Dickinson, N.D. – Valley City State University baseball had four players earn All-Conference selections and Takao Cookson was named the NSAA Freshman of the Year, the conference office announced Thursday.
 
Hunter Magnuson, Jamel Chabot, Jaden Babiuk and Cookson were all named to the NSAA Baseball All-Conference teams announced Thursday night during the NSAA Honors Ceremony. The awards ceremony was held in Dickinson on the eve of the NSAA Baseball Postseason Tournament.
 
Magnuson, a junior from Willmar, Minn., was named First Team All-Conference as a starting pitcher. He led the conference in strikeouts (99) and was second in innings pitched (73.2) this season. Magnuson posted a 4-5 overall record with a 3.67 ERA. Opponents batted just .221 against him this season.
 
A true freshman from Cheney, Wash., Chabot was named 2nd Team All-Conference as a catcher. He led the Vikings with a .336 batting average this season. He collected 44 hits in 131 at bats and totaled seven doubles and 12 RBIs. He finished with a .457 on-base percentage at the plate, and behind the plate he had a .988 fielding percentage as VCSU’s primary catcher.
 
Babiuk, a junior from St. Albert, Alberta, earned 2nd Team All-Conference as a shortstop. He batted .293 this season with 24 runs scored. He finished with a team-high 12 doubles, added a triple and two home runs, and drove in 15. Babiuk also drew a team-high 27 walks and finished with a .384 on-base percentage. He also made a position change this spring, moving from catcher to VCSU’s primary shortstop.
 
Cookson, a true freshman pitcher from Regina, Saskatchewan, was named 2nd Team All-Conference and the NSAA Freshman of the Year after a strong season on the mound. Cookson led the Vikings with a 3.03 ERA (3rd best in the NSAA) in 59.1 innings pitched. He walked just 16 batters and struck out 63. Opponents batted only .203 against Cookson.
 
A pair of Viking pitchers earned Honorable Mention All-Conference. Connor Nelson (Hitterdal, Minn.) was named Honorable Mention after pitching 34 innings out of the bullpen. He made a team-high 18 appearances and had a 4.76 ERA with 5 saves. Nelson struck out 38 batters and walked just 10.
 
Starting pitcher Christopher Dietrich (Las Vegas, Nev.) was also named Honorable Mention. Dietrich threw 51.2 innings this year, posting a 3-3 record with a 5.23 ERA. He struck out 67 batters and opponents hit just .191 against him.
 
Viking catcher Blake Portalski was named VCSU’s Champions of Character representative, an award which goes to student-athletes who represent the NAIA’s five-core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
 
VCSU begins postseason play on Friday as the No. 3 seed in the NSAA double-elimination tournament. The Vikings face No. 6 seed Dickinson State at 3:30 p.m. CT/2:30 MT in Dickinson.

PLAYERS MENTIONED

#6 Jaden Babiuk

C/INF 5′ 11″ Junior L/R

#2 Hunter Magnuson

RHP/INF 6′ 2″ Junior R/R

#12 Connor Nelson

LHP 6′ 0″ Sophomore L/L

#9 Takao Cookson

RHP/INF 5′ 10″ Freshman R/R

#18 Christopher Dietrich

RHP 6′ 1″ Sophomore R/R

#17 Blake Portalski

C 5′ 10″ Junior

#5 Jamel Chabot

C 5′ 11″ Freshman R/R