OMAHA, Neb. – As Purdue Baseball's first-ever position player to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Luke Gaffney's trifecta of All-Big Ten honors headlined the all-conference accolades for the Boilermakers.
Gaffney was also named second-team All-Big Ten at first base and the first baseman on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Mike Bolton Jr. (outfield), Connor Caskenette (catcher) and Jordan Morales (starting pitcher) were third-team All-Big Ten honorees, all as selected by the league coaches.
Cole Van Assen (starting pitcher) joined Gaffney on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Grad transfer and versatile infielder Thomas Green was recognized as Purdue's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
Gaffney joins Matt Bischoff (2007) as Boilermakers to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Bischoff was also a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in his debut season, leading the team in strikeouts and ERA while joining the weekend rotation for the final month. He went on to eclipse the program record for strikeouts as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree (first team in 2008 and 2010).
Bolton earned his second career All-Big Ten honor after being a third-team designated hitter in 2021. He becomes the program's first multi-year all-conference honoree since multiple members of the 2012 Big Ten championship team – Eric Charles (2009, 2012), Cameron Perkins (2011-12), Kevin Plawecki (2011-12), Barrett Serrato (2011-12) and Nick Wittgren (2011-12).
Since the Big Ten adopted an All-Freshman Team in 2009, Gaffney has joined Charles as the only Boilermakers to be all-conference and all-freshman in the same season. Both achieved the feat as redshirt freshmen. Gaffney (.368 Avg, .458 OBP) enters the Big Ten Tournament chasing Charles' Purdue freshman records for batting average (.371) and on-base percentage (.461).
The Boilermakers have four All-Big Ten and two All-Freshman Team honorees both for the first time since 2018. Purdue had just one Big All-Freshman Team honoree since 2018.
Caskenette (Player of the Week, April 29), Morales (Pitcher of the Week, May 13) and Gaffney (five-time Freshman of the Week) were also Purdue's Big Ten weekly honorees this season. Gaffney's five honors were second most in the league since the weekly award was adopted in 2011. He also keeps the streak alive that every player who has been a four-time Freshman of the Week has gone on to win Freshman of the Year.
PURDUE BASEBALL 2024 ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
• Luke Gaffney – Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Big Ten (1st Base), All-Freshman Team (1st Base)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – Third Team All-Big Ten (Outfielder)
• Connor Caskenette – Third Team All-Big Ten (Catcher)
• Jordan Morales – Third Team All-Big Ten (Starting Pitcher)
• Cole Van Assen – All-Freshman Team (Starting Pitcher)
• Thomas Green – Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree
Caskenette (69) and Gaffney (63) entered Tuesday's opening day of the Big Ten Tournament ranked 1-2 in the conference in RBI. While both ranking among the top five on the program's single-season list, they've combined for the most RBI ever by Purdue teammates. Their 25 combined home runs are also a big reason why the Boilermakers have hit 71 as a team, two shy of the program record that has stood since 1987.
Gaffney has broken three Purdue freshman records (RBI, total bases, runs scored), tied two others (hits, home runs) entering Tuesday's game, and is in line to take down the slugging percentage and OPS freshman marks as well. He opened the season as the Boilermakers' starting first baseman only after Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone on Groundhog Day. After racing out to a torrid start and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times over the first month, Gaffney never relinquished the job. He's been top in the Big Ten in all the notable offensive categories for much of the season – entering the Big Ten Tournament with a .368/.458/.652 slash line and 12 home runs, 30 extra-base hits, 63 RBI, 60 RBI and perhaps most impressively 28 walks vs. 30 strikeouts. He has an opportunity to post just the fourth 1.100-plus OPS season by a Boilermaker since 2001.
Gaffney joins Matt Bischoff (2007) as Boilermakers to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Bischoff was also a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in his debut season, leading the team in strikeouts and ERA while joining the weekend rotation for the final month. He went on to eclipse the program record for strikeouts as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree (first team in 2008 and 2010).
Bolton earned his second career All-Big Ten honor after being a third-team designated hitter in 2021. He becomes the program's first multi-year all-conference honoree since multiple members of the 2012 Big Ten championship team – Eric Charles (2009, 2012), Cameron Perkins (2011-12), Kevin Plawecki (2011-12), Barrett Serrato (2011-12) and Nick Wittgren (2011-12).
