Illinois, Nebraska and Purdue Claim Weekly Baseball Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its baseball weekly awards for games played April 9-14.

Player of the Week

Jacob Schroeder, Illinois

Sr. – C — Homewood-Flossmoor, Ill. — John A. Logan CC

• Hit .533 (8-for-15) with four home runs and 11 RBI in leading Illinois to a 4-0 record
• Produced three home runs and eight RBI in a 21-11 win over Northern Illinois
• Scored eight runs, went 3-for-3 in stolen bases and compiled a 1.965 OPS
• Honored with the Big Ten’s Player award for the second time in three weeks
• Last Illinois Player of the Week: Jacob Schroeder (April 1, 2024)

Pitcher of the Week

Mason McConnaughey, Nebraska

So. – S-RHP — Topeka, Kan. — Cloud County CC

• Threw seven shutout innings and held the Big Ten’s top offense to six hits in a 16-1 win at Rutgers on Saturday
• Struck out a career-high nine batters to earn his fourth win of the season
• Issued zero walks and no extra-base hits as just one RU runner touched third
• Garners his first Big Ten weekly award
• Last Nebraska Pitcher of the Week: Brett Sears (April 8, 2024)

Freshman of the Week

Luke Gaffney, Purdue

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

• Recorded three hits in a game three times, including against 18th-ranked Indiana State
• Hit .625 and went 6-for-7 with runners in scoring position, generating eight RBI
• Compiled 31 putouts and two assists at first, turning a 3-6-3 twin kill for the Boilermakers who lead the nation in double plays (42)
• Captures the Big Ten Freshman award for the fourth time this season
• Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Luke Gaffney (March 11, 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