SAINT PETER, Minn. – Gustavus first baseman Jack Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka) was named 2023 First Team Preseason All-America by D3baseball.com on Wednesday. Hanson enters his final year of collegiate baseball after garnering 2022 First Team All-America honors from both the ABCA and D3baseball.com.
Along with two First Team All-America and Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year honors last year, Hanson was named D3baseball.com Region 9 Player of the Year and ABCA/Rawlings Region 9 Position Player of the Year. Making his first appearance on the D3baseball.com All-America Team, Hanson was also named MIAC Player of the Year after winning the “triple crown” in the MIAC when including all games played this season, leading the league in batting average (.491), runs batted in (57), and home runs (14). Hanson also led the MIAC in overall plate appearances (195), at-bats (167), runs (59), hits (82), total bases (143), on-base percentage (.544), slugging percentage (.856), total chances (315), and putouts (298). In conference games only, Hanson led the league in runs (26), hits (37), batting average (.507), on-base percentage (.565), and slugging percentage (.932). Hanson also made his mark in the Gustavus record books, setting the single season records for hits (82), RBIs (57), runs (59), and tied the home run record of 14. After starting all 42 games at first base this season, Hanson had 26 multiple-hit games, including six four-hit games, and 17 multiple-RBI games. His .491 batting average and 82 hits were both third best in NCAA Division III, while his 143 total bases ranked fourth. Hanson’s .856 slugging percentage was ninth highest in the country.
Hanson and the Gusties start the 2023 campaign in Arizona on March 7 at the Tucson Invitational.