Five Illini earn spots on All-Big Ten teams
Justin Janas walks through the dugout during the game against Purdue April 18. Five players from the Illini baseball team will made the All-Big Ten team this season.
May 30, 2021
The Big Ten announced its All-Big Ten honors, and the Illini saw five players make an All-Big Ten team this season.
Justin Janas and Jackson Raper were each selected to the All-Big Ten First Team. Janas walks away as the Big Ten’s batting average champion (.391) and the team’s leader in on-base percentage (.506) and hits (54).
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Raper, who transferred to Illinois for his final year of eligibility from Division II Catawba College, led the team in home runs (13), runs batted in (44), doubles (11), total bases (102), slugging percentage (.634), OPS (1.034), walks (29) and runs scored (39).
Andrew Hoffman (2.87 ERA) was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team. The John A. Logan Community College transfer went 8-3 in his starts.
Branden Comia and Ryan Hampe filled out the third team for the Illini.
After spending the last two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, Riley Gowens was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Gowens also received one of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s National Player of the Week honors following the team’s no-hitter on April 25.
Nate Lavender (7-2, 4.11 ERA) rounds out this year’s awards for the Illini after being awarded the Sportsmanship Award, given to one student-athlete from each conference program. The finalist for the Illinois’ Spirit Award also led the team in strikeouts (79).
@JaredEbanks
