MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference teams and major award winners for the 2024 baseball season.
Aurora University senior designated hitter
Nik Panico has been named NACC Position Player of the Year and Milwaukee School of Engineering senior
Tyler Gronert was named NACC Pitcher of the Year, while Aurora outfielder
Joe Lukancic was named NACC Freshman of the Year. The coaching staff at MSOE, led by
Steve Sanfilippo, was recognized by its peers as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
NACC Position Player of the Year --- Nik Panico, sr., DH, Aurora University
Panico, a senior designated hitter, posted a .394 batting average in 44 games with 63 hits, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 41 runs scored in 160 at-bats. He also drew 19 walks and was hit by a pitch 13 times en route to a .490 on-base percentage and a .700 slugging percentage.
Panico currently ranks second among NACC players in home runs and eighth in batting average.
Panico had 19 multiple-hit and 14 multiple-RBI games this season. He had a season-high four hits on three occasions, including 16-5 win over conference champion MSOE on April 20 where he posted a season-best five RBIs. Panico's other four-hit games came against Lakeland on March 30 and Marian on April 27.
Panico is the second Aurora student-athlete in three years to be named NACC Position Player of the Year, joining
Justin Sartori in 2022.
NACC Pitcher of the Year --- Tyler Gronert, sr., Milwaukee School of Engineering
Gronert, a senior, was the mainstay of an MSOE pitching staff that led all NACC teams in walks allowed per nine innings (3.32), hits allowed per nine innings (9.52), and WHIP (1.43). He made 11 appearances with nine starts this season, posting a 7-1 record, a 2.76 earned-run average, and 91 strikeouts in 71-2/3 innings. Gronert allowed 57 hits, including just 11 extra-base hits, while walking only 18.
Gronert currently shares the NCAA Division III lead for complete games with six. He also leads all NACC pitchers in strikeouts and WHIP (1.05), and is tied for the league lead in wins, while ranking second in earned run average and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.06).
Gronert's only loss this season came in relief in the season opener - an 11-9 loss against UW-Oshkosh in which he struck out seven over the final four innings. He pitched at least seven innings in nine of 11 appearances and recorded at least five strikeouts each time he took to the mound. Gronert topped double-digits in strikeouts three times, including a season-high 13 twice - against Dominican on April 6 and against Lakeland on May 3. He also fanned 11 as part of a no-decision in MSOE's 2-1, 9-inning loss to Wheaton on March 23.
Gronert, who shared the North Division Pitcher of the Year honors in 2021, becomes the second individual to capture multiple NACC Pitcher of the Year honors. Aurora's
Drew Gay shared the 2011 award before winning the 2012 award outright.
NACC Freshman of the Year --- Joe Lukancic, OF, Aurora University
Lukancic, an outfielder, played in all 45 games for Aurora through the NACC tournament, posting a .447 batting average with 84 hits, 18 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 36 RBIs, and 54 runs scored in 188 at-bats. He also walked 14 times, was hit by a pitch once, and stole four bases to post a .485 on-base percentage and a .585 slugging percentage.
Lukancic is the NCAA Division III leader in hits heading into the NCAA Championship. He also ranks 13th nationally with his league-leading batting average and 17th nationally in doubles - third in the NACC behind teammate Nico Bermeo (20) and Rockford's Jake Bilotta (19). Lukancic's 54 runs scored also rank fourth amongst NACC players.
Lukancic had multiple hits 25 times, including 15 games with at least three hits. He posted a season-high four hits on eight occasions, including four times in a stretch of five games against Webster, Marian, and Edgewood from April 25-30. He drove in multiple runs on 10 occasions, including a season-high four as part of a 4-for-7 day in a 22-3 rout of Marian on April 27.
Lukancic is the first Aurora student-athlete since
Eric Palmer in 2012 to be named NACC Freshman of the Year.
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year --- Milwaukee School of Engineering (Steve Sanfilippo, head coach)
MSOE, under the guidance of 11th-year head coach
Steve Sanfilippo, posted a 26-15 mark overall and won the NACC regular-season title for the first time with a 19-5 record.
The Raiders ranked in the top third of NACC teams in most statistical categories, leading the league in hits allowed per nine innings (9.52), sacrifice flies (27), walks allowed per nine innings (3.32), and WHIP (1.43), MSOE also ranked second in batting average (.321), earned run average (4.94), on-base percentage (.418), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.57), and strikeouts per nine innings (8.5), third in fielding percentage (.970), hits (421), runs scored (326), stolen bases (73), and triples (11), and fourth in slugging percentage (.468).
Sanfilippo is assisted by
Brandon Miller,
Sean Meyer,
Mason LeBreck, and
Justin Bickman.
This is the first time MSOE or Sanfilippo has been recognized by the NACC's baseball coaches.