Since the Big Ten adopted an All-Freshman Team in 2009, Gaffney has joined Charles as the only Boilermakers to be all-conference and all-freshman in the same season. Both achieved the feat as redshirt freshmen. Gaffney (.368 Avg, .458 OBP) enters the Big Ten Tournament chasing Charles' Purdue freshman records for batting average (.371) and on-base percentage (.461).
The Boilermakers have four All-Big Ten and two All-Freshman Team honorees both for the first time since 2018. Purdue had just one Big All-Freshman Team honoree since 2018.
Caskenette (Player of the Week, April 29), Morales (Pitcher of the Week, May 13) and Gaffney (five-time Freshman of the Week) were also Purdue's Big Ten weekly honorees this season. Gaffney's five honors were second most in the league since the weekly award was adopted in 2011. He also keeps the streak alive that every player who has been a four-time Freshman of the Week has gone on to win Freshman of the Year.
PURDUE BASEBALL 2024 ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
• Luke Gaffney – Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Big Ten (1st Base), All-Freshman Team (1st Base)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – Third Team All-Big Ten (Outfielder)
• Connor Caskenette – Third Team All-Big Ten (Catcher)
• Jordan Morales – Third Team All-Big Ten (Starting Pitcher)
• Cole Van Assen – All-Freshman Team (Starting Pitcher)
• Thomas Green – Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree
Caskenette (69) and Gaffney (63) entered Tuesday's opening day of the Big Ten Tournament ranked 1-2 in the conference in RBI. While both ranking among the top five on the program's single-season list, they've combined for the most RBI ever by Purdue teammates. Their 25 combined home runs are also a big reason why the Boilermakers have hit 71 as a team, two shy of the program record that has stood since 1987.
Gaffney has broken three Purdue freshman records (RBI, total bases, runs scored), tied two others (hits, home runs) entering Tuesday's game, and is in line to take down the slugging percentage and OPS freshman marks as well. He opened the season as the Boilermakers' starting first baseman only after Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone on Groundhog Day. After racing out to a torrid start and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times over the first month, Gaffney never relinquished the job. He's been top in the Big Ten in all the notable offensive categories for much of the season – entering the Big Ten Tournament with a .368/.458/.652 slash line and 12 home runs, 30 extra-base hits, 63 RBI, 60 RBI and perhaps most impressively 28 walks vs. 30 strikeouts. He has an opportunity to post just the fourth 1.100-plus OPS season by a Boilermaker since 2001.
As one of the premier leadoff men in the league, Bolton reached base safely in 23 of the 24 Big Ten games. He also enjoyed a 31-game on-base streak in all games from March 20 to May 12. He batted .408 with a .580 on-base percentage as Purdue went 12-3 in April. On each of the final two Saturdays of the month, he hit a game-opening home run on the first pitch. This year Bolton became the only player in team history with 20 stolen bases in three different seasons.
Caskenette has two grand slams and four five-RBI games this year. He became the first Boilermaker with a pair of seven-RBI games in a campaign, helping him rack up 69 RBI to rank fourth on Purdue's single-season list. The senior's endurance and reliability has also been a calling card. Caskenette started all 24 Big Ten games behind the plate and 27 of the last 29 games at catcher. His go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning of the Saturday win at Rutgers helped make the program-record 11-game Big Ten win streak possible.
Morales became the first Purdue pitcher since 2005 to start the opening game of every weekend, highlighted by a stretch of five consecutive series-opening wins in Big Ten play from April 5 to May 10. The lefty gave the Boilermakers a quality start in wins vs. George Mason, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan State, Northwestern and Michigan. He led Purdue to its first season-opening shutout since 1991 and its first shutout win in Ann Arbor since 1993. Morales also shined at Wrigley Field with six innings of two-run ball in a victory vs. Northwestern.
Van Assen excelled as the team's midweek starter, giving the Boilermakers at least 10 outs in each of those first six outings. His consistency was a big reason why Purdue used only five starting pitchers this season, easily the fewest in the modern era. The freshman earned that role after not surrendering an earned run over 9 1/3 innings across three relief appearances over the first month – earning wins vs. Stony Brook and Samford. Against an Indiana State team that is likely to host an NCAA Regional, Van Assen conceded just one earned run over seven innings across two midweek starts.
Green was Purdue's opening day starter at shortstop and made 27 starts at second base, sharing team-high honors as part of a platoon with Ty Gill. Green was at his best offensively in Big Ten play (.321, 5 XBH, 13 RBI) and provided a positive veteran perspective in the dugout throughout the season.
