Eagles Have Five Named All-GLVCÂ East
University of Southern Indiana senior left fielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year and freshman centerfielder Bryce Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year at the at the GLVC Awards Barbecue Wednesday night. McNamara leads five Screaming Eagles who were honored by the league with All-GLVC honors.
McNamara, who also was named first-team All-GLVC East Division, becomes only the third Eagle all-time to be named the GLVC Player of the Year, joining Kevin Brown (1993) and Darin Mastroianni (2007). He leads the GLVC in batting average (.400) and slugging percent (.823), while placing second in total bases (144), third in doubles (20) and RBIs (66), and tied for third in home runs (16).
The three-time All-GLVC award winner and reigning GLVC Player of the Week set the USI career record (32) and single-season mark (16) for home runs in last weekend’s four-game series at the University of Indianapolis. McNamara also tied the single-game record with three home runs in the game three 24-7 win.
Krizan becomes the first Eagle to be named the GLVC Freshman of the Year since the award was created in 1996. The freshman centerfielder leads the GLVC and ranks fourth nationally with 37 stolen bases while batting .293 in the lead-off spot for USI. He also has 50 runs scored, three doubles, and 25 RBIs.
Joining McNamara on the All-GLVC East Division first-team was senior utility player Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) and junior catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana). Gobert, who has seen action on the mound, at third base, at first base, in right field, and as the designated hitter, is third on the team with a .357 batting average and ranks second on the squad with 45 RBIs, in addition to two home runs and a team-high 21 doubles.
Brown is having his best season as an Eagle, batting .323 with six doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 31 RBIs. The junior catcher also has thrown out 31 percent of base runners attempting to steal.
The Eagles featured senior right fielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) and junior second baseman Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana) on the All-GLVC East Division second-team.
Johnson, who set the USI single-game records with 10 RBIs and seven hits the 34-9 win over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, is second on the team with a career-best .358 batting average, 40 runs scored, 16 doubles, two triples, and one home run. Fleming, who was named All-GLVC East Division for the second-straight year, is batting .298 with 46 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, and a home run while knocking in 29 RBIs.
The Eagles start GLVC Tournament action on Thursday at 9 a.m. when they play Quincy University in the first round. The GLVC Tournament, which is being played at U.S. Ball Park in Ozark, Missouri, runs through Sunday. USI is the third seed from the GLVC East, while Quincy is the second seed from the West.
