Longaker tabbed as NAIA All-American
Bruin shortstop Kory Longaker (Edmonds, Wash.) has been named a second team NAIA All-American.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Bellevue University junior Kory Longaker (Edmonds, Wash.) has been named a second team National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American as announced by the NAIA today.
Longaker wrapped up his first season in a Bruin uniform with an excellent .399/.456/.610 slash line which was accompanied by 27 extra-base hits and 47 RBI.
The NAIA has announced the 2018 Baseball All-America teams as selected by the NAIA-Baseball Coaches' Association All-America Committee. Kiki Menendez of Texas Wesleyan and Jonathan Bermudez of Southeastern (Fla.) headline the honorees as the National Player of the Year and National Pitcher of the Year.
The first and second teams are also recognized as ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA began recognizing All-Americans in 1949 and named the first ABCA NAIA All-America team in 1969.
The All-America nod comes on the heels of Longaker being named North Star Athletic Association Player of the Year and a first team all-NSAA selection.
The 5-10 shortstop led the team in six offensive categories, including; hits (91), runs (63), batting average (.399), on-base percentage (.456), doubles (16), and total bases (139). Additionally, he ranked second on the club in extra-base hits (27) and stolen bases (21), third in RBI (47), and fourth in both home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.610).
Longaker led the conference in runs scored (63), hits (91), doubles (16), and total bases (139) while also ranking among the league leaders in the NSAA in numerous categories, including; stolen bases (21), batting average (third), RBI (fourth), home runs (fifth), on-base percentage (sixth, and slugging percentage (seventh).
In being named an All-American, Longaker extends Bellevue's streak of producing at least one All-American to nine-straight seasons. He became the 34th different Bruin to earn All-American honors and the 37th selection in program history.
He was one of just two players in the North Star – along with teammate Riley Baasch – to bat over .300 in at least 200 at bats. Nationally, Longaker ranked 12th in hits (91), 14th in assists (157), and 21st in hits per game (1.54).
Bellevue wrapped up the 2018 season with a 38-23 overall record (17-5 NSAA) and won their second North Star Tournament in the last three seasons. The Bruins earned their eighth-straight NAIA Opening Round bid and 21st NAIA National Tournament Appearance in the program's storied history.