Friday, April 15, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – Three four-time honorees from Saint Martin’s highlight the 67-member GNAC Baseball All-Academic Team, presented by Barnes and Noble College.

Senior Ryne Oshiro has maintained a 3.83 GPA as a communication studies major while serving as the Saints’ starting shortstop. Appearing and starting in 30 games this season, Oshiro is batting .225 with a .325 on-base percentage, five doubles, a triple and a home run.

Dakota Hill has a 3.46 GPA as a senior education major. On the field, Hill has appeared in 22 games, starting six, and is 6-for-38 with four runs scored and two doubles. He also has yet to make an error in 10 chances defensively.

The trio also includes senior Bryant Nakagawa, who has a 3.95 GPA as a student in SMU's Master's of Engineering Management program. Nakagawa is batting .344 for the Saints in 25 games with 22 hits and five doubles.

Oshiro and Hill were joined by eight three-time honorees: Central Washington’s Josh Touhey, Montana State Billings’ PJ Ausmus and Dylan Barkley, Northwest Nazarene’s Nathan Cassara, Nick Irwin, Haden Keller and Steven Verdieck and Western Oregon’s Anthony Zellner. There were a total of 30 repeat selections, nearly half of the 66 student-athletes honored.

Saint Martin’s also featured one of the conference’s 4.00 GPAs in Griffin Williams. A sophomore business administration major, Williams is hitting .205 in 23 games for the Saints. The other 4.00 belongs to Western Oregon senior Mike Peterson. An organizational leadership major, Peterson has a decorated on-field career as well. He was named the 2021 GNAC Pitcher of the Year and currently ranks fourth in the GNAC in ERA (3.34) and opponents' batting average (.241) over 35 innings pitched. He also leads the conference in fewest walks allowed (four).

Including Williams and Peterson, there were eight student-athletes with a GPA above 3.9 and 18 with a GPA above 3.8. Perfect 4.00 GPA near-misses included CWU’s Austin Ohland, who has a 3.98 GPA as a sophomore business administration major while leading the GNAC with 20 doubles and a .600 slugging percentage, and Brayde Hirai, who has a 3.96 GPA in the master’s of athletic administration program while compiling three saves for the Wildcats.

Northwest Nazarene, which currently leads the GNAC standings, also led in the classroom with 18 student-athletes selected. Central Washington and Saint Martin’s both had 15 selections.

To qualify for the GNAC All-Academic Teams, presented by Barnes & Noble College, nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA or 3.20 or greater, be a letterwinner on their team and must be in their second year at the nominating institution.