Monday, April 13, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. – Northwest Nazarene junior utility player Ben Johnson played three different positions for the Nighthawks this season, but what’s more impressive is that he also leads the 2020 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Baseball All-Academic Team.

Johnson tops a team of 50 All-Academic selections with a 3.97 cumulative grade point average as a biology major with a focus in pre-medicine. He played and started in 10 of the Nighthawks’ 16 games, spending time as a catcher, pitcher and designated hitter. Johnson finished the shortened season with a .321 batting average, nine hits, two runs and five RBI. He also made three starts on the mound, finishing with a 2-1 record, 3.38 earned run average, 15 strikeouts and just two walks, which led the conference.

Along with Johnson, six other honorees post a 3.80 GPA or better. Those selections include Central Washington senior Jaden Hassell; Montana State Billings seniors Will Heward and Sam Muskat; and Northwest Nazarene senior Jonathan Ringer, junior Haden Keller and sophomore Nathan Cassara.

The 2020 All-Academic Team has 15 repeat selections, including three three-time selections in Muskat, Central Washington senior Tyler Hoefer and Saint Martin’s senior Micah McNicoll.

Central Washington led all programs with 12 All-Academic selections, eight of whom have a 3.50 GPA or greater. Northwest Nazarene finished with 10 selections while Concordia and Saint Martin’s each had eight.

The GNAC All-Academic Teams honor excellence in the classroom while committing to the rigor of being part of a collegiate athletic program. Nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater, be a letterwinner on their teams and must be in their second season at the nominating institution.

2020 GNAC BASEBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

* - 2019 All-Academic Selection
+ - 2018 All-Academic Selection