ABCA/Rawlings Release
D3Baseball.com Release
DUDLEY, Mass. (5/28/2024) – Senior
Johnny Knox continued his impressive 2024 campaign as he was named D3Baseball.com's All-Region II Player of the Year and the ABCA/Rawlings Position Player of the Year for Region II. Joining Knox on the First Team is senior
Brennan Hyde, while graduate student
Will Kleinhenz earned a Third Team nod for the Bison, and senior
Ben Jerome earned a Third Team honor in the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region II Third Team as an outfielder.
Knox becomes the first player in program history to earn both D3Baseball.com All-Region II Player of the Year and ABCA/Rawlings Region II Position Player of the Year.
This is Knox's first time on the D3Baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings All-Region II teams. This is Hyde's first time on the D3Baseball.com All-Region II team and his second time being named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region II Team.
Knox was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Year as he finished the season with a .419 batting average and played in all 42 games, while record 75 hits, 54 RBI and 59 runs scored. Knox led the conference in runs scored (59), hits (75), total bases (128) while finishing second in home runs (13), slugging percentage (.715), and RBI (54). He set the Program's single season total base record, single season home run record, single season hit record, and finished in second for RBI in a single season and career home run, to list a few.
Hyde, was named to the CCC First-Team as an outfielder. The Tampa native posted a .401 batting average this season for the Bison and finished with 65 hits, 55 RBI, and 42 runs scored, all while playing in all 42 games for the Bison this season. Hyde set the single season RBI record (55) as well as the career home run record with 25 jacks, and nine this season alone to set a career high for him. Defensively, Hyde was prefect in right field, with a 1.000 fielding percentage and threw six runners out at the plate this season, including helping to turn two double plays. This is Hyde, second nod to the First Team as an outfielder. Hyde was named CCC Player of the Week on April 30
th.
Kleinhenz was named to the CCC Second Team as an outfielder and to the Third Team as a designated hitter. These are both the first nods for the graduate student, Kleinhenz finished with a career year for the Bison. He finished fourth on the team batting average (.343), hits (48). Third on the team in RBI (34) and home runs (4). Defensively he posted a .944 fielding percentage with 34 put outs. This is Kleinhenz's first team earning D3Baseball.com All-Region II Third Team as an outfielder.
Jerome was named to the CCC Third Team. Jerome finished in third in nearly every category for the Bison, while snagging 35 bases to set the single season stolen bases record. Jerome finished with a .384 batting average and 48 hits, while scoring 46 Runs and having 27 RBI. This is Jerome's first time named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region II Third Team as an outfielder.
The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-America teams will be announced the evening of Thursday, May 30 immediately following the Opening Ceremony at the 2024 NCAA Div. III World Series in Eastlake, Ohio. Only First Team All-Region selections are eligible for All-America honors.
About the ABCA
Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 41 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.
About Rawlings
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Ball Supplier and Batting Helmet of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and an approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit
Rawlings.com or by phone at (314) 819-2800.
