Wednesday, May 23, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference sluggers continue to receive awards following exceptional seasons at the plate as Montana State Billings junior Kaleo Johnson and Central Washington senior Dustin Braun received recognition to the 2018 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II All-America Team.

In his first season with the Yellowjackets, Johnson received second-team honors as a third baseman while Braun, Central Washington’s designated hitter, earned honorable mention. Eight total players from the West Region were selected for All-America honors.

Johnson, the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, was an offensive force for a Yellowjackets’ team that holds the GNAC single-season home run record of 78. Johnson led the Yellowjackets to its third GNAC regular-season title in four years as he finished the season with a league-best .412 batting average and 17 home runs. Five of his home runs came at the GNAC Championships. He is second in Division II with an .845 slugging percentage.

On the offensive side of the ball, Braun finished third in the league by batting .379. He also was second on the team with 74 hits, 41 RBIs and a .528 slugging percentage. At the GNAC Championships, Braun went 5 for 14 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a home run. A First Team All-GNAC pick this year, Braun finished his Central Washington career ranked No. 5 in GNAC history with a .387 conference batting average.

Earlier this month, Johnson was the only GNAC player to earn first-team selections to both the NCBWA and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-West Region Team. Braun joined Johnson on the NCBWA First Team and was a second-team honoree for the D2CCA All-West Region Team.