OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Iowa baseball team had seven student-athletes earn Big Ten recognition it was announced Tuesday by the league office.
Sophomores Keaton Anthony, Brody Brecht and Sam Petersen earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. Sophomore Marcus Morgan and fifth-year Brennen Dorighi earned second-team honors and junior Cade Moss was named to the third team. Sophomore Ben Wilmes was Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship recipient.
Iowa’s six All-Big Ten selections give head coach Rick Heller 36 selections in his 10 seasons in Iowa City. Heller has coached at least one first-team All-Big Ten selection in eight of his nine seasons when awards were handed out (there were no honors in 2020).
Anthony earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after hitting .389 (61-of-157) with 22 doubles, 9 home runs, 38 RBIs and 51 runs scored during the regular season. His 22 doubles are second-most in program history.
Brecht earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after going 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 14 regular season starts. The right-hander posted three quality starts and fanned 96 batters over 65 1/3 innings. The Ankeny, Iowa native leads the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (4.27).
Brecht is the fifth starting pitcher to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors under Heller.
Petersen earned first-team honors after hitting .333 with 41 RBIs, 38 runs scored and having 20 extra base hits (9 doubles, 9 home runs and one triple) during the regular season. Petersen swiped 17 bases on 19 attempts. The Huxley, Iowa, native hit .350 in conference play with two doubles, four home runs, and 15 RBIs.
Petersen is the fourth Hawkeye outfielder to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors under Heller.
Morgan earned second-team honors after going 4-2 with a 4.14 ERA in 12 starts. The Iowa City, Iowa, native has 62 strikeouts over 54 1/3 innings. In conference play Morgan led all starters with a 2.67 ERA, 16 hits allowed, 10 runs allowed, a .150 batting average against, and was tied for first with four extra base hits allowed.
Dorighi earned second-team honors after hitting .351 (68-of-194) with 60 RBIs, 19 doubles, and 13 home runs. The Cherry Hills, Colorado native leads the Hawkeyes in hits, RBIs, games started (52), runs scored (60), and total bases (110).
Moss earned third-team honors after hitting .276 with 7 doubles and 20 RBIs. The Johnston, Iowa, native hit .304 in Big Ten play with nine RBIs.
Wilmes was selected as Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient. The distinction is presented to student-athletes who display sportsmanship and ethical behavior, are in good academic standing, and demonstrate good citizenship outside of athletics.
The Hawkeyes open Big Ten Tournament play today, facing sixth-seeded Michigan at 10 a.m. (CT) at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The game will be televised on BTN.