Xavier University Athletics
Four Musketeers Earn All-BIG EAST Honors
05.26.21 | Baseball
Nick Zwack (LHP), Natale Monastra (C) and Jack Housinger (SS) earn First Team honors, Andrew Walker (OF) earns a spot on the Second Team
NEW YORK - Following the 2021 BIG EAST regular season, four Musketeers were named to the All-BIG EAST Team as voted on by the conference coaches. Nick Zwack, Natale Monastra and Jack Housinger earned First Team honors, while Andrew Walker earned a spot on the Second Team.
Xavier, 25-24 overall and 15-11 in BIG EAST play, opens up BIG EAST Tournament action on Thursday, facing off with the top-seeded UConn Huskies. First pitch is set for approximately 6:30 p.m. at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.
Nick Zwack was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team as a starting pitcher, pitching a team-high 76.2 inning in 13 starts with a 2.70 ERA, the best mark among Xavier pitchers with more than three innings of work and the fifth best mark in the league. The senior lefty has limited opposing batters to a .221 average at the plate this season and has collected a team-high six wins, tied for third most in the league.
Zwack, who is originally from Monticello, Minn., leads the Musketeers with 73 strikeouts following a career-high 11 Ks in game one at Creighton. Zwack now has 212 strikeouts for his career, tied for sixth most in program history.Â
In conference play, Zwack has a league-best 1.39 ERA and has limited opposing batters to a .171 average at the plate. In seven BIG EAST games started, Zwack has pitched 45.1 innings, striking out 51 and collecting four wins.
This is Zwack's first post-season honor from the BIG EAST. Prior to the 2021 season, he was selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST squad.
Natale Monastra was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team at catcher, playing in 47 games, making 46 starts. He has a .294 average at the plate, batting primarily in the clean-up spot. Monastra, who is originally from Lewis Center, Ohio, has a team-high matching 48 hits on the season, ranking eighth in the BIG EAST, and has driven in a team-high 30 RBI, ranked seventh in the conference. Overall, Monastra has a .406 on-base percentage, taking 22 walks on the season, and has come around to score 29 runs.
In BIG EAST play, Monastra is batting .291 with 25 hits and 15 RBI driven in. His 18 walks in league play rank only behind Jack Housinger among BIG EAST players.
On defense, Monastra has a .994 fielding percentage for the season, ranked eighth in the BIG EAST.
Following the 2019 season, Monastra was named Second Team All-BIG EAST. He also earned Preseason All-Conference honors prior to the 2020Â and 2021 seasons.
Jack Housinger was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team at shortstop, playing in 45 games, with 44 starts. The junior is batting .304 on the season, batting primarily in the second spot in the lineup. Housinger, who is originally from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., has a team-high matching 48 hits on the season, including a team-leading 14 doubles, the second most in the conference. Housinger has a BIG EAST leading 33 walks for the season and a .439 on-base percentage which ranks fourth in the league. Housinger has come around to score 35 runs, fifth most in the BIG EAST, and has driven in 25 RBI overall for the season.
In BIG EAST play, Housinger is batting .299 with a team-leading 26 hits, sixth most in the league, has a league-leading 19 walks with an on-base percentage of .461. His 19 runs-scored match the team-high and rank fifth in the conference for BIG EAST play.
In the field, Housinger has a .937 fielding percentage and has helped turn 20 double plays, second most in the BIG EAST.
Housinger was named Second Team All-BIG EAST following the 2019 season, and was named Preseason All-BIG EAST prior to 2020 and 2021.
Andrew Walker, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in the outfield, has appeared in 42 games for the Musketeers, starting in 34, mainly in left field. Batting primarily at the top of the order, he leads the Musketeers' regular players with a .311 average at the plate, collecting 42 hits on the season which trails only Housinger and Monastra for total hits.
Among his hits are 10 doubles, second most on the teams, to go with a triple and four homers, for a .489 slugging percentage. Walker, who is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., has taken 14 walks on the season and leads the Musketeers in stolen bases with 15, third most in the conference. Of those stolen bases, 12 came during BIG EAST play, the most among BIG EAST players in league play.
Walker has driven in 27 RBI and come around to score 30 runs, including a team-high matching 19 runs scored in league play.
