1	Brady Klehr	OF	R-Jr.	USF	Richmond, Minn.
12	Chase McDaniel	SS	Jr.	SMSU	Pahrump, Nev.
7	John Nett	OF	Jr.	SCSU	Appleton, Wis.
22	Sam Riola	P/U	R-Sr.	SCSU	Ham Lake, Minn.
27	Derek Baumgartner	C	Sr.	WSU	Almond, Wis.
2023 All-Conference Second Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
23	Jack Hines	SS	Jr.	AUGIE	Lombard, Ill.
29	Noah Hull	DH	Jr.	UMary	Scarborough, Ont.
37	Jonathan Draheim	RHP	Sr.	UMary	Jordan, Minn.
23	Derek Shoen	1B	Sr.	UMary	Truman, Minn.
32	Josh Dykhoff	P/U	Fr.	UMC	Wadena, Minn.
7	Brody Sorenson	Relief	Jr.	UMC	Grand Forks, N.D.
3	Tim Pokornowski	OF	Sr.	UMD	Cloquet, Minn.
4	Nathan Culley	LHP	Jr.	MSU	Andover, Minn.
23	Dylan Gotto	LHP	Sr.	MSU	Peosta, Iowa
3	Mikey Gottschalk	3B	Jr.	MSU	Blaine, Minn.
40	Jackson Hauge	OF	Jr.	MSU	Ramsey, Minn.
29	Javier Gutierrez	OF	Jr.	MINOT	Chandler, Ariz.
2	Brent Riddle	OF	Jr.	MINOT	San Clamente, Calif.
17	Ansen Dulas	RHP	Jr.	SMSU	Mayer, Minn.
37	Kolby Kiser	RHP	Jr.	SMSU	Sebeka, Minn.
2	Keenan Wenzel	2B	Sr.	SMSU	Rosemount, Minn.
12	Drew Bulson	C	R-Sr.	SCSU	St. Cloud, Minn.
6	Colin Lynam	OF	Jr.	WSC	Springfield, Neb.
2023 NSIC All-Defensive Team
#	Name	Pos.	Yr.	School	Hometown
6	Ryan Chmielewski	P	So.	SMSU	Foley, Minn.
14	Drey Dirksen	C	Jr.	AUGIE	Spicer, Minn.
31	Gunnar Kozlowitz	1B	Jr.	MINOT	Littleton, Colo.
28	Ethan Cole	2B	So.	UMD	Duluth, Minn.
2	Tate Wallat	3B	R-Sr.	SCSU	Federal Way, Wash.
17	Alex Wattermann	SS	Sr.	UMD	Prior Lake, Minn.
7	John Nett	OF	Jr.	SCSU	Appleton, Wis.
5	Ryan Hull	OF	Sr.	UIU	Sanger, Texas
1	Mason Wolf	OF	Jr.	CSP	Prior Lake, Minn.

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 105 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes have the opportunity to earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.