Pioneers’ Kelso named Position Player of the Year; Nolan named All-Sportsmanship
Platteville, Wis.- Junior Jonathan Kelso, of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball program, had the greatest season in Pioneer history and was voted by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coaches as WIAC Position Player of the Year. Kelso led the WIAC in hits (69), batting average (.442), slugging percentage (.782), on-base percentage (.532), on-base-plus-slugging (1.314), and stolen bases (27). Kelso finished second in runs (55), total bases (122), doubles (18) and triples (4) and fourth in homeruns (9). He broke the school single season record for hits and total bases while recording the best batting average since Brian Potter hit .443 in 1996.
Platteville, Wis.- Junior Jonathan Kelso, of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville baseball program, had the greatest season in Pioneer history and was voted by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coaches as WIAC Position Player of the Year. Kelso led the WIAC in hits (69), batting average (.442), slugging percentage (.782), on-base percentage (.532), on-base-plus-slugging (1.314), and stolen bases (27). Kelso finished second in runs (55), total bases (122), doubles (18) and triples (4) and fourth in homeruns (9). He broke the school single season record for hits and total bases while recording the best batting average since Brian Potter hit .443 in 1996.
"It starts with attitude and work ethic," head coach Chad Harris said. "Obviously he has some athletic ability that carries him, but Jonathan is a hard worker. He doesn't take days off, if he misses practice due to academics, he finds a way to get extra swings in, he isn't just going to take the day off."
The Villa Park, Illinois native recorded a hit in 36 of the 41 games he played. Kelso had a season and career best 13-game hitting streak and finished the season with a 10-game hitting streak. He recorded 25 multi-hit games with seven games of three or more hits. Kelso did not commit one error in 115 chances while starting all 41 games in centerfield.
"It's pretty special when one of the best players in the country, not just in your program, is also one of the highest character guys on the team. That says a lot," Harris said. "Younger guys can follow him, even older guys look up to him and follow his lead, because they know he is going to do things the right way."
Kelso is the first Pioneer to be named position player of the year in the WIAC.
Senior righthanded pitcher Shane Nolan was named to the WIAC All-Sportsmanship team. The Lake Zurich, Illinois native started nine games and picked up two wins.
2021 WIAC Major Award Winners
Pitcher of the Year: Matt O'Sullivan of Whitewater
Newcomer of the Year: Mac Born of La Crosse
Coach of the Year: Nat Richter of Stevens Point
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: Brennan Schmitt of La Crosse
2021 All-WIAC Baseball Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Kasey Bass, Stout, Senior, Firstbase, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie)
Donovan Brandl, Whitewater, Freshman, Lefthanded Pitcher, Rudolph, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln)
Zach Carney, La Crosse, Junior, Centerfield, Kimberly, Wis. (Kimberly)
Bradley Comer, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Rhinelander, Wis. (Rhinelander)
Sidney Ferry, Stevens Point, Freshman, Rightahnded Pitcher, Paw Paw, Mich. (Homeschooled)
Tom Ginther, Eau Claire, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Rock Springs, Wis. (Baraboo)
Jonathan Kelso, Platteville, Junior, Centerfield, Villa Park, Ill. (Willowbrook)
Westin Muir, Whitewater, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Highlands Ranch. Colo. (St. Charles North, Ill.)
Payton Nelson, Stevens Point, Junior, Outfield, Wausau, Wis. (West)
Matt O'Sullivan, Whitewater, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Sugar Grove, Ill. (Kaneland)
James Palmer, Stout, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Boyceville, Wis. (Boyceville)
Zach Pronschinske, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Arcadia, Wis. (Arcadia)
Nick Santoro, Whitewater, Senior, Shortstop, Naperville, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley)
Jarrett Scheelk, Oshkosh, Junior, Outfield/Righthanded Pitcher, New Franken, Wis. (Green Bay Preble)
Brennan Schmitt, La Crosse, Senior, Thirdbase/Utility, Middleton, Wis. (Middleton)
Aaron Simmons, Stevens Point, Junior, Outfield, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Connor Spear, Whitewater, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Highland, Ind. (Mount Carmel, Ind.)
Hunter Staniske, Oshkosh, Senior, Secondbase, De Pere, Wis. (De Pere)
Charlie Szykowny, Stout, Junior, Shortstop, Palos Heights, Ill. (Alan B. Shepard)
Sam Vomhof, Whitewater, Sophomore, Secondbase, DeForest, Wis. (DeForest)
Honorable Mention
Mac Born, La Crosse, Freshman, Thirdbase/Outfield, Chaska, Minn. (Chaska)
Donovan Brandl, Whitewater, Freshman, Firstbase, Rudolph, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln)
Nick Carpenter, Stevens Point, Freshman, Lefthanded Pitcher, Lake Mills, Wis. (Lake Mills)
Shane Coker, La Crosse, Senior, Firstbase, Athens, Wis. (Athens)
Tucker Criswell, Whitewater, Senior, Thirdbase, Tallahassee, Fla. (Lawton Chiles)
Jacob DeMeyer, Whitewater, Sophomore, Outfield, Harshaw, Wis. (Rhinelander)
Joseph Galindo, Finlandia, Freshman, Infield, Lancaster, Calif. (Quartz Hill)
Zack Haupt, Stevens Point, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Carlsbad, Calif. (San Dieguito Academy)
Matt Korman, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, Waterford, Wis. (Union)
Alex Mach, La Crosse, Freshman, Lefthanded Pitcher, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
Hunter Merrill, Stout, Senior, Outfield, Ripon, Wis. (Ripon)
Connor Moroder, Whitewater, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Connor Moroder, Whitewater, Senior, Utility, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Trevor Niedzwiecki, Oshkosh, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Hawthorne Woods, Ill. (Lake Zurich)
Casey Pickering, Stevens Point, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Matt Scherrman, Oshkosh, Freshman, Shortstop, Wheaton, Ill. (South)
Brady Schmitt, La Crosse, Sophomore, Lefthanded Pitcher, Middleton, Wis. (Middleton)
JD Schultz, Stevens Point, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH)
All-Sportsmanship Team
Zach Campbell, Whitewater, Sophomore, Outfield, Burlington, Wis. (Burlington)
Dan Deis, Stout, Senior, Outfield, Plymouth, Minn. (Wayzata)
Nik Geiser, Finlandia, Senior, Infield, Rome, Pa. (NE Bradford)
Connor Giusti, Oshkosh, Freshman, Infield, Hoffman Estates, Ill. (Fremd)
Lucas Luedkte, Stevens Point, Senior, Infield, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Shane Nolan, Platteville, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Lake Zurich, Ill. (Lake Zurich)
Parker Plume, La Crosse, Senior, Outfield, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Chase Yaeger, Eau Claire, Freshman, Infield, Black River Falls, Wis. (Black River Falls)