INDIANAPOLIS – Northern Kentucky capped the 2023 record setting regular season by cleaning house at the 2023 Horizon League Baseball Awards as Noah Fisher was named the conference Player of the Year along with earning an All-League First Team selection. Fellow Norse to earn First Team nods included John Odom, Colton Kucera and Clay Brock. NKU saw four All-League Second Team picks which included Liam McFadden-Ackman, Treyvin Moss, Kaden Echeman and Manny Vorhees as the league announced its yearly award winners on Tuesday. 
 
All of the honors come on the eve of the 2023 Horizon League Tournament where No. 3 seeded Northern Kentucky is set to face No. 6 seed Purdue Fort Wayne in the opening round on Wednesday, May 24 in Dayton, Ohio.
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR  + ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM – NOAH FISHER
 Noah Fisher had himself one of the greatest seasons by a Norse, as the fifth-year senior dominated most statistical categories in the Horizon League and was selected to multiple award watch lists and rankings. 
 
Fisher was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List as a semifinalist, where he ranks as one of the top 25 shortstops in the country at the NCAA Division I level. Additionally Fisher ranked as the No. 27 of best shortstop in the nation by D1Baseball.com. 
 
The Madison Heights, Michigan native currently ranks 11th in the country in walks per game, 17th in total walks, 15th in on base percentage, 32nd in RBI and 36th overall in slugging percentage. In the Horizon League Fisher leads all in slugging percentage (.732), on base percentage (.516), OPS (1.248), runs scored (64), RBI (66), home runs (18), hit by pitch (12) and walks (52).

Fisher's 52 walks this season is a Northern Kentucky Baseball single-season record, breaking Griffin Doersching's previous total of 50 in 2021. Noah also is just six RBI away from tying the Norse single-season record set by Steve Walton (72) in 2002, and ranks third all-time in runs scored (64) in a single season. 
 

ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM – JOHN ODOM
John Odom was a staple in the middle infield opposite Fisher this season, anchoring the Norse both offensively and defensively. Odom finished the regular season with a field percentage of .965 overall. At the plate he posted a batting average of .267 in 40 overall games after recording 131 at bats. 
 
The top second baseman from Fort Mitchell, Kentucky in the Horizon League went on to drive in 25 drives at the dish with 28 runs scored and 35 total hits. Odom ranked fourth on the team in total home runs with six and totaled six doubles during the season. 
 
 
ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM – COLTON KUCERA
Colton Kucera made an immediate impact joining the Norse for the 2023 season, as the top outfielder for Northern Kentucky this past year. Kucera was dominate at the plate this year as he led the Horizon League in overall batting average at .387 overall. He also currently ranks 52nd overall in the country in batting average as well. 

The Phoenix, Arizona native finished the regular season a bit banged up on the injured list, but his overall season totals were still top tier. Kucera posted 28 RBI with 38 runs scored along with drawing 28 walks. He ranks fourth on the Norse in slugging percentage at .487 and is second on the squad in on base percentage at .508. 
 
 
ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM – CLAY BROCK
Clay Brock finished the 2023 regular season as top of the Norse's top starting pitchers. Brock finished with a record of 5-4 after making 16 appearances with 10 games started overall. He led NKU starts this season in earned run average at 3.94 and ranks third overall in the conference. 

The Liberty Township, Ohio native is ranked 21st overall in the country in walks allowed per nine innings and is 69th overall in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio. In the Horizon League Brock ranks fourth in runs allowed, fifth in innings pitched, second in walks allowed, second in doubles allowed and fifth overall in total wins. 
 
 
ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM – LIAM MCFADDEN-ACKMAN
Liam McFadden-Ackamn had himself a breakout and near record setting regular season for the Norse. The Mason, Ohio native ranks 32nd in runs batted in in the nation at the NCAA Division I level and ranks 47th in the country in runs batted in per game. 
 
McFadden-Ackman has totaled 66 RBI on the year, ranking first overall in the Horizon League and is just six RBI away from tying the Norse single-season record set by Steve Walton (72) in 2002. He also ranks second in the conference in home runs (16), fourth in runs scored (50), third in slugging percentage (.667) and third in OPS (1.102). 

He recorded one of the greatest collegiate baseball performance in history early this season against Western Michigan where McFadden-Ackman belted two grand slams in the same inning and finished off the day by hitting for the cycle. This incredible stat line of two grand slams, hitting for the cycle, hitting 5-for-6, 10 RBI, 4 runs, 1 triple and 1 double was featured in the national spotlight being picked up by such media outlets as ESPN, Barstool Sports, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, Fox, Sports Illustrated, D1Baseball and Spectrum News. 

