For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
#23 Jack Hines (IF, 6-2, 205, Sr., R/R, Lombard, Ill. / Willowbrook HS)
Augustana University
- Hit .432 in conference play and led the league with a 1.393 OPS and a .921 slugging percentage
- Hit six triples, 17 home runs, drove in 66 RBI and tallied 128 total bases in conference play, all NSIC-bests
- Scored 50 runs and recorded 60 hits while stealing 12 bases
- Finished the regular season hitting .431 overall with a 1.346 OPS, and .873 slugging percentage
- Set the school records with 20 home runs and 80 RBI
- Named NSIC Player of the Week twice during season
- Second in the country in RBI per game, third in RBI, fourth in slugging percentage, sixth in home runs, sixth in total bases, 15th in runs scored and 16th in batting average
NSIC PITCHER OF THE YEAR
#8 Ashton Michek (LHP, 6-3, 205, So., L/L, Bangor, Wis. / Bangor)
Augustana University
- Went 6-2 in conference play, with a 2.92 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 52 1/3 innings pitched
- Opponents hit just .202 against him in conference play
- Finished with a league-high 66 strikeouts and walked just 17 in NSIC action
- Threw a pair of complete games
- Racked up a program-record 10 pickoffs, breaking his own record set in 2023.
- On the season, Michek went 8-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings
- Leads a staff that ranks first among in NCAA with 12 shutouts and is first in DII with 12.0 K/9
- Earned NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors on March 4
NSIC NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
#21 Bennett McCollow (DH, Jr., Bloomington, Minn. / Jefferson HS / North Iowa Area C.C.)
Concordia University, St. Paul
- Slashed .390/.482/.676 in 38 conference games
- Tallied 53 hits, including nine home runs, eight doubles and two triples
- Added 40 runs, 32 RBIs and 19 walks for the Golden Bears
- Hit for the cycle against Minnesota Duluth and collected a grand slam against Sioux Falls
- Earned NSIC Pitcher of the Week honors on May 6
NSIC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
#20 Carter Beck (OF, 6-0, 205, Fr., L/R, Carnduff, Sask. / Carnduff HS)
University of Mary
- Made an immediate impact on the University of Mary as the Marauders qualified for the NSIC tournament for the third time in four seasons
- Hit .353/.417/.604 with a 1.021 OPS and seven doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 38 RBIs and 39 runs scored in 37 NSIC games
- The lefty-swinging outfielder was 8th in RBIs in the NSIC regular season, 12th in runs scored and 18th in home runs
- Had a hit in 27 of 37 NSIC games, including 17 multi-hit performances
- Overall hit .362/.438/.638 for a 1.076 OPS with 10 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and 49 runs scored
- Was a perfect 11-for-11 when stealing bases, including a steal of home
- Leads the Marauders in runs scored and RBIs
- Just the second UMary player to earn NSIC Freshman of the Year honors (Cal James, 2021)
NSIC COACH OF THE YEAR
Tim Huber (16th Season)
Augustana University
- Led the Vikings to their third consecutive NSIC regular season title
- The Vikings’ 41-8 overall record is the best regular season record in program history
- Clinched the third consecutive 40-win season and sixth in program history
- Augustana’s all-time leader in wins with a career record of 588-264-1