This is Walker's first conference honor of his Xavier career.
Â
Player of the YearÂ
Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF ^
Â
Pitcher of the YearÂ
Dylan Tebrake, Creighton, So., RHP
Â
Freshman of the YearÂ
Alan Roden, Creighton, RS-Fr., OF
Â
Coaching Staff of the Year
Connecticut, Head coach Jim Penders
All-BIG EAST First Team *
Dylan Tebrake, Creighton, So., RHP ^
David Festa, Seton Hall, Jr., RHP
Nick Zwack, Xavier, Sr., LHP
Nick Mondak, St. John's, RS-Jr., LHP
Caleb Wurster, UConn, So., LHP (RP)
Jerry Huntzinger, Seton Hall, Sr., C
Natale Monastra, Xavier, Sr., C
Matt Toke, Seton Hall, Sr., 1B
Carson Bartels, St. John's, Grad, 2B
Jack Housinger, Xavier, Jr., SS
Marty Higgins, St. John's, RS-Fr., 3B
Alan Roden, Creighton, Fr., DH ^
Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF ^
Chris Winkel, UConn, Sr., OF
Erik Stock, UConn, Jr., OF
Â
All-BIG EAST Second TeamÂ
(listed alphabetically by team)
James Gargano, Butler, Sr., OF
Ben Casparius, UConn, Jr., RHP
Reggie Crawford, UConn, Fr., 1B/Utility
Austin Peterson, UConn, Jr., RHP
Pat Winkel, UConn, So., C
Paul Bergstrom, Creighton, So., LHP (RP)
Ryan Mantle, Creighton, Sr., 3B
Andrew Meggs, Creighton, So., 2B
Parker Upton, Creighton, Sr., OF
Ethan Routzahn, St. John's, RS-Jr., RHP (RP)
Tyler Burnham, Seton Hall, Sr., LHP
Casey Dana, Seton Hall, Sr., DH
Will Gale, Seton Hall, RS-Fr., OF
Gordon Graceffo, Villanova, Jr., RHPÂ
Andrew Walker, Xavier, So., OF
Â
^ denotes unanimous selection
* due to a tie in voting, there are two catchers listed on the all-conference first team
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Xavier, 25-24 overall and 15-11 in BIG EAST play, opens up BIG EAST Tournament action on Thursday, facing off with the top-seeded UConn Huskies. First pitch is set for approximately 6:30 p.m. at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.
Nick Zwack was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team as a starting pitcher, pitching a team-high 76.2 inning in 13 starts with a 2.70 ERA, the best mark among Xavier pitchers with more than three innings of work and the fifth best mark in the league. The senior lefty has limited opposing batters to a .221 average at the plate this season and has collected a team-high six wins, tied for third most in the league.
Zwack, who is originally from Monticello, Minn., leads the Musketeers with 73 strikeouts following a career-high 11 Ks in game one at Creighton. Zwack now has 212 strikeouts for his career, tied for sixth most in program history.Â
In conference play, Zwack has a league-best 1.39 ERA and has limited opposing batters to a .171 average at the plate. In seven BIG EAST games started, Zwack has pitched 45.1 innings, striking out 51 and collecting four wins.
This is Zwack's first post-season honor from the BIG EAST. Prior to the 2021 season, he was selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST squad.
Natale Monastra was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team at catcher, playing in 47 games, making 46 starts. He has a .294 average at the plate, batting primarily in the clean-up spot. Monastra, who is originally from Lewis Center, Ohio, has a team-high matching 48 hits on the season, ranking eighth in the BIG EAST, and has driven in a team-high 30 RBI, ranked seventh in the conference. Overall, Monastra has a .406 on-base percentage, taking 22 walks on the season, and has come around to score 29 runs.
In BIG EAST play, Monastra is batting .291 with 25 hits and 15 RBI driven in. His 18 walks in league play rank only behind Jack Housinger among BIG EAST players.
On defense, Monastra has a .994 fielding percentage for the season, ranked eighth in the BIG EAST.
Following the 2019 season, Monastra was named Second Team All-BIG EAST. He also earned Preseason All-Conference honors prior to the 2020Â and 2021 seasons.
