CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today the Mid-American Conference announced the All-MAC First Team, Second Team & Specialty Award selections for the 2022 season. The teams were voted on by the league's head coaches. The league's All-Defensive Team has also been announced.
Eastern Michigan's Matt Kirk was named MAC Player of the Year, while Ball State's Tyler Schweitzer was tabbed the MAC Pitcher of the Year. Western Michigan's Dylan Nevar earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Ball State's Ryan Brown was selected as the Freshman Pitcher of the Year. Ball State rounded out the specialty award selections as Ryan Peltier earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Rich Maloney was named Coach of the Year.
In his first season in Ypsilanti, Kirk finished the 2022 regular season tied for first in the NCAA Division I ranks in total doubles (25). Additionally, Kirk had some of the best numbers in the Mid-American Conference this season. The Milford, Ohio native led the league in hits (80 - 37th nationally), doubles (25), home runs (17 - 44th nationally), and total bases (156 - 14th nationally). Moreover, Kirk ranks top-10 in the MAC in slugging percentage (.693 - second in the MAC; 45th nationally), OPS (1.101 - second), RBIs (49 - seventh), and runs scored (50 - sixth). Furthermore, Kirk's 25 two-baggers this season tie the EMU single-season program record. When it came to power at the plate, Kirk's 17 round-trippers in 2022 is tied for fourth all-time in EMU's single-season history.
Schweitzer was named the MAC Pitcher of the Year and he also collected an All-MAC First Team accolade in the process. This is the sixth time that Ball State has won MAC Pitcher of the Year recognition. During the season, he was a three-time MAC Pitcher of the Week honoree. He is tied for second in the NCAA with 10 wins. He leads the MAC in overall wins and leads the MAC in conference-only wins with nine. He is third in the conference with 102 strikeouts and tied for 26th in the NCAA. He is second in MAC games with a 1.96 ERA and third overall with a 2.27 ERA. He ranks third in opponent batting average in both MAC games with a .192 and overall with a .199.
Maloney was voted MAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career with the Cardinals. He led Ball State to its fifth MAC regular season championship with a 32-7 mark in conference games. During the season, he won his 900th game at Northern Illinois. He moved his win total to 915 after a series sweep at Miami. He is currently ranked 16th among active NCAA DI coaches. He is currently ranked 120th in all-time wins across all divisions. He is 83rd among NCAA DI coaches all-time.
Nevar is the fifth Bronco to be named the MAC Freshman of the Year and first since Connor Smith in 2016. He started 53 of 54 games for the Broncos this season and posted a .325 batting average. A native of Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Nevar led Western Michigan in home runs (11), doubles (20) and slugging percentage (.614). The 20 doubles tied for second in the MAC and also tied for the second-highest single-season total in WMU program history. As a team, WMU totaled a new single-season program-record 131 doubles, which led the league and currently ranks ninth in the NCAA.The redshirt freshman’s .614 slugging percentage was sixth-best in the conference, while his 1.020 OPS ranked 11th. Nevar finished second on the Broncos and tied for seventh in the MAC with 49 runs batted in. His 11 home runs also tied for seventh-most in the league, while his 64 total hits tied for 10th.
Brown was named the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year and was an All-MAC Second Team selection. He is the third pitcher to win MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year He had a stellar first season in Muncie and currently has 56 strikeouts. He enters the weekend with a 4-2 record in 39 2/3 innings. He is holding opponent hitters to a .168 batting average and has an ERA of 2.50. In MAC only contests, he has an ERA of 1.71 and has held opponents to a .160 average.
Peltier earned MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team for back-to-back seasons. It is the third-straight year that a Ball State player has won the MAC Defensive Player of the Year. He has been a highlight machine for the Cardinals at third base. He has made numerous difficult plays look routine throughout the season and has a team-high 91 assists. Offensively, he leads the team with 19 doubles. He has added 47 runs scored, 39 RBIs, seven home runs, and two triples.
2022 MAC Baseball Specialty Award Winners
Player of the Year: Matt Kirk, Eastern Michigan
Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Schweitzer, Ball State
Freshman of the Year: Dylan Nevar, Western Michigan
Freshman Pitcher of the Year: Ryan Brown, Ball State
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Peltier, Ball State
Coach of the Year: Rich Maloney, Ball State
All-MAC First Team
C – Connor Charping, Western Michigan
1B – Trenton Quartermaine, Ball State
2B – Mario Camilletti, Central Michigan
3B – Colin Kasperbauer, Ohio
SS – Justin Simpson, Central Michigan
OF – Zach Cole, Ball State
OF – Matt Kirk, Eastern Michigan
OF – Justin Kirby, Kent State
SP – Tyler Schweitzer, Ball State
SP – Jonathan Brand, Miami
SP – Andrew Taylor, Central Michigan
SP – Kyle Jones, Toledo
RP – Sam Klein, Ball State
DH – David Novak, Miami
At-Large – Jakob Marsee, Central Michigan
All-MAC Second Team
C – Mason Minzey, Ohio
1B – Cade Sullivan, Western Michigan
2B – Daniel Warkentin, Eastern Michigan
3B – Ryan Peltier, Ball State
SS – Mike McNamara, Kent State
OF – Amir Wright, Ball State
OF – Drew Lechnir, Central Michigan
OF – Josh Johnson, Kent State
SP – Ty Johnson, Ball State
SP – Jordan Patty, Central Michigan
SP – Zach Maxey, Miami
SP – Connor Brandon, Toledo
RP – Ryan Brown, Ball State
DH – Garret Pike, Toledo
At-Large – Kyle Gurney, Bowling Green
All-MAC Defensive Team
C – Justin Miknis, Kent State
1B – Cade Sullivan, Western Michigan
2B – Mario Camilletti, Central Michigan
3B – Ryan Peltier, Ball State
SS – Jeron Williams, Toledo
SS -- Ryan Johnston, Bowling Green
OF – Zach Cole, Ball State
OF – Jakob Marsee, Central Michigan
OF – Matt Kirk, Eastern Michigan
P – Eddie Kutt IV, Ohio
