WAC Baseball Postseason Honors Announced
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference has announced its All-WAC baseball teams and major awards as selected by the league's ten head coaches. California Baptist's Damon Keith was named WAC Player of the Year while Grand Canyon's Pierson Ohl was named WAC Pitcher of the Year. California Baptist's CJ Culpepper took home WAC Freshman of the Year honors and Grand Canyon's Andy Stankiewicz earned WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Keith, a sophomore outfielder from Redlands, Calif., hit .338 in WAC play to help the Lancers earn a share of their second WAC regular season title in as many opportunities. Hitting .342 overall, he led the league with 12 home runs and 116 total bases while ranking second in the league in runs (51) and hits (68).
Ohl, a junior right-hander from Simi Valley, Calif., was 8-0 in nine starts for the WAC regular season co-champion Lopes. Also the 2019 WAC Freshman of the Year, he struck out 60 batters with nine walks in 61.1 innings against league foes, finishing the regular season with a 2.20 ERA in WAC play and 2.55 ERA overall.
Culpepper, a right-handed pitcher from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., recorded eight saves in WAC play for the co-champion Lancers. He finished with three more in non-conference play and was 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA, including 1.02 in WAC play. In 17.2 innings pitched in WAC play, he struck out 26 and walked just six while allowing just two earned runs in 13 appearances.
Stankiewicz earns his third WAC Coach of the Year award in his 10th season leading the GCU baseball program. He previously won the award in 2017 and 2018 following regular season titles. Prior to taking over at Grand Canyon before the 2012 season, he worked as a minor league field coordinator for the Seattle Mariners, an assistant coach at Arizona State and manager of the Staten Island Yankees. A 12th-round pick of the New York Yankees in 1986 following a standout career at Pepperdine, he played in part of seven MLB seasons for the Yankees, Houston Astros, Montreal Expos and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Player of the Year: Damon Keith, Jr., OF, California Baptist
Pitcher of the Year: Pierson Ohl, Jr., RHP, Grand Canyon
Freshman of the Year: CJ Culpepper, RHP, California Baptist
Coach of the Year: Andy Stankiewicz, Grand Canyon
2021 First Team All-WAC
Catcher: Kaden Hollow, Fr., Dixie State
First Base: Ryan Walstad, Sr., Sacramento State
Second Base: Andy Atwood, Sr., UT Rio Grande Valley
Third Base: Jacob Wilson, Fr., Grand Canyon
Shortstop: Channy Ortiz, Sr., Grand Canyon
Outfield: Damon Keith, Jr., California Baptist
Outfield: Lane Pritchard, Sr., Dixie State
Outfield: Zerek Saenz, So., NM State
DH/Utility: Matt Smith, Sr., Sacramento State
At-Large: Elijah Buries, Fr., 1B, Grand Canyon
Starting Pitcher: Pierson Ohl, Jr., Grand Canyon
Starting Pitcher: Scott Randall, Jr., Sacramento State
Relief Pitcher: CJ Culpepper, Fr., California Baptist
At-Large: Kevin Stevens, Sr., RHP, UT Rio Grande Valley
2021 Second Team All-WAC
Catcher: Dawsen Bacho, Jr., Sacramento State
First Base: John Glenn, Sr., California Baptist
Second Base: Kevin Jimenez, So., NM State
Third Base: Steven Moretto, Jr., Sacramento State
Shortstop: Brandon Dieter, So., NM State
Outfield: Brock Burton, Sr., Grand Canyon
Outfield: Coleman Grubbs, Sr., UT Rio Grande Valley
Outfield: Tommy Tabak, Jr., NM State
DH/Utility: Tayler Aguilar, So., Grand Canyon
At-Large: Connor Clift, So., C, California Baptist
Starting Pitcher: Chris Burica, Sr., California Baptist
Starting Pitcher: Carter Young, Fr., Grand Canyon
Relief Pitcher: Frankie Scalzo, Sr., Grand Canyon
At-Large: Bryan Pope, Sr., RHP, California Baptist
Honorable Mention
Bryan Aguilar, Tarleton; David Avitia, Grand Canyon; Chad Castillo, California Baptist; Juan Colato, Grand Canyon; Trevor Doyle, Sacramento State; Jake Engel, Dixie State; Garrett Fisher, Northern Colorado; Tyler Fowler, Tarleton; Dean Frew, Tarleton; Josh Glenn, Northern Colorado; Jack Gonzales, Dixie State; London Green, Tarleton; Jacob Hirsh, UT Rio Grande Valley; Chris Jefferson, NM State; Ethan Mann, NM State; Dawson McCarville, Grand Canyon; Ben McKay, Northern Colorado; RJ Ochoa, UT Rio Grande Valley; Wade Raburn, Tarleton; Freddy Rojas, Jr., UT Rio Grande Valley; Christian Sepulveda, UT Rio Grande Valley; Harrison Spohn, California Baptist; Shane Taylor, Dixie State; Kemuel Thomas-Rivera, Tarleton; Cade Verdusco, Grand Canyon; Cal Villareal, NM State; Jonny Weaver, Grand Canyon; AJ Wood, Tarleton; Jack Zalasky, Sacramento State