Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157
GRINNELL, Iowa - The 2017 All-Midwest Conference (MWC) Baseball Team has been announced. Drake Sykes and Matt McCaffrey were named to the team to represent Knox.
Sykes picks up his third straight All-MWC honor, while McCaffrey picks up his second in a row.Â
Sykes ends his season in the top-20 in the nation in batting average (.441), on base percentage (.542), slugging percentage (.746), and RBI per game (1.27). He also led the Midwest Conference in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, hits (56, tied), stolen bases (17, tied) and home-runs (7, tied).  Drake set school records for career hits (171), career total bases (284), and career stolen bases (44) in only three years of playing.
McCaffrey has been a consistent presence in the Prairie Fire lineup with three consecutive seasons with more than 40 hits. He achieved career highs in runs scored (30) and stolen bases (8) in 2017 while hitting .331 with eight extra base hits.
The complete All-MWC team is below.
North Division Newcomer of the Year
| Carson Jacques |
Fr. |
P |
St. Norbert College |
North Division Position Player of the Year
| Griffin Jack |
So. |
OF |
St. Norbert College |
North Division Pitcher of the Year
| Jason Malkowski |
Jr. |
P |
St. Norbert College |
North Division Coach of the Year
| Tom Winske |
|
|
St. Norbert College |
North Division All-MWC Team
| Michael Barnes |
So. |
C |
Ripon College |
| Mark Christine |
Jr. |
SS |
Beloit College |
| Jalen Davis |
So. |
OF |
Beloit College |
| Jeremy Dutton |
Jr. |
C |
Beloit College |
| Sean Ferraro |
So. |
OF |
St. Norbert College |
| Matthew Holliday |
Jr. |
1B |
Lawrence University |
| Griffin Jack |
So. |
OF |
St. Norbert College |
| Carson Jacques |
Fr. |
P |
St. Norbert College |
| Derek Klegin |
Sr. |
IF |
St. Norbert College |
| Hunter Larson |
Jr. |
IF |
St. Norbert College |
| Jason Malkowski |
Jr. |
P |
St. Norbert College |
| Josh Oswald |
Jr. |
IF |
Ripon College |
| Kam Sallee |
Sr. |
1B |
Beloit College |
South Division Newcomer of the Year
| Sam LaMotte |
Fr. |
P |
Grinnell College |
South Division Position Player of the Year
| Walker Breard |
Jr. |
1B |
Cornell College |
South Division Pitcher of the Year
| Andy Dodson |
Sr. |
P |
Cornell College |
South Division Coach of the Year
| Tim Hollibaugh |
|
|
Grinnell College |
South Division All-MWC Team
| Matt Hammond |
Sr. |
C |
Grinnell College |
| Walker Breard |
Jr. |
1B |
Cornell College |
| Niko Takayesu |
Sr. |
SS |
Grinnell College |
| Drake Sykes |
Sr. |
OF |
Knox College |
| John Tesensky |
Sr. |
OF |
Cornell College |
| Andrew Shults |
So. |
OF |
Grinnell College |
| Austin Hardy |
Sr. |
UT |
Monmouth College |
| Eric Daubach |
Sr. |
UT |
Cornell College |
| Matt McCaffrey |
Jr. |
UT |
Knox College |
| Dylan Jones |
Jr. |
P |
Illinois College |
| Andy Dodson |
Sr. |
P |
Cornell College |
| Connor McDonald |
So. |
P |
Monmouth College |
| Sam LaMotte |
Fr. |
P |
Grinnell College |
| Ben Binversie |
Sr. |
P |
Grinnell College |
