NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Elijah Spataj (Cheshire, Conn.) of the Albertus Magnus College baseball team was named to the All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Second Team as a designated hitter as the conference released its major awards and all-conference teams.
Nick Kownack (Schenectady, N.Y.) was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Spataj, a senior, finished his season with a slash line of .390/.411/.580 as his batting average ranked him fifth in the GNAC this season, and his slugging percentage, eighth. He also had two home runs, two triples and nine doubles while driving in 28 runs and scoring 18.
He had 12 multi-hit games this season, including a 4-for-5 performance where he had a triple and drove in six runs while scoring one in a 12-10 win over Lakeland on March 14. He also had home runs against Gwynedd Mercy and Coast Guard during the season.
Spataj is fourth on the all-time home run list at Albertus with 17 home runs and is fourth all-time in RBI with 113.
This is the third time in Spataj's career he has made the All-GNAC team. He also made the third team in 2019 as a member of the Falcons and in 2022 on the second team while playing for Anna Maria.
Kownack pitched 3.1 innings in four appearances for the Falcons this season, striking out two batters.
GNAC Major Awards and All-Conference Teams
Major Awards
Player of the Year: Tim Callahan, Lasell
Pitcher of the Year: Aidan Vining, JWU
Coach of the Year: Adam Goss, USJ
Rookie of the Year: Jack Kane, USJ
Team Sportsmanship: Saint Joseph's (Maine)
First Team All-Conference
SP: Aidan Vining, JWU
SP: Eddie Kaftan, Mitchell
RP: Ty Baker, Rivier
C: Owen Davis, JWU
1B: Evan Dennis, Colby-Sawyer
2B: Tim Callahan, Lasell
3B: Jack Kane, USJ
SS: JJ Fox, USJ
OF: Trevor Juan, JWU
OF: Ryan Dennis, Mitchell
OF: Cooper O'Brien, Colby-Sawyer
DH: Jonathan Guardascione, Anna Maria
Second Team All-Conference
SP: Matthew Fletcher, Lasell
SP: Chris Gibbs, Mitchell
RP: Jack Mullen, Colby-Sawyer
C: Nic Frink, SJC
1B: Michael Ficocelli, Mitchell
2B: Jadon Murakami, Dean
3B: Xavier Botelho, JWU
SS: Jeff Valdez Jimenez, JWU
OF: Kenneth Miller Jr., Mitchell
OF: Chas Terni Jr., Mitchell
OF: Dom Scalia, USJ
DH: Elijah Spataj, Albertus Magnus
Third Team All-Conference
SP: Nate Bonacorsi, Rivier
SP: Dylan Brander, SJC
RP: Zach Thielen, USJ
C: Michael Gadja, Mitchell
1B: Jeremy Rosenberg, Anna Maria
2B: Kyle Hsu, Rivier
3B: Jaken Pellerin, NEC
SS: AJ Cook, Elms
OF: Nathan Innerfield, Rivier
OF: Connor Freitas, Lasell
OF: Rylan Secovich, Dean
DH: JD Normand, Rivier
All-Sportsmanship Team
Nick Kownack, Albertus Magnus
Nolan Ash, Anna Maria
Kenny Spratt, Colby-Sawyer
Nick Amendolara, Dean
Trevor Nohilly, Elms
Alex Coutcher, JWU
Brendan Zaleski, Lasell
Ryan Dennis, Mitchell
Kyle Dobrie, NEC
Michael Sabasteanski, Norwich
Erik Whitehead, Rivier
Michael Wearne, SJC
Dan Shane, USJ
