HAMBURG, N.Y. - Hilbert College's Jack Duffek, Alex Ellison, Nolan Evans, Dylan Moorhouse and Patrick Whelan were named to the 2023-24 Academic All-District® Baseball Team as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).
The CSC recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Jack Duffek continues to drive in success at Hilbert. In his second full season with the Hawks, the Orchard Park native maintained a 3.53 cumulative grade point average while pursuing a Sport Industry Management degree. The fourth-year collegiate player finished fifth in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) in doubles, 12th in extra base hits and 12th hits. He closed his second season in Hamburg ranked third on the team with a .364 batting average, started all 39 games and finished with 47 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, a solo home run, 27 RBIs while scoring 25 runs for the Hawks.
Alex Ellison has been a very dependable infielder for the Hawks in the classroom as well as the on the diamond. The sophomore from St. Mary's of Lancaster High School started all 39 games while posting a 3.54 cumulative grade point average in his Criminal Justice academic tract. He concluded his second season with 31 hits, four doubles, one home run, scored 22 runs while knocking in 20 runs off a .244 batting average.
Nolan Evans made an immediate impact on the diamond for the Hawks after earning his associates degree from SUNY Erie last spring. The Williamsville East graduate led the AMCC in triples, home runs, extra base hits, total bases and slugging percentage. The Hawks center fielder finished his first year with 387 runs, 37 hits, seven doubles, four triples, four home runs, 23 RBIs and went 15-for-15 on stolen bases while also earning a 3.52 grade point average while pursuing a Criminal Justice degree.
Dylan Moorhouse was another big SUNY Erie pick-up for the Hawks this spring. The RHP led the AMCC in wins, WHIP and strikeout to walk ratio during the regular season while finishing second in ERA as he pursued his Sport Industry Management degree. The Williamsville East graduate led the Hawks' baseball team with a 3.58 fall semester grade point average while recording a 6-2 record from the mound. He finished three complete games (63.2 innings) while setting new program records in lowest earn run average (3.25), fewest walks allowed\9 inn game (1.55) and set four single season records in wins (6), inning pitched, most ground outs (91) and shutouts in 2024.
Patrick Whelan concluded his fantastic Hilbert career after leading the AMCC in walks and OPB, was third in home runs, fifth in slugging percentage and second in RBI during league action. The Buffalo native, who collected his undergraduate degree in 2024, scored a 3.73 gpa in his first year of graduate classes in the Public Administration. He closed his final season on the diamond hitting .343, (1.047 OPS), scored 27 runs, 36 hits, five doubles, five home runs and 30 RBIs. He led the Hawks with .533 slugging and .514 On Base percentages. He became a 4x AMCC all-conference selection (3x Hilbert|1x Medaille) and holds six Hilbert program records: 18 HR, 125 RBI, 237 total bases, 12 most intentional walks and 30 most hit by pitch after only three seasons wearing the royal and white.
*** To support a nomination, each baseball player must have competed in 90% of the institution's games or must have started 66 percent of the institution's games - for pitchers, they must have 17 appearances of 25 innings pitched - while maintaining a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.