Jack Housinger was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team at shortstop, playing in 45 games, with 44 starts. The junior is batting .304 on the season, batting primarily in the second spot in the lineup. Housinger, who is originally from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., has a team-high matching 48 hits on the season, including a team-leading 14 doubles, the second most in the conference. Housinger has a BIG EAST leading 33 walks for the season and a .439 on-base percentage which ranks fourth in the league. Housinger has come around to score 35 runs, fifth most in the BIG EAST, and has driven in 25 RBI overall for the season.
In BIG EAST play, Housinger is batting .299 with a team-leading 26 hits, sixth most in the league, has a league-leading 19 walks with an on-base percentage of .461. His 19 runs-scored match the team-high and rank fifth in the conference for BIG EAST play.
In the field, Housinger has a .937 fielding percentage and has helped turn 20 double plays, second most in the BIG EAST.
Housinger was named Second Team All-BIG EAST following the 2019 season, and was named Preseason All-BIG EAST prior to 2020 and 2021.
Andrew Walker, an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in the outfield, has appeared in 42 games for the Musketeers, starting in 34, mainly in left field. Batting primarily at the top of the order, he leads the Musketeers' regular players with a .311 average at the plate, collecting 42 hits on the season which trails only Housinger and Monastra for total hits.
Among his hits are 10 doubles, second most on the teams, to go with a triple and four homers, for a .489 slugging percentage. Walker, who is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., has taken 14 walks on the season and leads the Musketeers in stolen bases with 15, third most in the conference. Of those stolen bases, 12 came during BIG EAST play, the most among BIG EAST players in league play.
Walker has driven in 27 RBI and come around to score 30 runs, including a team-high matching 19 runs scored in league play.
This is Walker's first conference honor of his Xavier career.
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 |
 ALL-BIG EAST HONORS |
Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF ^
Â
Pitcher of the YearÂ
Dylan Tebrake, Creighton, So., RHP
Â
Freshman of the YearÂ
Alan Roden, Creighton, RS-Fr., OF
Â
Coaching Staff of the Year
Connecticut, Head coach Jim Penders
All-BIG EAST First Team *
Dylan Tebrake, Creighton, So., RHP ^
David Festa, Seton Hall, Jr., RHP
Nick Zwack, Xavier, Sr., LHP
Nick Mondak, St. John's, RS-Jr., LHP
Caleb Wurster, UConn, So., LHP (RP)
Jerry Huntzinger, Seton Hall, Sr., C
Natale Monastra, Xavier, Sr., C
Matt Toke, Seton Hall, Sr., 1B
Carson Bartels, St. John's, Grad, 2B
Jack Housinger, Xavier, Jr., SS
Marty Higgins, St. John's, RS-Fr., 3B
Alan Roden, Creighton, Fr., DH ^
Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF ^
Chris Winkel, UConn, Sr., OF
Erik Stock, UConn, Jr., OF
Â
All-BIG EAST Second TeamÂ
(listed alphabetically by team)
James Gargano, Butler, Sr., OF
Ben Casparius, UConn, Jr., RHP
Reggie Crawford, UConn, Fr., 1B/Utility
Austin Peterson, UConn, Jr., RHP
Pat Winkel, UConn, So., C
Paul Bergstrom, Creighton, So., LHP (RP)
Ryan Mantle, Creighton, Sr., 3B
Andrew Meggs, Creighton, So., 2B
Parker Upton, Creighton, Sr., OF
Ethan Routzahn, St. John's, RS-Jr., RHP (RP)
Tyler Burnham, Seton Hall, Sr., LHP
Casey Dana, Seton Hall, Sr., DH
Will Gale, Seton Hall, RS-Fr., OF
Gordon Graceffo, Villanova, Jr., RHPÂ
Andrew Walker, Xavier, So., OF
Â
^ denotes unanimous selection
* due to a tie in voting, there are two catchers listed on the all-conference first team
Â
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballHIGHLIGHTS | Baseball vs. UConn (BIG EAST Tournament)
Thursday, May 22
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Penn State (Game 3)
Saturday, May 17
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Creighton (Game Three)
Sunday, May 11
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Creighton (Game 2)
Sunday, May 11