Cougars Pick Up Stack of AMC Awards

Columbia, Mo. – The American Midwest Conference (AMC) has announced the 2023 AMC Baseball All-Conference teams, season award winners, Academic All-Conference team, and the AMC Baseball Champions of Character Team. Columbia took home a handful of accolades including three season awards, with six named to the First Team, and five named to the Second Team.
 
Season Awards

• Tyler Renn – co-Dual Position Player of the Year
• Reece Clapp – Freshman Pitcher of the Year
• Cayden Nicoletto – Newcomer of the Year

 
Gold Glove Team

• Tyler Renn – produced a fielding percentage of .956 throughout 48 games played, recording 80 assists (seventh in the NAIA).

 
First Team All-Conference:

• Reece Clapp – struck out 58 hitters in 51.0 innings pitched. Accumulated a record of 7-0 with one complete game. 

• Dan Fick – started in 13 games, recording an overall record of 7-0 with two complete games. Pitched 68.2 innings for a total of 68 strike outs, averaging 8.91 per game.

• Jake Deakins – appeared in 14 games, collecting a record of 4-1, earning two saves. Struck out 29 in 27.2 innings pitched, averaging 9.43 per contest. Deakins produced an ERA of 0.98.

• Tyler Renn – accumulated a .394 batting average with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs. Renn also appeared in seven games on the mound with 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched. 

• Devyn Lopez – recorded a batting average of .321, collecting 51 hits, and 30 RBI. Lopez collected 15 doubles and crossed the plate 34 times. Defensively, he posted a fielding percentage of .964 and 99 assists (third in the NAIA).

• Cayden Nicoletto – hit .411 with 20 home runs and 56 RBI. Nicoletto drove in 72 runs on the year and scored 50 times. Additionally, he racked up 18 doubles and three triples.

 
Second Team All-Conference:

• Bryce Taylor – appeared in 14 games, resulting in an overall record of 9-4 while pitching four complete games. Struck out 71 in 78.1 innings, averaging 8.16 per game.

• Riley Poulton – hit .290 with 40 hits and 28 RBI. Poulton ranks first in the NAIA in runners caught stealing with 14, while ranking second in puts outs recording 270.

• Tom McKenna – hit .319 with 36 hits and 21 RBI. McKenna crossed the plate 26 times and stole five bases. Ranks eighth in the NAIA with 79 assists, and ninth in double plays with 14.

• Braden Desonia – leads the Cougars with 13 stolen bases (eighth in the NAIA), hit .333 accumulating 29 RBI. Produced 57 hits along with 13 doubles.

• Indy Stanley – hit .362 with 50 hits, 33 RBI, and 12 home runs. Stanley stole eight bases and recorded 12 doubles.

 
Champions of Character Team:

• Travis Bassford was named to the Champions of Character Team. Each AMC school selects a member of their team to receive the NAIA Champions of Character Award. It is the student-athlete who they feel best exemplifies the NAIA ‘s five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.

 
Academic All-Conference

• Alex Grellner
• Drew Voss
• Braden Desonia
• Brayden McGinnis
• Braydon Boyer
• Brett Mooney
• Canton Sharp
• Carter Defoe
• Cayden Nicoletto
• Chase McKague
• Clayton Schneider
• Dan Fick
• Danny Ortega
• David Dell
• Duffin Makings
• Dylan Carlton
• Gavin Bleything
• Ian Nolph
• Jimmy Layton
• Kaleb Richards
• Kam Dohogne
• Myles Jasper
• Nick Mullinax
• Noah Sperling
• Pierce Hartmann
• Riley Poulton
• Wyatt Towe
• Tanner Williamson
• Tom McKenna
• Travis Bassford
• Indy Stanley
• Tyler Renn
• Zaine Dover