Wiley, Huston-Tillotson claim opening HBCUAC Baseball Weekly Awards
NEW ORLEANS - Wiley University infielder Jose Villalobos wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Player of the Week. Daniel de los Rios takes home Freshman of the Week. Huston-Tillotson University pitcher Ethan Walker garners Pitcher of the Week. Evan Mendoza earns Newcomer of the Week. The athletes were honored for their performance between January 18-February 1, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Villalobos recorded five hits in 12 at-bats and scored two runs in WIley's opening five games. Three of his hits came in the finale against No. 20 Texas A&M University-Victoria. He led off the fifth with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, he hit an infield single which loaded the bases and scored the tying run on a balk. Playing at shortstop and second base, Villalobos made one putout with four assists.
De los Rios reached base four times in his first two collegiate games. In Saturday's game against Texas A&M-Victoria, he recorded his first career hit and reached on a walk and a hit by pitch. He helped the Wildcats force extra innings. He made 13 putouts.
Walker threw a six-hit shutout in Huston-Tillotson's opening game against Mission University on Friday. He also worked in an inning against Texas A&M-Victoria on Wednesday. For the week, he had two strikeouts.
Mendoza earned his first career victory, tossing six innings against Mission on Saturday. He only allowed two runs with one earned on six hits and struck out eight batters. He threw an inning in Wednesday's game against Texas A&M-Victoria and struck out two.
Additional Baseball weekly nominees: Tucker Allen (Huston-Tillotson), Jayden Clay (Voorhees), Deundra Lathan (Voorhees), Coren Lewis (Wiley), Cameron McCoy (Wiley), Raekwon Wedderburn (Voorhees)
About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.