Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Baseball Places Four on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
12.22.21 | Baseball
Musketeers picked third in the league following last season's runners-up performance in the BIG EAST Tournament
NEW YORK - Ahead of the 2022 baseball season, four Musketeers earned a spot on the Preseason All-BIG EAST squad, the league announced on Wednesday. Catcher Jerry Huntzinger, infielders Luke Franzoni and Jack Housinger, and outfielder Andrew Walker each earned a spot on the preseason all-conference team, matching Creighton for league high.
Additionally, Xavier was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST by the coaches. UConn was picked to win the conference with 49 points. Creighton came in second with 41 points and Xavier had 36 points to come in at third.
Xavier finished 2021 at 28-26 overall and 15-11 in BIG EAST play, earning the No. 4 seed in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament. Xavier advanced to the BIG EAST Championship series, forcing a deciding game seven against UConn before finishing runners up.
The Musketeers get the season underway on Friday, February 18, 2022 in the first of a three-game series at Alabama.
Jerry Huntzinger, a graduate student who joined Xavier in Summer 2021 as a transfer from Seton Hall, earned the league nomination at catcher. He's coming off a 2021 season where he shared All-BIG EAST First Team honors with Xavier graduate Natale Monastra. Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Huntzinger was the only Pirate to start in all 48 games for Seton Hall last season, leading the team in walks, runs, hits and stolen bases.
His 24 stolen bases led the BIG EAST last season and he ranked in the top 10 in the BIG EAST conference in hits (55), runs scored (35) and walks (25).
Luke Franzoni, a senior from Robbinsville, N.J., was picked as the all-conference selection at first base. He appeared in 41 games last season, starting every game he appeared in. He led Xavier's regular players in slugging percentage .566, collecting 17 extra base hits, including a team-high nine home runs, fifth most in the BIG EAST last season. Six of those home runs came during conference play, tying for league high.
Franzoni's 28 RBI and 22 walks were third most by a Musketeer last season, and his 36 hits and 28 runs scored both ranked fourth on the team in 2021.
Jack Housinger, a senior from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., was the league's selection at shortstop. He's coming off a season where he was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team at shortstop, playing in 50 games, with 49 starts. Housinger led the Musketeers in runs scored (37), doubles (17), and walks (37), and also matched for team-high in hits (52). His 28 RBI were also ranked in the top three for the Musketeers.
Housinger's total doubles and walks led the BIG EAST, and he ranked in the top 10 in hits, runs scored, stolen bases (13) and on-base percentage (.437). This is Housinger's third Preseason All-BIG EAST selection, also earning the nomination in 2021 and 2020.
Andrew Walker, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., was picked Preseason All-BIG EAST in the outfield. He's coming off a season where he was named All-BIG EAST Second Team. He appeared in 47 games, starting in 39, and led Xavier's every-day players at the plate with a .316 batting average, which ranked eighth in the conference. Walker collected 30 RBI last season, the most among Xavier's returners, and scored 32 runs, trailing just Housinger among Musketeers in 2021.
Walker ranked in the top 10 in the league on on-base percentage (.407), collecting 48 hits, third most on the team, and 19 bases on balls. He led the Musketeers with 18 stolen bases, trailing only Jerry Huntzinger in the BIG EAST last season.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )
1. UConn (7) – 49
2. Creighton (1) – 41
3. Xavier – 36
4. St. John's – 30
5. Seton Hall – 29
6. Butler – 16
7. Georgetown – 13
8. Villanova – 10
Preseason Player of the Year
Alan Roden, So., OF, Creighton
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Dylan Tebrake, Jr., RHP, Creighton
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
C – Jerry Huntzinger, Gr., Xavier
1B – Luke Franzoni, Sr., Xavier
2B – Andrew Meggs, Jr., Creighton
3B – Marty Higgins, RSo., St. John's *
SS – Jack Housinger, Sr., Xavier
DH – Alan Roden, So., Creighton
OF – Erik Stock, Sr., UConn *
OF – Will Gale, RSo., Seton Hall *
OF – Chris Rotondo, Sr., Villanova
OF – Andrew Walker, Sr., Xavier
SP – Austin Peterson, Sr., UConn
SP – Ian Murphy, RJr., St. John's
SP – Dylan Tebrake, Jr., Creighton
SP – Tyler Roche, So., St. John's
RP – Paul Bergstrom, Jr., Creighton
*Unanimous Selection
Additionally, Xavier was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST by the coaches. UConn was picked to win the conference with 49 points. Creighton came in second with 41 points and Xavier had 36 points to come in at third.
