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Peyton Deiters named as NAIA Baseball First Team All-American
2016 Jun 10
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2016 Baseball All-America Teams as selected by the NAIA-Baseball Coaches Association All-America Committee. Kansas Wesleyan's Peyton Deiters was selected as a First Team All-American at first base.
Deiters is Wesleyan's second straight selection to the NAIA All-America Baseball team as Daniel Bolanos was named to the second-team in 2015. He is the fourth NAIA All-American all-time for the baseball program and the first-ever first-team honoree.
"This is an incredible honor for Peyton," KWU head coach Bill Neale said. "Most times you see first basemen put up some big offensive numbers and it's a really competitive position when it comes to picking the best of the best. He had a great year and this award is indicative of his efforts this season."
Deiters led the Coyotes with 91 hits, 18 homeruns and 81 RBI this season, setting new school records for hits in a season and RBI in a season and tying Bolanos' single season homerun record from a year ago. He hit. 404 on the season ranking seventh in the KCAC and was second in the conference in slugging percentage at .751. He ranked eleventh in the conference in total hits, third in RBI, fifth in doubles with 22 and third in homeruns. Nationally, Deiters ranked No. 4 in RBI, ninth in total bases with 169, 11th in homeruns, 13th in slugging percentage and doubles, 23rd in total hits and 42nd in batting average and total runs scored (62).
The Coyotes finished the 2016 season with a 32-25 overall record and reached the KCAC Postseason Tournament for a second straight season.
From the NAIA
National Player of the Year Manny DeLeon of Tabor (Kan.) headlines the group of 34 individuals named to the first and second team. An additional 34 student-athletes received honorable mention recognition.
The first and second teams are also recognized as ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA began recognizing All-Americans in 1949 and named the first ABCA NAIA All-America team in 1969.
DeLeon, who was named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Player of the Year early this spring, ended the year leading the NAIA in total bases (208), RBI (108) and slugging percentage (.897). The senior from San Cristobal, D.R., played a key role in the Bluejays' (45-18) sixth-straight 40-win season and at least a share of a fifth-straight KCAC regular-season title. Tabor reached the title game of the Hutchinson Opening Round Bracket, but was eliminated by Science & Arts (Okla.).
In addition to his national rankings, DeLeon paced the team with a .440 batting average (102-for-232), 25 home runs, 25 doubles, 30 walks, a .515 on-base percentage and 25 stolen bases. The centerfielder posted 34 multi-hit games this season with 62 appearances. Defensively, DeLeon recorded 89 putouts and had three assists.
Georgia Gwinnett led all institutions with three All-Americans - Josh Merrigan (First Team outfielder), Davis Adkins (First Team relief pitcher) and Zac Rinehart (Second Team first baseman).
Scott Morton of Briar Cliff (Iowa), Yariel Gonzales of Science & Arts (Okla.) and Keivan Berges of Keiser (Fla.) are repeat selections. Gonzales and Berges were both on the First Team in 2015, while Morton was a Second Teamer. All three individuals are on the First Team this year.