Gustavus Adolphus outfielder Tony Konicek (Rochester, Minn. / Mayo) has been named the Division III Midwest Region Position Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Konicek, a junior, also received First Team All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association as well as the Max Molock Award from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as the league’s Most Valuable Player after leading the league in batting average (.484), hits (59), doubles (16), home runs (8), runs batted in (48) and total bases (101). Konicek made only one error in 88 chances. Konicek’s batting average, which ranked fourth in all of Division III in 2006, is the third highest single-season average in team history, while his RBI total of 48 ranks second-best all-time. Konicek was also ranked nationally in slugging percentage (seventh, .828), runs batted in per game (tenth, 1.41), doubles per game (24th, 0.47) and home runs per game (46th, 0.24). Konicek, who posted a .519 on base percentage, was equally adept at getting rallies started and keeping them going, hitting .688 (11-16) as the first batter in the inning, .500 (35-70) with runners on base and .596 (28-47) with two outs on the board. Konicek recorded 22 two-out RBI and left only 12 stranded in over 125 plate appearances.
Konicek led the Gusties to a 28-12 record overall and a third-place 14-6 mark in the MIAC. Gustavus fell to St. Olaf in the first round of the MIAC Baseball Tournament.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point sophomore pitcher Jordan Zimmerman, an ABCA Second Team All-American, was named the NCBWA Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year. Both players advanced to the national ballot for their respective awards. Konicek finished fourth on the eight-person ballot for Division III National Position Player of the Year with 41 points. College of New Jersey catcher Gerard Haran, who was also named Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association earlier in the week, was a unanimous selection for the baseball scribes’ award with 64 points. Williams College catcher Chris Kenney and Huntingdon College shortstop Robbie Preston tied for second with 42 points. Zimmerman finished eighth in the voting for Division III National Pitcher of the Year, which was won by Mike Eisenberg of 2006 NCAA champion Marietta College.
Konicek, an accounting major, is the son of Tamara Konicek of Rochester and a 2003 graduate of Mayo High School.