MARSHALL, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team had a school-record three individuals earn Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-American honors as released Thursday, June 1.

Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) joins his brother Reed Hjelle (2018) as the only two players in program history to earn all-america first team accolades. Reed Hjelle was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team in 2018. Hjelle was the only Golden Eagle to ever earn all-american status prior to today. In addition to his ABCA/Rawlings honors, he was a NCBWA All-America Third Team pick in 2018.

Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) was selected to the D2CCA All-America Second Team. Alex Koep (Sr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) was named D2CCA All-America Third Team. Minnesota Crookston has never had three players in any sport named all-american in the same year. Harrison Cleary of men's basketball was a 2019-20 D2CCA All-America Third Team pick, and a 2018-19 D2CCA All-America Honorable Mention selection. R.J. Rollins (2004) was an all-america honorable mention pick for football, as was Justin Schreiber (2002). 

Hjelle anchored a strong Minnesota Crookston lineup that led the program to a historic 2023 season, slashing .401/.469/.876 for a whopping 1.345 OPS across 57 games with 56 runs scored, 16 doubles, four triples, 24 home runs and 79 RBI. The NSIC Player of the Year added 14 stolen bases at an 82.4% success rate and drew walks at a 11.3% clip. Hjelle produced 23 multi-hit games and enjoyed seven multi-homer contests throughout the season. Hjelle was the NSIC Player of the Year, the D2CCA All-Central Region Player of the Year, and the NCBWA All-Central Region Player of the Year. He earned D2CCA All-Central Region First Team, NCBWA All-Central Region First Team, and ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region First Team. 

Hallquist had a phenomenal season at the plate, batting .406, with a team-high 73 runs scored. Hallquist hit 22 home runs and had 65 RBIs. He led the team with an .883 slugging percentage and a .520 on-base percentage. Hallquist was named All-NSIC First Team, D2CCA All-Central Region First Team, ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region First Team, and NCBWA All-Central Region First Team. He was the NSIC Newcomer of the Year.

Koep was the NSIC Pitcher of the Year, and an All-NSIC First Team selection. He was also an ABCA/Rawlings and D2CCA All-Central Region First Team pick, and a NCBWA All-Central Region Second Team selection. Koep led the Golden Eagle pitching staff, going 7-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 63 innings pitched. Opponents were held to a .167 batting average during the 2023 slate. Koep pitched one complete game and one shutout. Koep was the ABCA/Rawlings, and the D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year. 

Kade Bragg of Angelo State University was named the Ron Lenz Pitcher of the Year. Jakob Christian of Point Loma Nazarene University was selected as the Ron Lenz Player of the Year.

The CCA All-America and All-Region baseball teams, which are selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC) from schools playing Division II baseball, were first established in 2007. This is the eighth year in which the program is solely sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.

The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.

2023 CCA ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

C Luke Napleton Jr. Quincy (Ill.)

1B Jakob Christian So. Point Loma Nazarene (Calif)

2B Drew Donaldson Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.)

3B Adam Becker Sr. West Texas A&M

SS Harrison Rodgers Jr. Colorado Mesa

OF Julian Boyd Sr. Colorado Mesa

OF Tanner Garner Sr. MSU Denver

OF Jake Hjelle Jr. Minnesota Crookston

DH Tim Orr Jr. Tiffin (Ohio)

UT (non-pitcher) Seaver King So. Wingate (N.C.)

UT (pitcher) Luke Trueman Sr. Slippery Rock (Pa.)

SP Kade Bragg Sr. Angelo State (Texas)

SP Mitch Farris Jr. Wingate (N.C.)

SP Jake Karaba Jr. Lewis (Ill.)

SP Dalton Neuschwander So. West Florida

RP Garrett Arredondo So. UT Tyler
 

2023 CCA ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM

C Nick Schwartz Jr. Southern New Hampshire

1B DJ Van Atten Sr. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)

2B Nate Mieszkowski So. Missouri Southern State

3B Mike Hallquist Jr. Minnesota Crookston

SS Alex Epp Sr. William Jewell (Mo.)

OF Bren Taylor Sr. Millersville (Pa.)

OF E.J. Cumbo Jr. Tampa (Fla.)

OF Michael Gould Jr. Maryville (Mo.)

DH Zach Schuler Sr. MSU Denver

UT (non-pitcher) Jordan Gochenour Sr. UT Tyler

UT (pitcher) JP Gates Sr. Valdosta State (Ga.)

SP Brendan Beaver So. Ashland (Ohio)

SP Jarrett Heilman Jr. Mercyhurst (Pa.)

SP Riley O'Sullivan Jr. Concordia Irvine (Calif.)

SP Luke Short Jr. St. Edward's (Texas)

RP JD McReynolds So. Central Missouri

2023 CCA ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM

C Nick Wolff Sr. Texas A&M-Kingsville

1B Jake Williams Jr. MSU Denver

2B Cody Schultz Sr. MSU Denver

3B Sam Kuchinski Sr. Montevallo (Ala.)

SS Braylin Marine Sr. Newberry (S.C.)

OF Jacob Guerrero Sr. Angelo State (Texas)

OF Anthony Calabro Jr. West Georgia

OF Jordan Lala Sr. Tampa (Fla.)

DH Vance Tobol So. Central Missouri

UT (non-pitcher) Tanner Halvorson Jr. Barton (N.C.)

UT (pitcher) Dylan Blomquist So. UT Tyler

SP Alex Canney So. Tampa (Fla.)

SP Alex Koep Sr. Minnesota Crookston

SP Carson Kulina Sr. Millersville (Pa.)

SP Jeffrey Praml Sr. Southern New Hampshire

RP Oscar Rauda Sr. Cal State San Bernardino

2023 CCA ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION

Garrett Browder (C, Belmont Abbey) ; Drew Ehrhard (1B, Tampa) ; Reed Latimer (2B, Montevallo) ; Jack Oberdorf (3B, Seton Hill);

J.D. Urso (SS, Tampa) ; Giovanni Del Negro (OF, Cal State San Bernardino ) ; G. Allen (OF, Ouachita Baptist) ; Rudy Ramirez (OF, Wayne State,

Mich.) ; Josh Frometa (DH, American International) ; Elias Stevens (Utility Non-Pitcher, Maryville) ; Dylan Bloomquist (Utility Pitcher, UT Tyler);

Derek Clark (SP, Northwood) ; Seth Miller (SP, Augustana) ; Mason Philley (SP, Arkansas-Monticello) ; Cole Woods (SP, Missouri Southern) ;

Blake Barker (RP, Seton Hill)