Horizon League Reveals 2024 #HLBASE All-League Awards

May 21

Rachel White

INDIANAPOLIS (May 21, 2024) – The Horizon League unveiled our 2024 #HLBASE awards on Tuesday. All awards were voted on by the League’s head coaches.

Northern Kentucky’s Liam McFadden-Ackman was named Player of the Year while Oakland’s Brandon Decker collected Pitcher of the Year and Purdue Fort Wayne’s Kevin Fee earned Reliever of the Year. Youngstown State’s Alejandro Covas was selected as Freshman of the Year. Jacob Walker earned the Sportsmanship Award for the Mastodons. NKU’s Dizzy Peyton and Wright State’s Alex Sogard picked up Coach of the Year honors.

Dig Deeper:

McFadden-Ackman hit .375 during League play with 42 hits, 34 runs, 33 RBIs and nine home runs.
- McFadden-Ackman is the second consecutive NKU student-athlete to earn Player of the Year honors following Noah Fisher in 2023.
Decker led the League with 77.0 innings pitched and 90 strikeouts in #HLBASE contests, posting a 4.44 ERA with six wins and six saves.
- Decker is the first Oakland student-athlete to win Pitcher of the Honors and collected the Reliever of the Year award last season.
Fee posted a League-best 3.28 ERA in #HLBASE action with a 4-0 record and five saves.
- Fee is the first Mastodon to pick up Reliever of the Year honors.
Covas hit .357 for the Penguins in 30 #HLBASE contests, totaling 41 hits, 22 runs and 24 RBIs in his first season at Youngstown State.
- Also an All-League Second Team Selection, Covas picked up YSU’s second straight Freshman of the Year award after Matt Thompson in 2023.
Sogard led the Raiders to their sixth straight regular season title and collected his fourth #HLBASE Coach of the Year honor.
Peyton earned his first #HLBASE Coach of the Year award after leading the Norse to a 19-11 League record and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming championship.
The Sportsmanship Award recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Sportsmanship is defined as behavior exhibited during competition by student-athletes based on values, respect and integrity.
Northern Kentucky led the League with eight total All-League selections, including five on the First Team, while Wright State totaled seven All-League honorees with three on the First Team.
Oakland paced #HLBASE with four All-Freshman Team selections.
For complete information on the 2024 #HLBASE Championship, visit championship central.
Every game of the championship will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of 11 member institutions located throughout the Midwest’s major metropolitan cities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the League and its members strive to be highly competitive athletically while committing to the total development of its student-athletes and creating a lasting impact on campus and in the community. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.

2024 #HLBASE Awards

Player of the Year: Liam McFadden-Ackman, Northern Kentucky

Pitcher of the Year: Brandon Decker, Oakland

Reliever of the Year: Kevin Fee, Purdue Fort Wayne

Freshman of the Year: Alejandro Covas, Youngstown State

Coaches of the Year: Dizzy Peyton, Northern Kentucky and Alex Sogard, Wright State

Sportsmanship Award: Jacob Walker, Purdue Fort Wayne

All-League First Team
Sammy Sass, Wright State, C
Liam McFadden-Ackman, Northern Kentucky, 1B
John Odom, Northern Kentucky, 2B
Cleary Simpson, Northern Kentucky, 3B
Trey Law, Youngstown State, SS
Carson Hansen, Milwaukee, OF
Treyvin Moss, Northern Kentucky, OF
Ben Vore, Wright State, OF
Julian Greenwell, Wright State, DH/Flex
Luke Hansel, Milwaukee, SP
Tanner Gillis, Northern Kentucky, SP
Brandon Decker, Oakland, SP
Jacob Gehring, Youngstown State, SP
Kevin Fee, Purdue Fort Wayne, RP

All-League Second Team
Brandon Heidal, Oakland, C
Jay Luikart, Wright State, 1B
Jacob Walker, Purdue Fort Wayne, 2B
Patrick Fultz, Wright State, 3B
Boston Smith, Wright State, SS
Tyler Shaneyfelt, Northern Kentucky, OF
Justin Osterhouse, Purdue Fort Wayne, OF
Alejandro Covas, Youngstown State, OF
Sean Tillmon, Milwaukee, DH/Flex
Mitch Wood, Northern Kentucky, DH/Flex
Adrian Montilva, Milwaukee, SP
Clay Brock, Northern Kentucky, SP
Carter Sabol, Purdue Fort Wayne, SP
Cam Allen, Wright State, RP

All-Freshman Team
Jake Paulick, Northern Kentucky
Lucas Day, Oakland
Shane McAlinden, Oakland
Aidan Orr, Oakland
Trent Rice, Oakland
Justin Osterhouse, Purdue Fort Wayne
Chet Lax, Wright State
Cam Allen, Wright State
Alejandro Covas, Youngstown State

Sportsmanship Award Finalists
Dallan Quigley, Milwaukee
Liam McFadden-Ackman, Northern Kentucky
Jacob Walker, Purdue Fort Wayne*
Jake Shirk, Wright State