Gaffney was also named second-team All-Big Ten at first base and the first baseman on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Mike Bolton Jr. (outfield), Connor Caskenette (catcher) and Jordan Morales (starting pitcher) were third-team All-Big Ten honorees, all as selected by the league coaches.
Cole Van Assen (starting pitcher) joined Gaffney on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Grad transfer and versatile infielder Thomas Green was recognized as Purdue's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
Gaffney joins Matt Bischoff (2007) as Boilermakers to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Bischoff was also a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in his debut season, leading the team in strikeouts and ERA while joining the weekend rotation for the final month. He went on to eclipse the program record for strikeouts as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree (first team in 2008 and 2010).
Bolton earned his second career All-Big Ten honor after being a third-team designated hitter in 2021. He becomes the program's first multi-year all-conference honoree since multiple members of the 2012 Big Ten championship team – Eric Charles (2009, 2012), Cameron Perkins (2011-12), Kevin Plawecki (2011-12), Barrett Serrato (2011-12) and Nick Wittgren (2011-12).
Since the Big Ten adopted an All-Freshman Team in 2009, Gaffney has joined Charles as the only Boilermakers to be all-conference and all-freshman in the same season. Both achieved the feat as redshirt freshmen. Gaffney (.368 Avg, .458 OBP) enters the Big Ten Tournament chasing Charles' Purdue freshman records for batting average (.371) and on-base percentage (.461).
The Boilermakers have four All-Big Ten and two All-Freshman Team honorees both for the first time since 2018. Purdue had just one Big All-Freshman Team honoree since 2018.
Caskenette (Player of the Week, April 29), Morales (Pitcher of the Week, May 13) and Gaffney (five-time Freshman of the Week) were also Purdue's Big Ten weekly honorees this season. Gaffney's five honors were second most in the league since the weekly award was adopted in 2011. He also keeps the streak alive that every player who has been a four-time Freshman of the Week has gone on to win Freshman of the Year.
PURDUE BASEBALL 2024 ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
• Luke Gaffney – Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Big Ten (1st Base), All-Freshman Team (1st Base)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – Third Team All-Big Ten (Outfielder)
• Connor Caskenette – Third Team All-Big Ten (Catcher)
• Jordan Morales – Third Team All-Big Ten (Starting Pitcher)
• Cole Van Assen – All-Freshman Team (Starting Pitcher)
• Thomas Green – Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree
Caskenette (69) and Gaffney (63) entered Tuesday's opening day of the Big Ten Tournament ranked 1-2 in the conference in RBI. While both ranking among the top five on the program's single-season list, they've combined for the most RBI ever by Purdue teammates. Their 25 combined home runs are also a big reason why the Boilermakers have hit 71 as a team, two shy of the program record that has stood since 1987.
Gaffney has broken three Purdue freshman records (RBI, total bases, runs scored), tied two others (hits, home runs) entering Tuesday's game, and is in line to take down the slugging percentage and OPS freshman marks as well. He opened the season as the Boilermakers' starting first baseman only after Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone on Groundhog Day. After racing out to a torrid start and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times over the first month, Gaffney never relinquished the job. He's been top in the Big Ten in all the notable offensive categories for much of the season – entering the Big Ten Tournament with a .368/.458/.652 slash line and 12 home runs, 30 extra-base hits, 63 RBI, 60 RBI and perhaps most impressively 28 walks vs. 30 strikeouts. He has an opportunity to post just the fourth 1.100-plus OPS season by a Boilermaker since 2001.
Gaffney joins Matt Bischoff (2007) as Boilermakers to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Bischoff was also a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in his debut season, leading the team in strikeouts and ERA while joining the weekend rotation for the final month. He went on to eclipse the program record for strikeouts as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree (first team in 2008 and 2010).
Bolton earned his second career All-Big Ten honor after being a third-team designated hitter in 2021. He becomes the program's first multi-year all-conference honoree since multiple members of the 2012 Big Ten championship team – Eric Charles (2009, 2012), Cameron Perkins (2011-12), Kevin Plawecki (2011-12), Barrett Serrato (2011-12) and Nick Wittgren (2011-12).
Since the Big Ten adopted an All-Freshman Team in 2009, Gaffney has joined Charles as the only Boilermakers to be all-conference and all-freshman in the same season. Both achieved the feat as redshirt freshmen. Gaffney (.368 Avg, .458 OBP) enters the Big Ten Tournament chasing Charles' Purdue freshman records for batting average (.371) and on-base percentage (.461).
