GREENSBORO, N.C.- The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team continued their run of accolades this post-season. The Golden Eagles had three players honored as 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. II All-Americans. Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) become the first two teammates in any sport at UMN Crookston to earn first team accolades in the same season during the NCAA Division II era. Hallquist and Hjelle were each named to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. II All-America First Team. Alex Koep (Sr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. II All-America Third Team. 
 
Hallquist and Jake Hjelle join Jake's brother Reed Hjelle as players to earn all-america first team honors. Reed Hjelle was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team in 2018. Reed Hjelle was the only Golden Eagle baseball player to ever earn all-american status prior to this week. In addition to his ABCA/Rawlings honors, Reed Hjelle was a NCBWA All-America Third Team pick in 2018. Jake Hjelle is the only Golden Eagle baseball player in program history to earn first team honors from two publications, as he was also named to the D2CCA All-America First team. 
 
Minnesota Crookston has never had three players in any sport named all-american in the same year. All three were also named to the 2023 D2CCA All-America teams and the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. II All-America squad. 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, ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region First Team, and D2CCA All-America 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, and was named to the D2CCA All-America Second Team. 
 
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, D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year, and was named to the D2CCA All-America Third Team. 
 
The ABCA/Rawlings All-America teams are selected by members of the ABCA All-America committees. ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team selections, which were announced Wednesday, were nominated for All-America honors.
 
The Chair of the ABCA NCAA Div. II All-America & Coach of the Year Committee is Rudy Garbalosa of Lynn University. Also on the committee are Randy Betten (Cal Poly Pomona), Jamie Detillion, Jim Gantt (Catawba College), Rick Giannetti (Dominican College), Dave Hajek (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs), Alex Koch (Wayne State College) and Joe Spano (Mercyhurst University).
 
The ABCA Region All-Defensive teams for all divisions will be announced on Monday, June 19. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams for all divisions will be announced on Wednesday, June 21.
 
ABCA/Rawlings National Pitchers and Position Players of the Year for all divisions will be announced on Monday, June 26.
 
The ABCA All-America team was first recognized in 1949 and now includes nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and high school. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007.
 
Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 40 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.
 
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