June 6, 2017

Chris Acosta-Tapia Named National Player of the Year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has selected Christopher Acosta-Tapia of Oklahoma Wesleyan headlines the 34 honorees, as the junior outfielder was named National Player of the Year. The NAIA also chose its All-America Teams as selected by the NAIA Coaches Association All-America Committee. 

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.

Acosta-Tapia (Deaauville Laval, Que.), who is the second-straight Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year to win the national award, ended the year leading the NAIA in doubles (27), total bases (208) and runs scored (89). He also ranked among the top 10 nationally in 11 other categories.

Acosta-Tapia played a key role in Oklahoma Wesleyan’s first-ever Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title and its run through the playoffs, including the program’s second trip to the Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series.

On the season, Acosta-Tapia hit .441 with 27 doubles, two triples, 24 homers and 85 RBIs in 63 games. He was 12-for-16 stealing bases and had an 1.390 OPS.

Oklahoma Wesleyan led all institutions with four All-Americans – Trevor Achenbach (first team third baseman), Will Price (first team outfielder), Tyler Schumpert (second team relief pitcher) and Acosta-Tapia (first team outfielder). Bellevue (Neb.), Indiana Tech, Science & Arts (Okla.) and the University of Northwestern Ohio also had multiple individuals honored.

2017 NAIA All-Americans
First Team                
Pos.    Name    School    Year    Hometown
C    Dillon White    Science & Arts (Okla.)    Sr.    Sterling, Okla.
C    Ernesto Lizardi    Wayland Baptist (Texas)    Sr.    Caguas, Puerto Rico
1B    Andrew Warner    Columbia (Mo.)    Jr.    Lee’s Summit, Mo.
2B    Marcus McCorkle    Georgia Gwinnett    Jr.    Lawrenceville, Ga.
3B    Trevor Achenbach    Oklahoma Wesleyan    Sr.    Billings, Mont.

SS    Luis Diaz    Southeastern (Fla.)    Sr.    Miami, Fla.
UTL    James Land    William Carey (Miss.)    Sr.    Gulfport, Miss.
OF    Will Price    Oklahoma Wesleyan    Sr.    Fayetteville, Ark.
OF    Derik Bontempo    Bellevue (Neb.)    Sr.    Federal Way, Wash.
OF    Christopher Acosta-Tapia*    Oklahoma Wesleyan    Jr.    Deaauville Laval, Que.

OF    Matthew Jarecki    Benedictine (Kan.)    Jr.    Littleton, Colo.
DH    Jordan Harris    Tabor (Kan.)    So.    Tulsa, Okla.
SP    Damon Proctor    UNOH    Sr.    Cheboygan, Mich.
SP    Kyle Chavez    Talladega (Ala.)    Sr.    St. Petersburg, Fla.
SP    Noah Gapp    Cumberlands (Ky.)    Sr.    St. Albert, Alta.

SP    Ben McKendall    Bellevue (Neb.)    Sr.    Los Angeles, Calif.
RP    Austin Marchant    Grand View (Iowa)    Jr.    Indianola, Iowa
* National Player of the Year            

Three times Acosta-Tapia won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference player of the week three times ,,, 

Feb. 27-March 5 -- Tapia had a spectacular week at the plate for Oklahoma Wesleyan against two high-quality opponents. Against St. Gregory’s, Tapia hit for the cycle going 5-of-6 with a home run, triple, double, and two singles. In the weekend series against Sterling, Tapia went 7-for-10 with five home runs, nine RBIs, eight runs scored, two doubles and three walks. Overall, the center fielder finished with a .750 average (12-for-16), six home runs, one grand slam, 13 RBIs, 11 runs scored, three doubles, three walks, and one triple.

March 13-19 -- Tapia had a monster week for No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan going 10-for-16 (.625) at the plate with eight runs scored, six RBIs, three doubles, a home run and a stolen base. Tapia is currently first in the KCAC in home runs (13), first in slugging mark (.955), second in average (.464), and fifth in RBIs (37).

March 27–April 2 -- Tapia continued to produce at the plate for No. 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan this past week. The clean-up hitter went 8-for-14 (0.571) at the dish with eight RBIs, eight runs scored, two home runs, and a double. Tapia is batting .452 on the season, which ranks third in the KCAC. He is leading the KCAC in home runs (16) and slugging percentage (.911), and is fourth in Runs Batted In (51) behind three of his teammates.