ATLANTA (May 20, 2024) – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced Monday that University of North Alabama teammates
Gehrig Frei and
Jacob James were both named to the All-ASUN Third Team for the 2024 season.
This marks just the second and third All-ASUN honors for UNA since moving to Division I in 2019, joining 2022 Second Team All-ASUN selection,
Luke Harper.
Frei's selection comes one year after earning a selection to the ASUN All-Freshman team. The North Alabama third baseman etched his name in the record book, setting new Division I program records in several offensive categories, including home runs (15), RBIs (49) and total bases (123).
Frei was named the ASUN Player of the Week on April 15 following an 8-for-13 performance across three games against Bellarmine. Frei was UNA's offensive leader in a record-setting weekend series against the Knights where UNA tallied 48 runs in three games.
James finished his senior campaign with 105 strikeouts, the second-most of any player in the ASUN despite throwing 21 less innings than the leader. The Loretto, Tenn. native allowed an opponent batting average of .215 while earning a team-high five wins. James was named the ASUN Pitcher of the Week on April 8 following a 12-strikeout performance against Jacksonville. The senior entered in relief in the final game of the season and picked up a save against ASUN Co-Champions Austin Peay.
With his first strikeout against Austin Peay on Thursday, James took sole possession of first place on UNA's all-time strikeout list, surpassing Chad Boughner at 280. James ends his senior season with 284 career strikeouts. James entered the season tied for sixth on the list with Brantley Claunch before turning in a new career high for most strikeouts in a season with 105. He is just the seventh UNA pitcher to strike out at least 100 batters in a season and the first since Tyler Joyner struck out 111 in 2018.
The postseason selections come following UNA's best Division I season, in which the Lions set new program bests for Division I wins (18) and ASUN wins (10).
Player of the Year: Lyle Miller-Green, Austin Peay
Defensive Player of the Year: Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay
Pitcher of the Year: Jesse Barker, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Kyle Jones, Stetson
Coach of the Year: Roland Fanning, Austin Peay
First Team All-ASUN
SP Jesse Barker, Central Arkansas**
SP Davian Garcia, FGCU
SP Blake Aita, Kennesaw State
RP Bo Rhudy, Kennesaw State
C Nick Hassan, Kennesaw State
1B Casey Sorg, Bellarmine
2B Ambren Voitik, Austin Peay
3B Brody Szako, Austin Peay
SS Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay
OF Lyle Miller-Green, Austin Peay**
OF Ron Franklin, EKU
OF Dillon Lewis, Queens
DH Ian Farrow, FGCU**
Second Team All-ASUN
SP Andrew Devine, Austin Peay
SP Richard Long, Jacksonville
SP Tony Roca, North Florida
RP Zane Coppersmith, Stetson
C Mac Moise, FGCU
1B Harrison Brown, Austin Peay
2B Yohann Dessureault, Stetson
3B Isaac Bouton, Kennesaw State
SS Trace Willhoite, Lipscomb**
OF John Bay, Austin Peay
OF Clayton Gray, Austin Peay**
OF Alex Vergara, Lipscomb**
DH Spencer Hanson, Kennesaw State**
Third Team All-ASUN
SP Braden Osbolt, Kennesaw State
SP Anthony DeFabbia, Stetson
RP Collin Witzke, Lipscomb
C Gus Freeman, Austin Peay
1B Robert Moya, FGCU
1B Mason Lundgrin, Lipscomb
2B Justin Nadeau, Jacksonville
SS Jacob Lojewski, FGCU**
OF Will Aubel, Bellarmine
OF Zeb Allen, Central Arkansas
OF Kyle Jones, Stetson
DH Jaden Brown, Austin Peay
* denotes the number of career All-ASUN selections
Note - a tie in voting resulted in a 14-person All-ASUN Third Team
All-Freshman Team
^Kyle Jones, Stetson
Zeb Allen, Central Arkansas
Tait Nunnally, EKU
Charles Davalan, FGCU
Evan Dempsey, FGCU
Javier Gorostola, FGCU
Peyton Prescott, Jacksonville
Isaac Williams, Jacksonville
Shamaar McDuffie, Kennesaw State
Bo Rhudy, Kennesaw State
Jake Barbour, Queens
Zane Coppersmith, Stetson
Logan Hughes, Stetson
^ denotes a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman Team
