DETROIT -- Five members of the 2025 Wayne State University baseball squad were recognized this afternoon with Academic All-District honors by College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA).

Getting some attention for their work both on the field and in the classroom were graduate center fielder Jacoby Dale (Roseville, Mich. [Spring Arbor/Henry Ford CC]), junior first baseman/designated hitter Bennett Hitzelberger (Richmond, Mich.), redshirt junior pitcher Gabe Nazelli (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Detroit Country Day), senior utility player Mason McGuire (Lyon Twp., Mich. / Brighton [Mott CC]), and graduate utility player Reagan Paulina (Highland, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central [Oakland]).

Dale (3.66 GPA for both - Sport Management & Sports Administration) played in 51 of the team's 55 games with 47 starts, all of which were in centerfield, while hitting .305 (54-for-177) and those 54 hits were good for third on the squad.  The Second Team All-GLIAC honoree started at least once in eight of the nine spots in the batting order, but was a stalwart at the top of it with 12 starts at leadoff and 12 out of the two hole.  Of his 51 efforts, 15 went for multiple hits (third on the team) and seven featured multiple RBI.  Secured the longest hitting streak of any player in the Green and Gold at 16 games (March 12-April 11), also his best reached-base streak of the season.  Only struck out nine times (one game with two) in 57 at-bats during that 16-game span in which he hit .386 (22-for-57).  Fielded at a .990 percentage on 105 chances with 104 putouts and only one error.

Hitzelberger (3.79 GPA - Finance) played in 52 of the team's 55 games with 50 starts, including 38 at first base and 12 as the designated hitter.  The Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recipient made more starts out of the three hole in the lineup than any other player on the team with 17.  He paced the team in multiple offensive categories including batting average for the second straight season (.349, 65-of-186), OPS among regulars (.905), at-bats, hits, doubles (15), total bases (90), and slugging percentage among regulars (.484).  also notched 36 runs scored (tied-for-second on the team), two triples (tied-for-third), two home runs, 32 RBI (second), 25 walks (third), one hit-by-pitch. a .421 on-base percentage, four sac flies (third), one sacrifice hit, and 15 stolen bases (second, 15-for-18).  He only struck out 13 times on the year while that .349 average was good for eighth in the league.

Nazelli (3.77 GPA - Exercise & Sport Science), a Second Team All-GLIAC honoree, appeared in 13 contests for the season, 10 of which were as the starter.  He logged a 4.08 ERA, 5-5 win-loss record (team leader in victories), two complete games (two of pitching staff's three), both of which were quality starts, one shutout (WSU's only shutout), 57.1 innings pitched (second on the squad), 37 strikeouts (second), 31 walks, and a batting average against of .289.  Nazelli was even better in league play with a 2.84 ERA (third in the GLIAC) in 31 and two-thirds frames of work.  Those 31 and one-third innings included six outings, all starts, a 2-3 record, the two aforementioned complete games, 16 punchouts, 16 free passes, and an opponent batting average of .283.  Joining his complete-game effort at No. 9 Grand Valley State on April 18 to earn his first career GLIAC Pitcher of the Week distinction, he also went the distance on April 4 against Roosevelt.

McGuire (3.78 GPA - Sport Management), who was named Second Team for both the GLIAC and Midwest Region (D2CCA), appeared in 51 of the team's 55 games, 49 of which were as a starter.  Those 49 starts came at eight of the nine spots in the batting order as well as six different defensive positions including 16 at catcher, 13 at shortstop, eight at second base, six in right field, five at third base, and one in center field.  He juggled all of those defensive responsibilities while hitting a career-high .341 (59-for-173), which was good for second on the team behind Hitzelberger and tied-for-12th in the league.  Also notched an .877 OPS (tied-for-second among regulars), 40 runs scored (first on the team), nine doubles, three home runs, 34 RBI (first), 77 total bases (tied-for-second), 27 walks (second), three hit-by-pitches, 18 stolen bases (first, 18-of-19), three sacrifice flies, and two sacrifice hits while slugging .445 with a .432 on-base percentage (first).

Paulina (3.79 GPA & 4.00 GPA - Finance) appeared in 45 games with 44 starts, which came at five different positions including 20 starts at second base, nine at third base, eight at shortstop, five at catcher, and two as the designated hitter.  Finished with a .264 average (38-for-144), a .789 OPS, 21 runs scored, 10 doubles, five home runs (third on the team), 19 RBI, 63 total bases, 16 walks, six hit-by-pitches (tied-for-third), five sac flies (tied-for-first), five sacrifice hits (tied-for-second), and four stolen bases (4-for-6) while slugging .438 with a .351 on-base percentage. 

Nazelli and McGuire have advanced to the national ballot that will be voted on to determine CSC Academic All-America honors, which will be unveiled on July 1 at 12 p.m.