Four Hilltoppers Earn ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region Honors

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Four Hilltoppers earned All-Midwest Region honors, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced earlier this week.

Outfielder Ryan Wideman and pitcher Drew Whalen were named to the All-Midwest Region First Team while pitchers Jack Bennett and Cal Higgins were selected to the All-Midwest Region Second Team.

This marks the first year multiple Hilltoppers were selected to the teams. Former WKU student-athletes Jake Sanford (2019) and Mason Burns (2024) were the only two players to achieve this honor prior to this season.

Wideman was tabbed as the Conference USA Player and Newcomer of the Year following an outstanding season on the diamond, slashing .398 / .466 / .652 with 97 hits, 10 home runs, six triples, 20 doubles, 68 RBI, 71 runs scored and 45 stolen bases. His 45 stolen bags are the most in a season in program history while his 97 hits rank third in a season in program history. The junior finished the season leading CUSA in batting average (.398), hits (97), triples (6), total bases (159) and stolen bases (45). He ranked top five in the league in 12 offensive categories. He was also recognized on the All-CUSA First Team and was one of four Hilltopper's selected to the CUSA All-Tournament Team following WKU's first CUSA title run. He also earned CUSA Player of the Week on March 17 after an absurd four-game stretch. He went 11-for-21 (.524) at the plate with a grand slam, five doubles, two triples, 11 RBI, six runs scored and two stolen bases. He started the week on fire as he hit for the first recorded cycle in program history against Southern Illinois. He finished the night 4-for-6 with a grand slam, a double, a triple, a stolen base and a single-game program record nine RBI.

Whalen was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Year and earned All-CUSA First Team honors after an excellent sophomore season on the mound. The right-hander made 16 starts as a weekend rotation pitcher for the Hilltoppers, posting a 3.53 ERA and a 9-3 overall record. He struck out 90 batters in 81.2 innings of work with an opposing batting average of .235. In CUSA, he ranked first in wins (9), fifth in ERA (3.53), fourth in opposing batting average (.235), third in innings pitched (81.2), third in strikeouts (90) and second in strikeouts looking (25). He was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week after tossing 6.0 shutout frames with six strikeouts at Liberty on April 13.

Bennett earned All-CUSA Second Team honors in his junior season on The Hill. He made 14 starts on the mound for WKU, posting a CUSA-best 3.13 ERA with a 7-1 overall record. In 63.1 innings of work, the Paducah, Ky. native totaled 49 strikeouts while conceding just 22 earned runs and 20 walks. He couldn't have had a better start to the 2025 campaign as he didn't give up an earned run through his first 22.0 frames. Bennett was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week on March 3 after striking out seven batters in a 7.0-inning, shutout performance against Central Michigan on February 28.

Higgins was also selected to the All-CUSA Second Team as one of the go-to guys out of the bullpen for WKU. In 22 appearances, the southpaw ranked second in CUSA with six saves to go along with a 3-2 record and a 1.87 ERA. He had 52 strikeouts in 43.1 innings with just 11 walks and nine earned runs allowed. He was named to the 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List on April 23.

How to follow WKU Baseball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Baseball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Baseball on Twitter and @WKUBaseball on Instagram.

Four Hilltoppers Earn ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region Honors

Players Mentioned

Jack Bennett

Mason Burns

Cal Higgins

Drew Whalen

Ryan Wideman

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