Courtesy: NU Athletic communications
Six Nebraska baseball student-athletes and Head Coach Darin Erstad were honored by the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday, as the league office released the 2017 All-Big Ten Honors.
Erstad was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the first time in his career after leading the Huskers to their first Big Ten regular-season title. Jake Meyers (utility) and Scott Schreiber (designated hitter) were first-team picks, while Angelo Altavilla (shortstop) and Jake Hohensee (starting pitcher) were third-team choices. Third baseman Luke Roskam was an unanimous pick for the All-Freshman team and Ben Miller was Nebraska’s Sportsmanship Award recipient.
Erstad is in his sixth year as the head coach of the Huskers and has guided the Big Red to a 210-137-1 (.605) record during his tenure. Including NU’s first-place finish this season, the Huskers have finished second or better in the Big Ten four times in six seasons. Earlier this year Erstad became just the fifth head coach in program history to total 200 wins and is four wins shy of tying Dave Van Horn for fourth place on the all-time wins list. Erstad is the first Husker baseball coach to be named conference coach of the year since 2005 when Mike Anderson was named Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Schreiber was a first-team pick for the second straight year after earning first-team honors at first base last season. Schreiber is the first Husker to earn first-team honors in consecutive seasons since Pat Kelly, who was a first-team pick at second base in 2013 and 2014. During the regular season Schreiber ranked sixth in the Big Ten in both hits (70) and RBIs (46), while ranking eighth in doubles (14) and ninth in batting average (.335). With 70 hits this season, Schreiber is looking to become the first Husker to top 80 hits in a year since 2013 when Kelly produced 85.
A third-team choice in the outfield last season, Meyers earned first-team honor this year for his performance both as a position player and as NU’s Sunday starter. At the plate, Meyers finished the regular-season tied for second in the Big Ten with 48 runs scored and his on-base percentage of .431 ranked sixth in the conference. On the mound Meyers tied for the league lead with eight wins and his nine walks were the second fewest allowed in the league. The Huskers are 11-1-1 in games Meyers has started this season, with the only loss coming to Oregon State during the second weekend of the year. During Big Ten play, Nebraska was 7-0-1 with Meyers on the mound.
After playing in 14 games, including two starts, as a true freshman last season, Altavilla became Nebraska’s starting shortstop in 2017. The sophomore ranks second on the team in batting average (.323), doubles (13) and RBIs (37). During Big Ten play, Altavilla was ninth in the league with 14 walks and tied for 11th in runs scored with 20.
Hohensee missed the entire 2016 season due to Tommy John surgery and returned in 2017 as Nebraska’s Friday starter. The junior from Lincoln earned third-team honors after going 6-3 in 13 starts. Overall on the year he ranked eighth in the Big Ten with an opposing batting average of .240. During league play he was fifth in innings pitched (48.0) and 11th in strikeouts (36).
Roskam was an unanimous pick for the Big Ten All-Freshman team after hitting .270 in 37 games, including 31 starts. The Chaska, Minn., native has roped seven doubles, one triple, four home runs and drive in 18 runs.
The Huskers open postseason play tomorrow at Bart Kaufman Field, when they take on the Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 3 p.m. (MT). The game will be carried live on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska’s 2017 All-Big Ten Award Winners
Coach of the Year Darin Erstad
First Team
Jake Meyers – Utility
Scott Schreiber – DH
Third Team
Angelo Altavilla – SS
Jake Hohensee – SP
All-Freshman Team
Luke Roskam – 3B *
Sportsmanship Award
Ben Miller
*-denotes unanimous decision