All-Conference Teams Announced
Benedictine University, which won its first NACC Tournament title this past weekend, led all programs with six all-conference selections - three each on the first and second teams. Illinois Institute of Technology and Aurora each had five all-league picks with Illinois Tech landing a league-high four on the first team. Aurora had three first-teamers. MSOE saw its four all-NACC honorees split evenly between the first and second teams, while Marian University had two of its three honorees named to the first team. Edgewood picked up the final first-team honoree and also had one player tapped for the second team. Concordia University Chicago and Rockford University were both shut out of the first team, but had three and two second-team picks, respectively.
| 2024 All-NACC Baseball Team |
| NACC Position Player of the Year - Nik Panico, Aurora |
| NACC Pitcher of the Year - Tyler Gronert, MSOE |
| NACC Freshman of the Year - Joe Lukancic, Aurora |
| NACC Coaching Staff of the Year - Milwaukee School of Engineering (Steve Sanfilippo, head coach) |
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Austin Pizer |
Benedictine |
Jr. |
P |
Highland, Ind. |
| Cameron Bracewell |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
P |
Redondo Beach, Calif. |
| Riley Richard |
Marian |
Jr. |
P |
Kieler, Wis. |
| Tyler Gronert |
MSOE |
Sr. |
P |
Menasha, Wis. |
| Logan Gregorio |
Benedictine |
So. |
C |
Naperville, Ill. |
| Kevin Bushnell |
Benedictine |
Gr. |
1B |
Tinley Park, Ill. |
| Michael Paxson |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
1B |
Simi Valley, Calif. |
| Nico Bermeo |
Aurora |
Sr. |
2B |
Bogota, Colombia |
| Kyle Prindle |
Edgewood |
So. |
3B |
Rochester, Minn. |
| Robbie Knorr |
Marian |
Sr. |
SS |
Sun Prairie, Wis. |
| Joe Lukancic |
Aurora |
Fr. |
OF |
Joliet, Ill. |
| Tyler Gutsfeld |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
OF |
Simsbury, Conn. |
| Blake Hall |
MSOE |
Sr. |
OF |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Nik Panico |
Aurora |
Sr. |
DH |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Connor Blake |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
DH |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Justin Zimmerman |
Aurora |
Sr. |
P |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Conner Kendall |
Benedictine |
Fr. |
P |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| AJ Hamilton |
MSOE |
Jr. |
P |
Sussex, Wis. |
| Paul Turelli |
Rockford |
Sr. |
P |
Lake Forest, Ill. |
| Brandon Mahler |
Concordia Chicago |
So. |
C |
Vernon Hills, Ill. |
| Derek Angelo |
Aurora |
Sr. |
1B |
Elburn, Ill. |
| Kyle Sagan |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
1B |
Oak Creek, Wis. |
| Ryan Doubek |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
2B |
Palos Heights, Ill. |
| Logan Rademan |
Marian |
Sr. |
3B |
West Allis, Wis. |
| Jake Bilotta |
Rockford |
Sr. |
SS |
Sugar Grove, Ill. |
| Tyler Dorsch |
Concordia Chicago |
Jr. |
OF |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Elijah Hickman |
Concordia Chicago |
Sr. |
OF |
Rensselaer, Ind. |
| Sam Sproule |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
OF |
Seattle, Wash. |
| Brennan Fisher |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
DH |
Westchester, Ill. |
| Micah Overley |
MSOE |
Sr. |
DH |
Janesville, Wis. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Jack Fisher |
Aurora |
Sr. |
P |
Yorkville, Ill. |
| Logan Riley |
Aurora |
Jr. |
3B |
Sycamore, Ill. |
| Andrew Kurcz |
Benedictine |
Gr. |
P |
Huntley, Ill. |
| Tyler Krater |
Concordia Chicago |
Jr. |
3B |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Zach Slome |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
P |
Schaumburg, Ill. |
| Luke Bruckner |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
P |
Fond du Lac, Wis. |
| Jordan Vazquez |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
SS |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Brynden Cleveland |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
OF |
Crestwood, Ill. |
| Anthony Nalbono |
Dominican |
Sr. |
2B |
Bartlett, Ill. |
| Gavin Vrana |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
P |
West Allis, Wis. |
| Austin Richardson |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
P |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Albert Kiszka |
Marian |
Sr. |
C |
Schaumburg, Ill. |
| Jacob Kleemann |
Marian |
Jr. |
OF |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Nolan Vincent |
MSOE |
Sr. |
P |
Germantown, Wis. |
| Sam Meidenbauer |
MSOE |
So. |
3B |
Waukesha, Wis. |
| Jack Kalitowski |
MSOE |
Jr. |
SS |
Barrington, Ill. |
| Will Hissong |
Rockford |
Sr. |
P |
Rockford, Ill. |
| Alex Perez |
Rockford |
Sr. |
C |
Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
| Joseph Stagowski |
Rockford |
Jr. |
OF |
Schaumburg, Ill. |
| Trevor Reinhardt |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
1B |
Fish Creek, Wis. |
| Nolan Hodgins |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Jr. |
1B |
Caledonia, Wis. |