Xavier finished 2021 at 28-26 overall and 15-11 in BIG EAST play, earning the No. 4 seed in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament. Xavier advanced to the BIG EAST Championship series, forcing a deciding game seven against UConn before finishing runners up.
The Musketeers get the season underway on Friday, February 18, 2022 in the first of a three-game series at Alabama.
Jerry Huntzinger, a graduate student who joined Xavier in Summer 2021 as a transfer from Seton Hall, earned the league nomination at catcher. He's coming off a 2021 season where he shared All-BIG EAST First Team honors with Xavier graduate Natale Monastra. Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Huntzinger was the only Pirate to start in all 48 games for Seton Hall last season, leading the team in walks, runs, hits and stolen bases.
His 24 stolen bases led the BIG EAST last season and he ranked in the top 10 in the BIG EAST conference in hits (55), runs scored (35) and walks (25).
Luke Franzoni, a senior from Robbinsville, N.J., was picked as the all-conference selection at first base. He appeared in 41 games last season, starting every game he appeared in. He led Xavier's regular players in slugging percentage .566, collecting 17 extra base hits, including a team-high nine home runs, fifth most in the BIG EAST last season. Six of those home runs came during conference play, tying for league high.
Franzoni's 28 RBI and 22 walks were third most by a Musketeer last season, and his 36 hits and 28 runs scored both ranked fourth on the team in 2021.
Jack Housinger, a senior from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., was the league's selection at shortstop. He's coming off a season where he was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team at shortstop, playing in 50 games, with 49 starts. Housinger led the Musketeers in runs scored (37), doubles (17), and walks (37), and also matched for team-high in hits (52). His 28 RBI were also ranked in the top three for the Musketeers.
Housinger's total doubles and walks led the BIG EAST, and he ranked in the top 10 in hits, runs scored, stolen bases (13) and on-base percentage (.437). This is Housinger's third Preseason All-BIG EAST selection, also earning the nomination in 2021 and 2020.
Andrew Walker, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., was picked Preseason All-BIG EAST in the outfield. He's coming off a season where he was named All-BIG EAST Second Team. He appeared in 47 games, starting in 39, and led Xavier's every-day players at the plate with a .316 batting average, which ranked eighth in the conference. Walker collected 30 RBI last season, the most among Xavier's returners, and scored 32 runs, trailing just Housinger among Musketeers in 2021.
Walker ranked in the top 10 in the league on on-base percentage (.407), collecting 48 hits, third most on the team, and 19 bases on balls. He led the Musketeers with 18 stolen bases, trailing only Jerry Huntzinger in the BIG EAST last season.
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PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONORS |
First place votes in ( )
1. UConn (7) – 49
2. Creighton (1) – 41
3. Xavier – 36
4. St. John's – 30
5. Seton Hall – 29
6. Butler – 16
7. Georgetown – 13
8. Villanova – 10
Preseason Player of the Year
Alan Roden, So., OF, Creighton
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Dylan Tebrake, Jr., RHP, Creighton
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
C – Jerry Huntzinger, Gr., Xavier
1B – Luke Franzoni, Sr., Xavier
2B – Andrew Meggs, Jr., Creighton
3B – Marty Higgins, RSo., St. John's *
SS – Jack Housinger, Sr., Xavier
DH – Alan Roden, So., Creighton
OF – Erik Stock, Sr., UConn *
OF – Will Gale, RSo., Seton Hall *
OF – Chris Rotondo, Sr., Villanova
OF – Andrew Walker, Sr., Xavier
SP – Austin Peterson, Sr., UConn
SP – Ian Murphy, RJr., St. John's
SP – Dylan Tebrake, Jr., Creighton
SP – Tyler Roche, So., St. John's
RP – Paul Bergstrom, Jr., Creighton
*Unanimous Selection
Players Mentioned
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