CRETE, NE — The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) announced the 2022 all-conference selections on Wednesday for baseball and Doane pulled in a number of honors. After setting the conference record for wins in a GPAC season with 24 (24-4), the Tigers landed 12 players on the All-GPAC list while garnering the Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, Coach of the Year honor, and two GPAC Gold Glove selections.

Coach Josh Oltmans was named the GPAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season after guiding the Tigers to their second straight conference title. Doane is 37-12 on the season entering the NAIA National Opening Round Tournament, which is slated to begin on Monday, May 16. The tournament brackets will be announced tomorrow (May 12).

Joe Osborn (SO/Hickman, Neb.) was named the GPAC Player of the Year after leading the conference in home runs with 18 while batting .348 (62-178), with 71 runs scored, 57 RBI, and 18 stolen bases out of his left field position. He posted a .736 slugging percentage as he added 13 doubles and one triple to his offensive resume. Osborn ranks 7th nationally in runs scored, ninth in home runs, and 60th in RBI.

Thaniel Trumper (SO/Fort Collins, Colo.) was named the GPAC Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference with nine wins on the mound, all in relief. In 17 appearances, he has posted a 0.99 earned run average while limiting batters to a .148 batting average. Trumper has collected three saves thus far this season and struck out 46 batters in 36.1 innings of work.

Joining Osborn and Trumper on the First Team All-GPAC list were Andy Theiler (SR/Arlington, Neb.), Julian Vargas (SO/Denver, Colo.), and Lukas White (JR/Castaic, Calif.).

Theiler is batting .362 on the season with 16 doubles, six triples, and five home runs among his 75 hits on the season. He has scored 62 runs and stolen 30 bases while also posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field in 81 defensive chances. Theiler ranks 26th in the NAIA in stolen bases, 44th in runs scored, and 53rd in hits.

Vargas has a 6-2 record with a 2.82 earned run average this season. He struck out 75 batters in 67 innings of work, throwing one shutout and two complete games. Vargas has held opponents to a .204 batting average in his first season primarily as a starting pitcher. He started 10 games thus far and has appeared three times in relief.

White returned from an injury that forced him to miss the first 16 games of the year and he has posted a .352 batting average with six doubles and seven home runs in 33 games, primarily as the designated hitter. White has driven in 34 runs while posting a .478 on-base percentage, drawing 25 walks, including seven intentional walks.

Three Tigers received Second Team All-GPAC honors and four were named to the honorable mention list.

Justin Nevells (FR/Chugiak, Alaska) received Second Team honors at third base where he is hitting .351 with 10 doubles, three triples, and seven home runs. Nevells has driven in 40 runs and scored 42 times.

Nate Mensik (SO/Pleasant Dale, Neb.) posted a .304 batting average with 12 doubles, two triples, and nine home runs in right field. He scored 43 runs, drove in 42, and stole 12 bases.

Jack Tillman (JR/Omaha, Neb.) leads the team with a .389 batting average, posting 16 doubles, a triple, and a home run as a catcher. He has driven in 33 runs and had an on-base percentage of .474 this year.

Drew Norsen (FR/Loveland, Colo.) was named to the honorable mention list at first base. He is hitting .307 this season with 12 doubles and two home runs. Norsen has posted a .981 fielding percentage.

Jordan Wisner (SR/Anaheim Hills, Calif.) has a 6-2 record on the year in 10 starts with a 4.54 earned run average. He has struck out 65 batters in 41.2 innings, an average of 14.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

Aaron Forrest (SO/Peoria, Ariz.) has started 12 games, posting a 3-3 record with a 5.69 earned run average. He has struck out 77 batters in 55.1 innings, an average of 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Kyler Beekman (SO/Elkhorn, Neb.) has a 6-0 record, primarily in relief. He has appeared in 13 games with five starts, striking out 54 in 49.0 innings of work. Opponents are batting .221 against him this year.

The Gold Glove Award has been awarded annually since 2007. Doane added to their list of previous winners with two outfielders receiving the honor to run the overall total to 22 recipients.

Mensik has been awarded the honor for the second straight year in right field, joining Michael Albert as the only repeat winners in right field for the Tigers. This year, he has thrown out five runners, highlighted by a throw to the plate to end the game and preserve a 2-1 win over Jamestown in March on the opening weekend of conference play.

Osborn has posted a perfect fielding percentage in left field, with five outfield assists. He is the first Tiger to receive the honor in left field since 2017.