- Coached his fifth NSIC Pitcher of the Year and fourth NSIC Player of the Year
- Three-time NSIC Coach of the Year
| 2024 All-Conference First Team |
| # |
Name |
Pos. |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| 14 |
Drey Dirksen |
C |
Sr. |
AUGIE |
Spicer, Minn. |
| 23 |
Jack Hines |
SS |
Sr. |
AUGIE |
Lombard, Ill. |
| 8 |
Ashton Michek |
LHP |
So. |
AUGIE |
Bangor, Wis. |
| 48 |
Caleb Saari |
RHP |
Sr. |
AUGIE |
Moorhead, Minn. |
| 21 |
Bennett McCollow |
DH |
Jr. |
CSP |
Bloomington, Minn. |
| 23 |
Nick Thimsen |
OF |
Sr. |
CSP |
Minnetonka, Minn. |
| 2 |
Kalem Haney |
2B |
So. |
UMary |
Lethbridge, Alberta |
| 35 |
Mark Schommer |
Relief |
Sr. |
UMary |
New Ulm, Minn. |
| 18 |
Teddy Giefer |
1B |
Sr. |
UMC |
Courtland, Minn. |
| 8 |
Jake Hjelle |
OF |
Sr. |
UMC |
East Grand Forks, Minn. |
| 14 |
Louis Magers |
P/UT |
So. |
MSU |
Mankato, Minn. |
| 25 |
Ryan Wickman |
OF |
Sr. |
MSU |
Spring Green, Wis. |
| 37 |
Kolby Kiser |
RHP |
Sr. |
SMSU |
Sebeka, Minn. |
| 12 |
Chase McDaniel |
SS |
Sr. |
SMSU |
Pahrump, Nev. |
| 1 |
Isaac Nett |
OF |
Sr. |
SMSU |
Albany, Minn. |
| 21 |
Luke Tupy |
LHP |
Sr. |
SCSU |
New Prague, Minn. |
| 2 |
Cal James |
3B |
Gr. |
SCSU |
Buffalo, Minn. |
| 41 |
Carter Thomas |
OF |
So. |
WSC |
Mason City, Iowa |
| 2024 All-Conference Second Team |
| # |
Name |
Pos. |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| 6 |
Jason Axelberg |
OF |
Jr. |
AUGIE |
Monticello, Minn. |
| 30 |
JD Hennen |
RHP |
So. |
AUGIE |
Alexandria, Minn. |
| 1 |
Tate Meiners |
2B |
Sr. |
AUGIE |
Caledonia, Minn. |
| 20 |
Carter Beck |
OF |
Fr. |
UMary |
Carnduff, Sask. |
| 29 |
Noah Hull |
1B |
Sr. |
UMary |
Scarborough, Ontario |
| 32 |
Josh Dykhoff |
P/UT |
So. |
UMC |
Wadena, Minn. |
| 9 |
Caden Headlee |
OF |
Sr. |
UMC |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 24 |
Jake Osowski |
RHP |
Sr. |
UMC |
East Grand Forks, Minn. |
| 7 |
Brody Sorenson |
RHP |
Sr. |
UMC |
Grand Forks, N.D. |
| 25 |
Gabe Richardson |
3B |
So. |
UMD |
Eau Claire, Wis. |
| 11 |
Aidan Byrne |
SS |
Jr. |
MSU |
Eagan, Minn. |
| 5 |
Zach Stroh |
OF |
Jr. |
MSU |
Elk River, Minn. |
| 19 |
Ricky Apodaca |
DH |
Sr. |
MINOT |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| 25 |
Brennan Phillips |
C |
Jr. |
NSU |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| 13 |
Owen Latendresse |
OF |
Jr |
SMSU |
Weston, Wis. |
| 10 |
Braden Cannon |
Relief |
So. |
WSC |
Omaha, Neb. |
| 12 |
Corbin Kirk |
LHP |
Jr. |
WSC |
Casper, Wyo. |
| 35 |
Cole Fuecker |
1B |
Jr. |
WSU |
Sauk Rapids, Minn. |
| 2024 NSIC All-Defensive Team |
| # |
Name |
Pos. |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| 37 |
Kolby Kiser |
RHP |
Sr. |
SMSU |
Sebeka, Minn. |
| 14 |
Drey Dirksen |
C |
Sr. |
AUGIE |
Spicer, Minn. |
| 29 |
Noah Hull |
1B |
Sr. |
UMary |
Scarborough, Ontario |
| 2 |
Kalem Haney |
2B |
So. |
UMary |
Lethbridge, Alberta |
| 2 |
Sawyer Satrom |
3B |
So. |
UMC |
Portland, N.D. |
| 11 |
Aidan Byrne |
SS |
Jr. |
MSU |
Eagan, Minn. |
| 1 |
Brady Klehr |
OF |
R-Sr. |
USF |
Richmond, Minn. |
| 9 |
Caden Headlee |
OF |
Sr. |
UMC |
Fargo, N.D. |
| 14 |
Karson Hesser |
OF |
R-Sr. |
NSU |
Wahoo, Neb. |
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in 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 27 team national championships and crowned 113 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.
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