Kansas State University Athletics
Wicks Named All-Big 12 First Team; Kokoska, Phillips Second Team
May 24, 2021 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State's Jordan Wicks was voted to the 2021 All-Big 12 First Team while Zach Kokoska and Dylan Phillips claimed second-team honors to highlight eight selections as the Big 12 Conference revealed its 2021 All-Big 12 Baseball Awards Monday.
In addition to the Wildcats' first- and second-team accolades, Nick Goodwin was named to the league's All-Freshman Team. Chris Ceballos, Tyler Eckberg, Goodwin and Cameron Thompson all received Honorable Mention recognition, as selected by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
Wicks takes home his second all-conference honor after being selected Big 12 Freshman of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team in 2019. The 2021 Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year led the conference with 109 strikeouts in the regular season while going 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts.
The sophomore lefty-hander from Conway, Arkansas, is second in K-State history with 221 strikeouts. Wicks has seven quality efforts in 14 starts this season.
Kokoska was an honorable mention selection in 2019 and led K-State with his .358 average, which was seventh-best in the Big 12. Earlier this season, Kokoska put together a career-long 41-game on-base streak and ranks in the top 10 in the conference in all three slash categories.
The junior outfielder is tied for the team lead with 14 home runs and 31 extra-base hits with Phillips, who collects the first postseason honor of his career. Phillips is the Wildcat leader and fifth in the league with 52 runs batted in.
Phillips's .349 average is ninth in the Big 12 while he is sixth with a .656 slugging percentage. The Omaha, Nebraska, product is tied for fifth in K-State history with his 29 career home runs.
In his freshman campaign, Goodwin has 13 doubles, nine home runs and 30 RBI with a team-high 13 stolen bases. Goodwin's nine home runs are one shy of Phillips' K-State freshman record.
Ceballos was tabbed Big 12 Player of the Week on May 3 and earlier this season homered in six consecutive contests. On the season, the senior has 11 homers, including a walk-off three-run home run in the regular-season finale against TCU, to go with 36 RBI.
Eckberg boasts a team-low 2.80 earned run average in 21 relief appearances this season, picking up a team-best five saves. With 13 saves in his career, he ranks fourth in K-State history. The Edina, Minnesota, native has 35 strikeouts with only five walks in 35 1/3 innings.
Thompson, who was named Big 12 Player of the Week Monday, earns his fourth all-conference selection after being named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Freshman Team in 2017 in additional to an honorable mention nod in 2019.
The fifth-year senior from Pasadena, Texas, is tied for the most career starts in program history with 236 (Craig Wilson) while ranking fourth in career hits with 274. In 2021, he has a career-high 13 home runs and 37 RBI.
K-State heads to the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship as the No. 7 seed and will meet second-seed TCU on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The contest will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage of the postseason tournament will be carried on the K-State Sports Radio Network with free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
K-STATE'S 2021 ALL-BIG 12 SELECTIONS
In addition to the Wildcats' first- and second-team accolades, Nick Goodwin was named to the league's All-Freshman Team. Chris Ceballos, Tyler Eckberg, Goodwin and Cameron Thompson all received Honorable Mention recognition, as selected by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
Wicks takes home his second all-conference honor after being selected Big 12 Freshman of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team in 2019. The 2021 Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year led the conference with 109 strikeouts in the regular season while going 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts.
The sophomore lefty-hander from Conway, Arkansas, is second in K-State history with 221 strikeouts. Wicks has seven quality efforts in 14 starts this season.
Kokoska was an honorable mention selection in 2019 and led K-State with his .358 average, which was seventh-best in the Big 12. Earlier this season, Kokoska put together a career-long 41-game on-base streak and ranks in the top 10 in the conference in all three slash categories.
The junior outfielder is tied for the team lead with 14 home runs and 31 extra-base hits with Phillips, who collects the first postseason honor of his career. Phillips is the Wildcat leader and fifth in the league with 52 runs batted in.
Phillips's .349 average is ninth in the Big 12 while he is sixth with a .656 slugging percentage. The Omaha, Nebraska, product is tied for fifth in K-State history with his 29 career home runs.
In his freshman campaign, Goodwin has 13 doubles, nine home runs and 30 RBI with a team-high 13 stolen bases. Goodwin's nine home runs are one shy of Phillips' K-State freshman record.
Ceballos was tabbed Big 12 Player of the Week on May 3 and earlier this season homered in six consecutive contests. On the season, the senior has 11 homers, including a walk-off three-run home run in the regular-season finale against TCU, to go with 36 RBI.
Eckberg boasts a team-low 2.80 earned run average in 21 relief appearances this season, picking up a team-best five saves. With 13 saves in his career, he ranks fourth in K-State history. The Edina, Minnesota, native has 35 strikeouts with only five walks in 35 1/3 innings.
Thompson, who was named Big 12 Player of the Week Monday, earns his fourth all-conference selection after being named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Freshman Team in 2017 in additional to an honorable mention nod in 2019.
The fifth-year senior from Pasadena, Texas, is tied for the most career starts in program history with 236 (Craig Wilson) while ranking fourth in career hits with 274. In 2021, he has a career-high 13 home runs and 37 RBI.
K-State heads to the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship as the No. 7 seed and will meet second-seed TCU on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The contest will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage of the postseason tournament will be carried on the K-State Sports Radio Network with free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
K-STATE'S 2021 ALL-BIG 12 SELECTIONS
| FIRST TEAM | |||
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Hometown / Previous School |
| Jordan Wicks | LHP | So. | Conway, Ark. / Conway HS |
| SECOND TEAM | |||
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Hometown / Previous School |
| Zach Kokoska | OF | Jr. | Latrobe, Pa. / Virginia Tech |
| Dylan Phillips | OF/UTL | So. | Omaha, Neb. / Creighton Prep |
| ALL-FRESHMAN | |||
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Hometown / Previous School |
| Nick Goodwin | IF | Fr. | Overland Park, Kan. / St. Thomas Aquinas |
| HONORABLE MENTION | |||
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | Hometown / Previous School |
| Chris Ceballos | C | Sr. | Chino Hills, Calif. / Orange Coast College |
| Tyler Eckberg | RHP | R-Jr. | Edina, Minn. / Edina HS |
| Nick Goodwin | IF | Fr. | Overland Park, Kan. / St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Cameron Thompson | IF | Sr. | Pasadena, Texas / Deer Park HS |
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