ROSEMONT, Ill. – Penn State redshirt sophomore pitcher Dante Biasi (Hazle Township, Pa.) led a trio of Nittany Lion honorees Tuesday, as he was voted to the 2019 All-Big Ten Second Team by the conference's coaches, the conference office announced. Additionally, third baseman Justin Williams (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and senior pitcher Blake Hodgens (Tampa, Fla.) was Penn State's Sportsmanship Award recipient.
Biasi led the Lions' rotation throughout the season, posting a 2.55 earned run average with 102 strikeouts in 74.0 innings over 14 starts. His 6.32 hits allowed per nine innings were the fewest in the conference, his ERA ranked fourth in the Big Ten, and he was one of the top strikeout pitchers in the conference, NCAA and Penn State history during the regular season. Biasi's strikeout total ranked second in the Big Ten, 33rd nationally and fifth-most in a single-season in school history. His 12.41 strikeouts per inning also ranked second in the Big Ten.
The lefty held opponents to one earned run or less in nine of his first 10 starts and he was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Apr. 8 after leading a combined shutout of eventual 2019 Big Ten Champion Indiana, blanking the Hoosiers in Bloomington for 6.1 innings as he struck out nine and yielded just two hits and a walk. Biasi struck out 25 batters over a two-week period in March, racking up a career-high 13 against UMass Lowell and then 12 the following week against Minnesota. His 13 strikeouts in a game were the most by a Penn State pitcher since 2005, and the 25 total in back-to-back outings were the most at Penn State since at least 2004.
Biasi, who was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 22nd round of the 2016 MLB Player Entry Draft, will be eligible to again have his name called during this year's draft, June 3-5.
Williams made his presence in the lineup felt during his first career start at Pittsburgh in mid-March, going 3-for-5 with a double and four RBIs. He finished the year tied for the team lead in home runs with four, and batted .262 with five doubles, a triple and 18 RBIs. Williams flashed his potential with a 445-foot home run against Lafayette in April and a 12-game reached-base streak from late April through early May. During the streak, Williams led the team with a .442 on-base percentage, .333 batting average, eight runs, 14 hits, two home runs, .548 slugging percentage, 23 total bases and nine walks.
Biasi is Penn State's first All-Big Ten selection since his older brother, Sal, received the same honor in 2017, while Williams is the second all-freshman pick in as many years following Parker Hendershot's pick to the designated hitter slot last season.
Hodgens has pitched for Penn State in games over the past three seasons, highlighted by an effort near his hometown against No. 21 Duke earlier this season in which he held the Blue Devils scoreless and struck out the side. He also started Penn State's season finale this season. Hodgens has excelled in the classroom as the team's GPA leader and as an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. A kinesiology graduate, he plans to attend medical school at the University of Miami.
Player of the Year: Jordan Brewer, Michigan
Pitcher of the Year: Andrew Saalfrank, Indiana
Freshman of the Year: Maxwell Costes, Maryland
Coach of the Year: Jeff Mercer, Indiana
All-Big Ten First Team
C – Eli Wilson, Minnesota
1B – Maxwell Costes, Maryland
2B – Michael Massey, Illinois
SS – Jack Dunn, Northwestern
3B – Alex Erro, Northwestern
OF – Zac Taylor, Illinois
OF – Jordan Brewer, Michigan
OF – Dominic Canzone, Ohio State
SP – Andy Fisher, Illinois
SP – Andrew Saalfrank, Indiana
SP – Jeff Criswell, Michigan
RP – Garrett Acton, Illinois
DH – Jordan Nwogu, Michigan
At-Large – Matt Lloyd, Indiana
All-Big Ten Second Team
C – Dillon Dingler, Ohio State
1B – Scotty Bradley, Indiana
2B – Royce Ando, Michigan State
SS – Jack Blomgren, Michigan
3B – Cole Barr, Indiana
OF – Randy Bednar, Maryland
OF – Matt Gorski, Indiana
OF – Aaron Palensky, Nebraska
SP – Max Meyer, Minnesota
SP – Dante Biasi, Penn State
SP – Tevin Murray, Rutgers
RP – Grant Leonard, Iowa
DH – Cam Chick, Nebraska
At-Large – Brady Cherry, Ohio State
All-Big Ten Third Team
C – Joe Donovan, Michigan
1B – Jimmy Kerr, Michigan
2B – Shawn Goosenberg, Northwestern
SS – AJ Lee, Maryland
3B – Taylor Wright, Maryland
OF – Jack Yalowitz, Illinois
OF – Elijah Dunham, Indiana
OF – Jesse Franklin, Michigan
SP – Hunter Parsons, Maryland
SP – Karl Kauffmann, Michigan
SP – Seth Lonsway, Ohio State
RP – Bo Hofstra, Purdue
DH – Michael Pineiro, Maryland
At-Large – Cole McKenzie, Purdue
All-Big Ten Freshman Team
C – Michael Trautwein, Northwestern
1B – Maxwell Costes, Maryland
2B – Shawn Goosenberg, Northwestern
SS – Zach Dezenzo, Ohio State
3B – Justin Williams, Penn State
OF – Cam McDonald, Illinois
OF – Grant Richardson, Indiana
OF – Zaid Walker, Michigan State
SP – Michael Doherty, Northwestern
SP – Garrett Burhenn, Ohio State
SP – Seth Lonsway, Ohio State
RP – Willie Weiss, Michigan