NSU Sports
Don Vieth, Director of Athletics Communications
DALLAS, Texas – Northeastern State’s Butch Rea picked up his second weekly accolade after he was named by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) as the Central Region Hitter of the Week.
Rea batted .579 (11-for-19) with eight runs scored, and ten RBI out of the RiverHawks leadoff spot. The NSU senior also homered in three of the four games and left the week with a 12 game hitting streak and has reached base in the last 14. Rea had three hits in two contests and four hits in the nightcap on Saturday where he blasted two homers and scored four RBI on Fort Hays State. In that same game, he hit a three run shot to left to end the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning to win 14-4.
Rea was also named by the MIAA as its Hitter of the Week, and is the first NCBWA All-Region weekly selection for NSU since Ryan Helsley in 2015.
Northeastern State will face Nebraska-Kearney for a three game series on Friday at 6 p.m.
Division II Regional Players of the Week:
– Atlantic: Tyler Walters, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Perry DellaValle, Seton Hill (Pitcher)
– Central: Butch Rea, Northeastern State (Hitter); Carson McPherson, Oklahoma Baptist (Pitcher)
– East: Angelo Navetta, Malloy (Hitter); Dan Wirchansky, Pace (Pitcher)
– Midwest: Adam Fitzgibbon, Saginaw Valley State (Hitter); Joshua Hurford, Malone (Pitcher)
– South: Zack Shannon, Delta State (Hitter); Zach Ingram, Mississippi College (Pitcher)
– South Central: Gable Whitacre, St. Edward’s (Hitter); Kyle Leahy, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
– Southeast: Brandon Benson, Georgia College (Hitter); Steven Bower, North Georgia (Pitcher)
– West: Bailey Collins, Concordia-Irvine (Hitter); Mason Hilty, Dixie State (Pitcher)
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.