Hartwick, Younkin Named USCAA Academic All-Americans

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DETROIT — Marygrove College baseball sophomores Kyle Hartwick and Chase Younkin were honored Wednesday (May 13) as United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Academic All-Americans, culminating a well-rounded inaugural season for the Mustangs under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Kottke. The announcement was made at the annual awards banquet as part of the USCAA’s National Championship festivities in Hampton, Va.

The pair earned USCAA honors by exceeding the association’s requirements of being a sophomore or above in academic standing while possessing a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA.

Hartwick, a junior academically despite sophomore eligibility status on the diamond, adds to his Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) All-Academic Team and Champions of Character nods with the Academic All-American honor from the USCAA – the Mustangs’ dual-affiliate alongside the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The series of postseason awards follow Hartwick’s season-ending, two-RBI walk-off against Lourdes on May 2. Watch Hartwick’s dramatic walk-off single here.

In total, Hartwick appeared in 47 games, starting 45 primarily behind the dish, while producing a team-high 14 RBIs and eight doubles.

For Younkin, the Academic All-American honor caps off an injury-riddled 2015 campaign. Despite battling injury issues, Younkin elevated himself as the team’s emotional leader en route to hitting .269 with eight RBIs in 24 games played. The sophomore middle infielder also worked his way to a .329 on-base percentage and was a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen bases in 2015.

Younkin earned the Mustang Sports Network Call of the Game honors for his bases-clearing double against Indiana-Southeast earlier this season. Watch Younkin’s hit here.

“Chase [Younkin] and Kyle [Hartwick] represent a small sample size of the great work our team displayed in the classroom this season,” said coach Kottke. “With a ton of freshmen on our first-year team, I expect the list of then-eligible academic honorees to increase dramatically at the end of the 2016 season. Chase and Kyle are two of many committed student-athletes in our program and are looked upon as of our leaders on-and-off the field. With a great group returning next year, assistant coaches Brett Borrocci, Phil Macke and I are working hard every single day to add more well-rounded, committed student-athletes like those already a part of our program.”

Hartwick, along with senior Chris Gittleman (Windsor, Ontario/Trinity Christian), earned WHAC All-Academic honors at the end of the inaugural season of play. To earn WHAC honors, student-athletes must be a junior or above while posting a minimum 3.25 GPA.

HARTWICK’S SEASON-ENDING WALK-OFF

YOUNKIN’S BASES-CLEARING DOUBLE

BASEBALL CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected]/* */ | @tjohnston56
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