Baseball Honors Awarded to Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Purdue

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its baseball weekly awards for games played April 16-21.

Player of the Week

Connor Milton, Illinois

Sr. – OF — Champaign, Ill. — Champaign Central

• Went 9-for-12 at the plate with three home runs and eight RBI as first-place Illinois completed a weekend sweep of Northwestern

• Compiled a slash of .750/.750/1.667 along with a 2.417 OPS

• Amassed 20 total bases and three multiple-hit games for the Illini, who extended their win streak to seven games

• The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar receives his first Big Ten Player Award

• Last Illinois Player of the Week: Jacob Schroeder (April 15, 2024)

Co-Pitcher of the Week

Brody Brecht, Iowa

Jr. – S-RHP — Ankeny, Iowa — Ankeny

• Tossed a one-hitter on 110 pitches in Iowa’s 5-1 win over Rutgers Sunday in Iowa City

• Struck out 12 batters and allowed just one run (none earned) in holding the Scarlet Knights to a .042 batting average

• Threw a career-high 7.1 innings in helping Iowa to a series sweep of Rutgers

• The Golden Spikes Watch List recipient collects his first Big Ten Pitcher honor of the season and the third of his career

• Last Iowa Pitcher of the Week: Cade Obermueller (March 11, 2024)

Co-Pitcher of the Week

Jacob Denner, Michigan

5th – R-LHP — Closter, N.J. — Bergen Catholic

• Working out of the bullpen, collected two wins and a save in three appearances

• Recorded a 0.67 WHIP, allowed two runs and six baserunners over 9.0 innings

• Finished the week with 10 strikeouts and teamed with Kurt Barr to register a shutout in the series opener versus Ohio State in Ann Arbor, Mich.

• The three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection receives his second conference weekly award of the season and the third of his career

• Last Michigan Pitcher of the Week: Jacob Denner (April 1, 2024)

Freshman of the Week

Luke Gaffney, Purdue

Fr. – 1B — Danville, Ky. — Boyle County

• Reached base in 9 of 18 plate appearances, stockpiling eight runs with eight RBI and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

• Stroked three home runs, including a grand slam on Saturday to break the Purdue freshman RBI record (in his 38th game) that had stood since 2010

• Played first base and made his debut at catcher, filling in for an injured starter, to finish with 24 putouts and an assist on the week

• Captures the Big Ten Freshman award for the fifth time this season and the second-straight week

• Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Luke Gaffney (April 15, 2024)

2024 Big Ten Baseball Weekly Awards

Feb. 19

PL: Matt Maloney, Jr., C, PSU

P: Connor Foley, So., S-RHP, IND

F: Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B, PUR

Feb. 26

PL: Devin Taylor, So., OF, IND

P: Christian Coppola, So., S-RHP, RU

F: Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B, PUR

March 4

PL: Drake Westcott, Jr., 1B, ILL

PL: Nick Williams, Jr., OF, MSU

P: Mitch Voit, So., S-RHP/INF, MICH

F: Ryan McKay, Fr., 2B, MSU

March 11

PL: Rhett Stokes, Jr., IF, NEB

P: Cade Obermueller, So., S-LHP, IOWA

F: Kyle Remington, Fr., R-RHP, MINN

F: Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B, PUR

March 18

PL: Josh Kuroda-Grauer, Jr., SS, RU

P: Kurt Barr, So., R-RHP, MICH

F: Ty Doucette, Fr., 1B, RU

March 25

PL: Drake Westcott, Jr., 1B, ILL

P: Justin Sinibaldi, Sr., S-LHP, RU

F: Brayden Martin, Fr., UTL, MD

April 1

PL: Jacob Schroeder, Sr., C, ILL

P: Jacob Denner, 5th, S-LHP, MICH

F: Jasen Oliver, Fr., 2B, IND

April 8

PL: Tyler Cerny, So., SS, IND

P: Brett Sears, Sr., S-RHP, NEB

F: Joey Brenczewski, Fr., 1B, IND

April 15

PL: Jacob Schroeder, Sr., C, ILL

P: Mason McConnaughey, So., S-RHP, NEB

F: Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B, PUR

April 22

PL: Connor Milton, Sr., OF, ILL

P: Brody Brecht, Jr., S-RHP, IOWA

P: Jacob Denner, 5th, R-LHP, MICH

F: Luke Gaffney, Fr., 1B/C, PUR