March 24, 2014
- Read the March issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- 2014 Iowa Baseball Media Guide
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone/iPad app!
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
IOWA CITY, Iowa –University of Iowa designated hitter Dan Potempa has been tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week, it was announced Monday by the league office. The honor is the first of Potempa’s career.
The Tinley Park, Ill., native posted multiple hits in each game of Iowa’s series with Nebraska. He finished the weekend with a .727 batting average (8-of-11), a 1.568 OPS to go along with three RBIs and a run scored.
Potempa went 2-for-3 in the Hawkeyes’ 2-1 Friday victory in the series opener before tying a career-high with three hits, going 3-for-4 in game two. He finished off the weekend with a second-straight three-hit game, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in Sunday’s 8-4 series-clinching victory — Iowa’s first Big Ten-opening win since 1998. He drove home a pair of runs in Iowa’s four-run eighth inning.
The Iowa Central Community College transfer has six multi-hit and four multi-RBI games this season and is currently riding a 15-game reached-base streak. He is pacing the team with a .440 batting average and a .580 slugging and .547 on-base percentage to go along with 13 RBIs and six runs scored.
Potempa shares the weekly honor with Indiana’s Casey Rodrigue. He is the second Hawkeye to earn the Big Ten Player of the Week accolade this season, joining senior Taylor Zeutenhorst, who was honored Feb. 24.
The Hawkeyes (14-6, 2-1) return to action Wednesday hosting Bradley at 3 p.m. (CT) at Banks Field. Iowa hits the road this weekend for a three-game Big Ten series at Michigan from March 28-30 in Ann Arbor, Mich.