skip navigation

WIAC Baseball All-Conference and Awards Announced

05/15/2019, 4:30pm CDT
By WIAC

From the WIAC --

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Cal Aldridge and UW-La Crosse’s Zach Pronschinske were selected the Position Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, to headline the individuals chosen to the 2019 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Baseball Team by the league coaches. In addition, UW-Whitewater head coach John Vodenlich was tabbed the Coach of the Year.

Aldridge’s selection marks the third consecutive season – and eighth overall – that UW-Whitewater has had a player receive the position award. He secured first team recognition for the fourth consecutive year and leads the conference with a .767 slugging percentage, .505 on-base percentage, 54 runs scored, 44 RBI and 15 home runs, while ranking third with 26 walks, fourth with a .387 batting average and fifth with 58 hits. Aldridge has recorded multiple hits in 19 games, including five three-hit performances. He belted three home runs against UW-La Crosse on April 28. Aldridge owns the program record with 251 career hits and ranks second with 46 career home runs.

Pronschinske is the fourth individual in program archives to secure the pitching honor. He tops the WIAC with a 1.99 earned run average and 13 runs allowed, while ranking third with 77 strikeouts and a .195 opponent batting average and sixth with 58.2 innings pitched. Pronschinske struck out at least eight batters in six appearances, including a season-best 13 against UW-Whitewater on April 29.

Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago included: UW-La Crosse’s Nate Heili; UW-Platteville’s Josh Moses; UW-Stout’s Jordan Wilson; and UW-Whitewater’s Mike Aiello, Michael Kaska (Pitcher of the Year) and Nick Schrader. Heili was also a first team selection in 2016 and 2017, and becomes just the second four-time All-WIAC first team selection in program history. Jeff Hertel was also a first team honoree from 1991-94.

Vodenlich claimed the coaching prize for the third consecutive season and 10th time in his career. He directed the Warhawks to WIAC regular-season and tournament titles, as well as a spot in the NCAA Division III Championship. UW-Whitewater’s 34-10 record marks the 12th straight year it has accumulated at least 30 victories.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.

2019 All-WIAC Baseball Team

Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Mike Aiello, Whitewater, Senior, Catcher, Racine, Wis. (Horlick)
Cal Aldridge, Whitewater, Senior, Thirdbase, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Chris Atwood, Oshkosh, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park and River Forest)
Kasey Bass, Stout, Junior, Firstbase, Sun Prairie, Wis.
Nate Heili, La Crosse, Senior, Shortstop, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
Noah Jensen, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, Kenosha, Wis. (Tremper)
Michael Kaska, Whitewater, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Spring Grove, Ill. (Richmond-Burton Community)
Jonathan Kelso, Platteville, Sophomore, Centerfield, Villa Park, Ill. (Willowbrook)
Mason McMahon, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Maple Grove, Minn.
Josh Moses, Platteville, Junior, Rightfield/Designated Hitter, Cedarburg, Wis.
Westin Muir, Whitewater, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, St. Charles, Ill. (North)
Matt O’Sullivan, Whitewater, Sophomore, Lefthanded Pitcher, Sugar Grove, Ill. (Kaneland)
Zach Pronschinske, La Crosse, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Arcadia, Wis.
Casey Ryan, Stout, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Green Lake, Wis. (Markesan)
Nick Santoro, Whitewater, Sophomore, Shortstop, Naperville, Ill. (Wabonsie Valley)
Brennan Schmitt, La Crosse, Junior, Thirdbase, Middleton, Wis.
Nick Schrader, Whitewater, Senior, Secondbase, Cambridge, Wis. (Jefferson)
Aaron Simmons, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Outfield/Infield, Franklin, Wis.
Connor Spear, Whitewater, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Highland, Ind. (Mount Carmel, Ill.)
Carson Youngquist, La Crosse, Junior, Designated Hitter, Sussex, Wis. (Hamilton)
Tyler Vogel, Platteville, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Mount Horeb, Wis.
Jordan Wilson, Stout, Senior, Outfield, Eau Claire, Wis. (Memorial)

Honorable Mention

Connor Cook, La Crosse, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Roselle, Ill. (Lake Park)
Alex Doud, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, Waukesha, Wis. (Mukwonago)
Alex Koch, Oshkosh, Senior, Outfield, Oshkosh, Wis. (North)
Ross Krist, Platteville, Sophomore, Secondbase, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
Joey Krug, Finlandia, Senior, Thirdbase/Designated Hitter, Santee, Calif.
Keegan Madigan, Platteville, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Rosendale, Wis. (Laconia)
Payton Nelson, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Outfield, Wausau, Wis. (West)
Zack Radde, Oshkosh, Senior, Outfield/Designated Hitter, Downers Grove, Ill. (South)
Brad Rindfleisch, Stout, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, West Bend, Wis. (West)
Alex Robson, La Crosse, Senior, Secondbase, Westby, Wis.
Hunter Staniske, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Secondbase, De Pere, Wis.
Brady Stolzman, La Crosse, Senior, Firstbase, Appleton, Wis. (Xavier)
Mitch Sutton, La Crosse, Senior, Firstbase, Mequon, Wis. (Homestead)
Caleb Willems, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Luxemburg, Wis. (Luxemburg-Casco)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Lane Brown, Finlandia, Sophomore, Outfield, Ewen, Mich.
Joe Halling, Stout, Junior, Outfield, River Falls, Wis.
Hayden Hardyman, Platteville, Sophomore, Firstbase, Darlington, Wis.
Jensen Hinton, Oshkosh, Senior, Catcher, La Crosse, Wis. (Logan)
Matt Korman, Whitewater, Freshman, Outfield, Waterford, Wis. (Union)
Jake McClellan, La Crosse, Junior, Catcher, Beloit, Wis. (Rockford Christian)
Weston Nelson, Stevens Point, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Sheboygan, Wis. (North)

Position Player of the Year:  Cal Aldridge of Whitewater

Pitcher of the Year:  Zach Pronschinske of La Crosse

Coach of the Year:  John Vodenlich of Whitewater

Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete:  Mike Aiello of Whitewater

UW-Whitewater’s Aiello Receives Max Sparger Baseball Scholar-Athlete Award

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Mike Aiello has been selected the recipient of the 2019 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Baseball Scholar-Athlete Award.

A graduate student from Racine, Wis. (Horlick), Aiello boasts a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in physical education (athletic administration) with a minor in strength and conditioning. He is a two-year member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and earned a spot on UW-Whitewater’s Dean’s List numerous semesters. Aiello graduated Summa Cum Laude.

A team captain, he secured All-WIAC first team honors for the second straight year after helping UW-Whitewater to its third consecutive WIAC regular-season championship and second straight WIAC tournament title. The Warhawks have made NCAA appearances all three seasons Aiello has been a member of the team.

Aiello is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. He has volunteered at a local nursing home and serves as graduate assistant for UW-Whitewater’s bowling alley.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse’s Nate Heili (Sr., Sheboygan Falls, Wis.); UW-Oshkosh’s Ryan Wilkening (Sr., Crystal Lake, Ill./South); UW-Stevens Point’s Kyle Mrozinski (Sr., Ashwaubenon, Wis.); and UW-Stout’s Brad Rindfleisch (Sr., West Bend, Wis./West).
 
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71 and was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

Baseball News

Tag(s): News  News Archive