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Hulsizer Named First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball

MSU Athletics

After putting together one of the most prolific seasons in program history, Morehead State sophomore outfielder Niko Hulsizer has been named First-Team All-America as selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Hulsizer, from Mohnton, Pa., is the second Eagle in the last three seasons to be chosen as a First-Team All-American, joining catcher Chris Robinson in 2015.

Hulsizer, the OVC Co-Player of the Year, is tied for the Division I national lead with 27 home runs, which is a Morehead State and Ohio Valley Conference single-season record. He also collected 193 total bases, which leads the nation and ranked as the best total in OVC and school history. With 21 doubles as well, he became the first player in program history with at least 20 homers and 20 doubles in the same season.

Among national rankings entering the NCAA Tournament, Hulsizer ranks first in RBI (82) and RBI per game (1.39), second in slugging percentage (.775) and third in runs scored (69). He also ranks 16th nationally with his 87 hits.

"Niko had a special year, as he was among the nation's leaders in home runs, RBI, runs scored, and slugging percentage. He was a big part of our continued success as a program," said head coach Mike McGuire. "It's very gratifying as a coach to see a player work hard like Niko has, to develop as a player."

Hulsizer finished with a .349 batting average in the Eagles' 59 games and had a .435 on-base percentage while also recording six outfield assists. He tallied 28 multi-hit games, including 12 with three or more and also had 19 multiple-RBI efforts. He drove in four or more runs eight times and finished with a team-best OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.210. Hulsizer also ranked second on the team with a personal-best 21-game reached-base streak earlier in the year.

He was named the Golden Spikes Award Gold Standard Performer of the Week on April 3 and also the OVC Player of the Week after belting six home runs and driving in 15 runs against Eastern Kentucky and Alabama A&M. Hulsizer nailed multiple home runs in five separate games this season.

In just two seasons, he already has 32 career home runs and will need only 17 more to tie the Morehead State career record. Hulsizer hit "tape measure" home runs in three of the Eagles' four OVC Tournament games and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

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