Wiley, Huston-Tillotson, Stillman garner Week 7 HBCUAC Baseball Honors

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Wiley University first baseman Ivan Del Villar wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Baseball Player of the Week. Outfielder John Barajas takes Newcomer of the Week. Huston-Tillotson University pitcher Weston Bailey claims Pitcher of the Week. Stillman College outfielder Jonathan Phillips earns Freshman of the Week. The athletes were honored for their performance between March 9-15, the conference announced on Monday.

Del Villar lit up Philander Smith, hitting .636 and slugging 1.364. In the opener he hit his first two home runs of the season and drove in three runs and scored three runs. He went 3-for-5 in Game 2 with two runs and two RBIs. In the finale, he went 2-for-4 with a bases-clearing triple, two runs and four RBI. For the week he scored seven runs and drove in nine. He moved to a tie for fourth in the HBCUAC with 20 RBI.

Bailey pitched a complete-game shutout in the second game of Huston-Tillotson's doubleheader sweep at Tougaloo on Saturday. He struck out five batters and allowed only three hits while not issuing any walks in his first shutout this season. He did not allow a runner to reach third base in his third consecutive victory in as many starts.

Phillips hit .750 with four extra base hits, six RBI and five runs in a HBCUAC doubleheader sweep at Oakwood Sunday. He hit .538 for the week.

Barajas played a key role at the plate and on the mound leading the Wildcats to a sweep over Philander Smith University. In the first game, he stopped a Philander Smith rally and got the final three outs to secure an 11-6 victory. He hit his third home run and drove in three runs in Game 2. Barajas hit an RBI triple in the finale, driving in two runs. He is tied for fourth in the HBCUAC with three home runs.

Additional baseball weekly nominees: Nicholas Blake Bostic (Tougaloo), Christopher Brock (Rust), Joseph Brown (Huston-Tillotson), Caleb Carter (Tougaloo), Diego Duque (Talladega), Reginald Faison (Voorhees), Trey Garza (Huston-Tillotson), Juan Gomez (Wilberforce), Waldenburg Guerrero (Wilberforce), Armando Jackson (Talladega), Jordan Jennings (Oakwood), Ethan Jones (Wiley), Kris Moody (Rust), Noah Riley (Dillard), Trenton Rosebourgh (Dillard), Hunter Scott (Talladega), Tyler Scott (Tougaloo), Kyle Terry (Rust), Caleb Vallejo (Stillman), Tyrell Wyatt (Voorhees)

2026 HBCUAC Baseball Players of the Week

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.