The Boilermakers have four All-Big Ten and two All-Freshman Team honorees both for the first time since 2018. Purdue had just one Big All-Freshman Team honoree since 2018.
Caskenette (Player of the Week, April 29), Morales (Pitcher of the Week, May 13) and Gaffney (five-time Freshman of the Week) were also Purdue's Big Ten weekly honorees this season. Gaffney's five honors were second most in the league since the weekly award was adopted in 2011. He also keeps the streak alive that every player who has been a four-time Freshman of the Week has gone on to win Freshman of the Year.
PURDUE BASEBALL 2024 ALL-BIG TEN HONORS
• Luke Gaffney – Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Big Ten (1st Base), All-Freshman Team (1st Base)
• Mike Bolton Jr. – Third Team All-Big Ten (Outfielder)
• Connor Caskenette – Third Team All-Big Ten (Catcher)
• Jordan Morales – Third Team All-Big Ten (Starting Pitcher)
• Cole Van Assen – All-Freshman Team (Starting Pitcher)
• Thomas Green – Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree
Caskenette (69) and Gaffney (63) entered Tuesday's opening day of the Big Ten Tournament ranked 1-2 in the conference in RBI. While both ranking among the top five on the program's single-season list, they've combined for the most RBI ever by Purdue teammates. Their 25 combined home runs are also a big reason why the Boilermakers have hit 71 as a team, two shy of the program record that has stood since 1987.
Gaffney has broken three Purdue freshman records (RBI, total bases, runs scored), tied two others (hits, home runs) entering Tuesday's game, and is in line to take down the slugging percentage and OPS freshman marks as well. He opened the season as the Boilermakers' starting first baseman only after Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone on Groundhog Day. After racing out to a torrid start and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times over the first month, Gaffney never relinquished the job. He's been top in the Big Ten in all the notable offensive categories for much of the season – entering the Big Ten Tournament with a .368/.458/.652 slash line and 12 home runs, 30 extra-base hits, 63 RBI, 60 RBI and perhaps most impressively 28 walks vs. 30 strikeouts. He has an opportunity to post just the fourth 1.100-plus OPS season by a Boilermaker since 2001.
As one of the premier leadoff men in the league, Bolton reached base safely in 23 of the 24 Big Ten games. He also enjoyed a 31-game on-base streak in all games from March 20 to May 12. He batted .408 with a .580 on-base percentage as Purdue went 12-3 in April. On each of the final two Saturdays of the month, he hit a game-opening home run on the first pitch. This year Bolton became the only player in team history with 20 stolen bases in three different seasons.
Caskenette has two grand slams and four five-RBI games this year. He became the first Boilermaker with a pair of seven-RBI games in a campaign, helping him rack up 69 RBI to rank fourth on Purdue's single-season list. The senior's endurance and reliability has also been a calling card. Caskenette started all 24 Big Ten games behind the plate and 27 of the last 29 games at catcher. His go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning of the Saturday win at Rutgers helped make the program-record 11-game Big Ten win streak possible.
Morales became the first Purdue pitcher since 2005 to start the opening game of every weekend, highlighted by a stretch of five consecutive series-opening wins in Big Ten play from April 5 to May 10. The lefty gave the Boilermakers a quality start in wins vs. George Mason, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan State, Northwestern and Michigan. He led Purdue to its first season-opening shutout since 1991 and its first shutout win in Ann Arbor since 1993. Morales also shined at Wrigley Field with six innings of two-run ball in a victory vs. Northwestern.
Van Assen excelled as the team's midweek starter, giving the Boilermakers at least 10 outs in each of those first six outings. His consistency was a big reason why Purdue used only five starting pitchers this season, easily the fewest in the modern era. The freshman earned that role after not surrendering an earned run over 9 1/3 innings across three relief appearances over the first month – earning wins vs. Stony Brook and Samford. Against an Indiana State team that is likely to host an NCAA Regional, Van Assen conceded just one earned run over seven innings across two midweek starts.
Green was Purdue's opening day starter at shortstop and made 27 starts at second base, sharing team-high honors as part of a platoon with Ty Gill. Green was at his best offensively in Big Ten play (.321, 5 XBH, 13 RBI) and provided a positive veteran perspective in the dugout throughout the season.