GOLD STARS: OKWU spring athletes annex passel of postseason prizes
A shower of postseason honors descended on Oklahoma Wesleyan University spring sports teams like a storm of good tidings.
From All-American recognition to recognition of academic acumen combined with athletic prowess, dozens of Eagles and Lady Eagles populated some august lists.
Following is breakdown, by sport.
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Baseball
Even though the Eagle diamond program flew a bit under the national radar — some might say unfairly for a team that finished 38-19 and play in what arguably was the toughest conference in the nation — one of the squad’s heroes still powered into All-America recognition.
Veteran Cody Muncy earned his niche on the NAIA All-America Honorable Mention list — a coveted honor in a season crowded from coast-to-coast with titanic baseball talent.
The muscular first baseman pounded 16 homers and 16 doubles, scored 53 runs, batted .397 and drove in 60 RBI’s in 57 games.
He also amassed an incredible 50 walks to help fashion a .531 on-base percentage and pieced together a .729 slugging average.
Several Eagle baseball players also landed on the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Scholar-Athlete roster. The main qualifications was a 3.25-or-higher grade-point average.
The honored Eagles included Nicholas Chavez, Joshua Logan, Jesus Rojas, Ryan Rodgers, Marcus Randell, Jesus Maldonado, Michael Teeling, Logan Ivy, Seth Delgado, Klayton Coffman, Collin O’Grady, Rylan Cade McCollum, Shevin Cirucci, Jacob Edmiston, Garrett Jeffcoat and Matthew Zogob.
Delgado turned in some of the team’s strongest stats on the field as well as in the classroom.
Delgado led the team with a .391 batting average, 19 doubles, 14 homers and 60 RBIs.
Rojas and Chavez were two other everyday standouts on the diamond. Rojas played i 43 games, batted .286 and drove in 35 runs; Chavez played in 52 games, batted .359, lashed 11 doubles and drove in 30 runs.
In the KCAC All-Conference baseball poll, MUncy and Delgado both landed on the First Team while Chavez and pitchers Oracio De Leon and Kellen Brothers populated the Second Team.
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Softball
The Lady Eagles swooped to a 35-16 record and came close to qualifying for the NAIA national tournament.
One of their primary leaders was Tahlor Stefek — and the rest of the coaches agreed, voting her to the NAIA All-America Second-Team.
Stefek ripped the ball at .457 clip, clubbed 12 doubles and five homers and drove in 44 runs. She also scored 49 times.
Stefek also sparkled in the pitching circle — a 9-4 record, 97.2 innings, 123 strikeouts and a 3.58 earned run average.
Stefek also made the KCAC Softball Scholar-Athlete team, joining several teammates, including Addyson Redd, Bailey Johnson, Baylee Knorr, Lacey Koffman, Ruby Ramos, Melinda Meg Kirk, Aurelia Webber, Sofia Cardenas and Alexis Perez.
Knorr batted .403, smashed 20 extra base hits and netted 36 RBIs. Cardenas hit .372 and also piled up 20 extra-base hits.
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Track
Anna Ammons garnered a spot on the KCAC Women’s Track Scholar-Athlete squad; Hunter Harris and Tristan Lujan each notched a berth on the KCAC Men’s Track Scholar-Athlete group.
Hunter is an Oklahoma Union High graduate.
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Postseason polls
OKWU’s baseball team can add another motivation to prove something next season.
For what was likely the first time in several years, the Eagles were completely snubbed in the NAIA’s final poll related to the 2022 season. The Eagles (38-19) — just one year removed from a 49-win season and appearance in the 2021 NAIA World Series — didn’t draw even one measly vote in the NAIA Baseball Coaches Top 25 postseason poll taken last week.
By comparison, the Eagles owned the No. 8 spot in the 2021 postseason poll, No. 11 in the 2019 postseason poll (no 2020 postseason poll took place), No. 11 in the 2018 postseason poll and No. 9 in the 2017 postseason poll.
The Eagles recorded their highest-ever ranking in a postseason poll at No. 3 in 2014.
One might perceive the 2023 Eagles team might be out to prove OKWU still deserves respect as a national power.
In the 2022 postseason softball poll, OKWU also failed to garner a vote. The 2021 Lady Eagles finished at 35-16, including an 18-6 record in conference.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Focus on Oklahoma Wesleyan University postseason honors