 
ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM  – TREYVIN MOSS
Treyvin Moss was on pace for an incredible and potentially record setting season before injuries midway through the 2023 season. Moss is currently back on the field for the Norse as the Horizon League Tournament rolls around this week, but through 39 total games, he has totaled 23 stolen bases in 25 attempts. Despite missing games this year, Moss still ranks second overall in the conference in stolen bases and is 67th in the country in the stat category as well. 
 
The Fort Wayne, Indiana also ranks eighth in the Horizon League in total walks (31) and fourth in triples (3). Moss finished the regular season with 26 RBI, 41 runs scored, which ranks fourth best on Northern Kentucky. Moss added 10 doubles and 31 walks to his season stat line as well. 


ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM  – KADEN ECHEMAN
Kaden Echeman posted a solid second season in a Norse uniform with an overall record of 5-3 and an earned run average of 4.96 on the year. Echeman totaled 78 strikeouts on the year, ranking second overall in the Horizon League. He also ranked eighth in the conference in ERA, ninth in opposing batting average (.273), eighth in hits allowed (70) and fifth in runs allowed (40). 
 
The Vandalia, Ohio native saw better numbers this year compared to his freshman season, improving his overall record, win total, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched. 


ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM  – MANNY VORHEES
Manny Vorhees turned in yet another great season in a Norse uniform as he finished the 2023 season close behind his fellow Norse in multiple offensive stat categories. The Wapakoneta, Ohio native ranks third overall in the Horizon League in runs scored (52), fifth in home runs (12), second in at bats (216), fourth in walks (35), seventh in OPS (.909) and ninth in slugging percentage (.514). 
 
Vorhees also ranks third in the conference in runs batted in with 62. He ranks 53rd in the nation in the category as well and ranks 81st in the country in runs batted in per game as well. 
 

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2023 #HLBASE Award Winners
Player of the Year: Noah Fisher, Northern Kentucky
Pitcher of the Year: Sebastian Gongora, Wright State
Reliever of the Year: Brandon Decker, Oakland
Freshman of the Year: Matt Thompson, Youngstown State
Coach of the Year: Alex Sogard, Wright State
 
All-Horizon League First Team
C: Sammy Sass, Wright State
1B: Braedon Blackford, Purdue Fort Wayne
2B: John Odom, Northern Kentucky
3B: Aaron Chapman, Milwaukee
SS: Noah Fisher, Northern Kentucky
OF: Andrew Patrick, Wright State
OF: Colton Kucera, Northern Kentucky
OF: Jay Luikart, Wright State
DH/Flex: Padraig O'Shaughnessy, Youngstown State
SP: Sebastian Gongora, Wright State
SP: Clay Brock, Northern Kentucky
SP: Jake Shirk, Wright State
RP: Brandon Decker, Oakland
At-large selection: Gehrig Anglin, Wright State
 
All-Horizon League Second Team
C: Jack Thelen, Milwaukee
1B: Liam McFadden-Ackman, Northern Kentucky
2B: Mark Connelly, Milwaukee
3B: Braeden O'Shaughnessy, Youngstown State
SS: Trey Law, Youngstown State
OF: Ben Higgins, Purdue Fort Wayne
OF: Ian Cleary, Oakland
OF: Treyvin Moss, Northern Kentucky
DH/Flex: Gabe Lux, Oakland
SP: Hunter Pidek, Oakland
SP: Kaden Echeman, Northern Kentucky
SP: Riley Frey, Milwaukee
RP: Sam Mathews, Milwaukee
At-large selection: Manny Voorhees, Northern Kentucky
 
All-Horizon League Freshman Team (alphabetical by school)
Carson Hansen, Milwaukee 
Reggie Bussey, Oakland
Patrick Fultz, Wright State
Joey Valentine, Wright State
Braden Gebhardt, Youngstown State
Matt Thompson, Youngstown State
 

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NEXT UP
Northern Kentucky Baseball now looks ahead to the 2023 Horizon League Championship Tournament next week, as the Norse will make the trip to arch rival and host Wright State at Nischwitz Stadium. No. 3 seeded NKU will be matched up with No. 6 seed Purdue Fort Wayne in the opening elimination round of play on Wednesday, May 24. First pitch between the Norse and Mastodons is slated for a 4:00 PM (ET) start and is set to be broadcasted on ESPN+. All Horizon League Tournament information can be found HERE. 

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