Courtesy of WKU Athletics
DALLAS – WKU Baseball sophomore Jackson Gray has been voted to the All-Conference
Second Team, as announced by league officials Tuesday afternoon.
With the honor, Gray is just the 10th Hilltopper to be named to an All-CUSA Team
since WKU joined the league in 2015.
After transferring in from the College of DuPage, Gray has made an immediate impact
both offensively and defensively during his first year on The Hill.
During his 49 appearances – all starts – Gray ranks first on the team in batting
average (.357), on-base percentage (.455) and hits (60) while tying for the team
lead in home runs (seven) and ranking second in slugging percentage (.565), runs
(36) and walks (27), tying for third in RBI (29) and ranking fourth in doubles (12).
Among conference players, he ranks third in batting average, fourth in on-base
percentage, 11th in slugging percentage and tied for 13th in walks.
Gray also earned Conference USA Hitter of the Week honors on April 12 following an
impressive stretch against Marshall. During the Hilltoppers’ four-game sweep of The
Herd, he slashed an astounding .700/.750/1.100 while racking up seven hits, five
RBI, four walks, three runs, two steals, one home run and one double.
Defensively, Gray is yet to make a miscue in the outfield, as he owns a perfect
1.000 fielding percentage to go along with 104 putouts and five assists. He is just
one of two players on the team to have at least 100 chances in the field without an
error.
Gray and the Hilltoppers are set to open the Conference USA Tournament with a 7:30
p.m. CT matchup against third seed No. 17 Southern Miss on Wednesday, May 26 at Pat
Patterson Park.
The full 2021 All-CUSA Teams and superlatives are listed below.
2021 All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year
Austin Knight, So., 3B, Charlotte
Pitcher of the Year
Walker Powell, Sr., RHP, Southern Miss
Freshman of the Year
Carter Trice, Fr., 2B, Old Dominion
Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Young, Sr., 2B, Louisiana Tech
Newcomer of the Year
Austin Knight, So., 3B, Charlotte
Keith LeClair Coach of the Year
Robert Woodard, Charlotte
Assistant Coach of the Year
Christian Ostrander, Southern Miss
First Team All-Conference
IF Austin Knight, So., Charlotte
IF Taylor Young, Sr., Louisiana Tech
IF Hunter Wells, Sr., Louisiana Tech
IF Carter Trice, Fr., Old Dominion
OF Parker Bates, Sr., Louisiana Tech
OF Kyle Battle, Sr., Old Dominion
OF Reed Trimble, Fr., Southern Miss
C Nick Thornquist, Sr., UTSA
DH Charlie Fischer, So., Southern Miss
UT Manny Garcia, Sr., Louisiana Tech
SP Bryce McGowan, So., Charlotte
SP Jonathan Fincher, Jr., Louisiana Tech
SP Hunter Gregory, Jr., Old Dominion
SP Hunter Stanley, Sr., Southern Miss
SP Walker Powell, Sr., Southern Miss
RP Christian Lothes, Fr., Charlotte
RP David Zoz, Sr., Middle Tennessee
Second Team All-Conference
IF Nolan Schanuel, Fr., Florida Atlantic
IF B.J. Murray, So., Florida Atlantic
IF Tommy Bell, Jr., Old Dominion
IF Griffin Paxton, Sr., UTSA
OF Andy Garriola, Jr., Old Dominion
OF Gabe Montenegro, Jr., Southern Miss
OF Jackson Gray, So., WKU
C Aaron McKeithan, So., Charlotte
DH Will Butcher, Fr., Charlotte
UT Cade Edwards, Sr., Rice
SP Hunter Cooley, So., Florida Atlantic
SP Aaron Brown, Jr., Middle Tennessee
SP Ryne Moore, Jr., Old Dominion
SP Ben Ethridge, Fr., Southern Miss
RP Jason Hartline, Jr., Old Dominion
RP Ryan Och, So., Southern Miss
All-Freshman Team
INF Gino Groover, Charlotte
INF Adrian Figueroa, FIU
INF Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic
INF Carter Trice, Old Dominion
INF Chandler Simpson, UAB
OF Cole McConnell, Louisiana Tech
OF Reed Trimble, Southern Miss
DH Will Butcher, Charlotte
DH Nathan Becker, Rice
SP Ben Ethridge, Southern Miss
RP Christian Lothes, Charlotte
RP Noah Dean, Old Dominion
