Grabanski earns back-to-back All-Midlands Captain awards; 11 Bulldogs honored by OWH

By Jacob Knabel on Jun. 10, 2024 in Baseball

Omaha World-Herald news article

SEWARD, Neb. – For the second-straight year, Concordia University Baseball star Joey Grabanski has headlined the Omaha World-Herald All-Midlands Baseball Team. As selected and announced by the Omaha news outlet on June 8, Grabanski has been honored as the 2024 All-Midlands Team Honorary Captain. Grabanski was joined on the list of 2024 award winners by 10 teammates, including first-teamers in outfielder Jay Adams, second baseman Ty Nekoliczak and third baseman Jaidan Quinn. Honorable mention went to Alec Blakestad, Christian Gutierrez, Brad Hallock, Caden Johnson, Jacob Lycan, Matt Rhoades and Tanner Tompkins.

The World-Herald’s All-Midlands Baseball Team features the top players from Nebraska four-year colleges and universities outside of the NCAA Division I level. The 2024 team (listed at bottom) includes players from NAIA and NCAA Division II and III institutions. The 11 Bulldog honorees helped Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s ’24 squad win GPAC regular season and tournament championships while advancing to the opening round of the NAIA national tournament.

With his collegiate career in the books, Grabanski signed a professional contract on June 7 with the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League. The Grand Forks, N.D., native Grabanski shared 2024 GPAC Player of the Year honors with Quinn and was named an NAIA Second Team All-American. Meanwhile, Quinn became the program’s first player to ever be named an NAIA First Team All-American. As Dupic told the World-Herald when asked about Grabanski, “He loves to play and he loves to hit. Just watching him hit, it’s a real treat. I’ll miss him as a person, but I’ll also miss watching him hit. What he’s done and what Jaidan’s done, it’s just not normal. It’s pretty special to have guys like that.”

2024 Concordia All-Midlands Team Honorees

Jay Adams | Waverly, Neb.
2024 stats: 57 G, .393 BA, 70 R, 88 H, 16 2B, 11 HR, 50 RBIs, .463 OBP, .612 SLG, 12 SB, .981 F%

Joey Grabanski (Captain) | Grand Forks, N.D.
2024 stats: 55 G, .397 BA, 59 R, 79 H, 13 2B, 26 HR, 88 RBIs, .492 OBP, .854 SLG, .979 F%

Ty Nekoliczak | Greeley, Neb.
2024 stats: 57 G, .326 BA, 58 R, 63 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 31 RBIs, .445 OBP, .394 SLG, 10 SB, .986 F%

Jaidan Quinn | Bonner Springs, Kan.
2024 stats: 57 G, .387 BA, 81 R, 74 H, 13 2B, 27 HR, 75 RBIs, .535 OBP, .880 SLG, .892 F%

Alec Blakestad (HM) | Omaha, Neb.
2024 stats: 57 G, .321 BA, 51 R, 61 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR, 52 RBIs, .463 OBP, .595 SLG, 16 SB, .980 F%

Christian Gutierrez (HM) | La Mirada, Calif.
2024 stats: 7-3 W-L, 3.61 ERA, 14 GS, 4 CG, 82.1 IP, 88 H, 16 BB, 63 K, .274 BAA

Brad Hallock (HM) | Carrollton, Texas
2024 stats: 54 G, .309 BA, 35 R, 56 H, 7 2B, 10 HR, 45 RBIs, .414 OBP, .514 SLG, 1.000 F%

Caden Jonson (HM) | Papillion, Neb.
2024 stats: 8-2 W-L, 5.51 ERA, 13 GS, 65.1 IP, 53 H, 33 BB, 79 K, .213 BAA

Jacob Lycan (HM) | Omaha, Neb.
2024 stats: 3-3 W-L, 2 SV, 2.08 ERA, 19 G, 34.2 IP, 25 H, 14 BB, 43 K, .205 BAA

Matt Rhoades (HM) | Monument, Colo.
2024 stats: 57 G, .293 BA, 33 R, 56 H, 7 2B, 16 HR, 53 RBIs, .381 OBP, .581 SLG, .989 F%

Tanner Tompkins (HM) | Normal, Ill.
2024 stats: 40 G, .331 BA, 12 R, 39 H, 3 2B, 5 HR, 24 RBIs, .385 OBP, .483 SLG, .984 F%

2024 Omaha World-Herald All-Midlands Baseball Team (NAIA/D2/D3)

P – Blake Crippen, Bellevue
P – Aaron Forrest, Doane
P – Corbin Kirk, Wayne State
P – James Velasquez, Hastings
P – Teron Williams, Bellevue
C – Logan Grant, Bellevue
1B – Alec Ackerman, Bellevue
2B – Ty Nekoliczak, Concordia
SS – Brandan Luther, Bellevue
3B – Jaidan Quinn, Concordia
OF – Jay Adams, Concordia
*OF – Joey Grabanski, Concordia
OF – Joe Osborn, Doane
U – Steven Elsner, Bellevue
DH – Josh Hardamon Midland
*Honorary Captain

Honorable mention: Bellevue: Jake Lacey, Anthony Lind, Dustin Schorie. Concordia: Alec Blakestad, Christian Gutierrez, Brad Hallock, Caden Johnson, Jacob Lycan, Matt Rhoades, Tanner Tompkins. Doane: Logan Amick, Dane Kelsey, Ethan Merk, Isaiah Miller, Justin Nevells, Narumi Okayasu. Hastings: Tyler Kissler, Jace Valdez. Midland: Hadyn Crawford, Deven Gomez, Owen Kelley, Yealex Lopez, Zach Vincent. Nebraska Wesleyan: Brady Bell, Evan Kling, Tyson Romero. Peru State: Antonio Benitez, Garrett Pavletich, Gustavo Rivera. Wayne State: Colin Lynam, Quinn McCafferty, Carter Thomas, Trey Wells. York: Nick Demonte, Cesar Galvan, Ian Heck, Secundino Morales.