CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois DH Justin Janas and 3B Jackson Raper were each selected to the All-Big Ten First Team, the conference office announced Sunday. Janas and Raper are joined as All-Big Ten selections by Illinois RHP Andrew Hoffmann (third team), SS Branden Comia (third team) and C Ryan Hampe (third team).

RHP Riley Gowens was named to the All-Freshman Team and LHP Nathan Lavender was picked as Illinois' Sportsmanship Award winner.

All-Big Ten First Team

DH Justin Janas, All-Big Ten First Team
.391/.506/.449, 6 2B, 3B, 28 RBI, 32 R
Janas played a key role in the Illinois batting order this season. Hitting in the cleanup spot for much of the year, Janas was the most reliable bat the Illini had all season. With runners in scoring position, Janas posted a .408 batting average (20-for-49). Janas worked himself into hitter's counts and sprayed the ball to all parts of the field. He led the team in batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.506) and hits (54). He currently holds the lead in batting average and on-base percentage in the Big Ten.

3B Jackson Raper, All-Big Ten First Team
.311/.423/.634, 11 2B, 3B, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 29 BB, 102 TB
Raper transferred to Illinois from Division II Catawba College for his final year of eligibility. The Division II leader in hits a season ago, did not break stride this season moving up a level. Raper led Illinois this season in home runs (13), RBI (44), doubles (11), total bases (102), slugging percentage (.634), OPS (1.034), walks (29) and runs scored (39). His 13 home runs were second-most in the conference, while his 44 RBI were the third most and his .634 slugging percentage was fourth best.

Raper hit for the cycle on May 2 against Michigan, going 4-for-5 (home run, single, triple, double) with a career-high 7 RBI and two runs scored. He was only the fourth Illinois batter since 1990 to hit for the cycle. Raper also had two multi-home run games this season, becoming the first Illini to do so since National Player of the Year Bren Spillane in 2018. Raper started every game at third base defensively this season.

All-Big Ten Third Team

RHP Andrew Hoffmann, All-Big Ten Third Team
3-0, 2.87 ERA, 62.2 IP, 64 SO
Hoffmann transferred to Illinois from John A. Logan Community College this season. Hoffmann was designated as the "Friday guy" early and led the Illini on the mound. He did not suffer a loss this year and the team went 8-3 in his starts. In the Big Ten, the right hander ranked second in WHIP (1.02), third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.27), sixth in walks allowed per nine innings (2.15), seventh in ERA (2.87), seventh in batting average against (.209) and eighth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.04). Hoffmann was the sixth Illini pitcher since 1980 to not suffer a loss in a season with a minimum of 10 starts.

SS Branden Comia, All-Big Ten Third Team
.323/.457/.445, 10 2B, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 34 R, 27 BB
Comia started at shortstop and was inserted in the middle of the order in every game this season. The Orland Park, Illinois, native made impressive plays all season in the field. Comia's 37-game on-base streak that carried into April was the third longest reached base streak by an Illini hitter since 2004. Comia ranked fifth in the conference with his .457 on-base percentage.

C Ryan Hampe, All-Big Ten Third Team
.264/.309/.457, 9 2B, 6 HR, 26 RBI
Hampe transferred to Illinois from John A. Logan Community College with three years of eligibility remaining. Hampe was behind the plate for over half of Illinois' games this season providing an experienced catcher to the young pitching staff. A dangerous bat in the order as well, Hampe had six home runs on the year, many coming at key moments in the game.

All-Big Ten Freshman Team

RHP Riley Gowens, All-Big Ten Freshman Team
2-5, 6.08 ERA, 50.1 IP, 58 SO
Gowens filled a starting role in his first season pitching collegiately. He missed the last two seasons recovering from Tommy John Surgery. A junior academically, but a freshman athletically, Gowens continued to grow as the year progressed. Gowens was on the mound in Illinois' combined no-hitter on April 25 at Purdue. He threw seven hitless innings and received one of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's National Player of the Week honors following the outing. Gowens finished the year ranked eighth in the Big Ten in strikeouts per nine innings (10.37).

Sportsmanship Award

Nathan Lavender, Sportsmanship Award
7-2, 4.11 ERA, 57.0 IP, 79 SO

Lavender earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, an honor given to one student-athlete from each conference program. A veteran leader on this year's team, Lavender led the club in victories (7) and strikeouts (79). Lavender began the season out of the bullpen before transitioning to a starting role. His selflessness and work ethic on and off the field make him a role model to his own teammates and opponents. Lavender was also a finalist for Illinois' Spirit Award.

Big Ten Awards

Player of the Year: Spencer Schwellenbach, Nebraska
Pitcher of the Year: Trenton Wallace, Iowa
Freshman of the Year: Max Anderson, Nebraska
Coach of the Year: Will Bolt, Nebraska
 
All-Big Ten First Team
C – Luke Roskam, Nebraska 
1B – Anthony Calarco, Northwestern
2B – Ted Burton, Michigan 
SS – Benjamin Cowles, Maryland 
3B – Jackson Raper, Illinois
OF – Grant Richardson, Indiana
OF – Ben Norman, Iowa 
OF – Jaxon Hallmark, Nebraska
SP – Trenton Wallace, Iowa
SP – Steven Hajjar, Michigan
SP – Cade Povich, Nebraska
RP – Spencer Schwellenbach, Nebraska 
DH – Justin Janas, Illinois 
At-Large – Shawn Goosenberg, Northwestern
 
All-Big Ten Second Team
C – Griffin Mazur, Michigan
1B – Conner Pohl, Ohio State
2B – Zack Raabe, Minnesota 
SS – Benjamin Sems, Michigan
3B – Max Anderson, Nebraska 
OF – Chris Alleyne, Maryland
OF – Tito Flores, Michigan 
OF – Kade Kern, Ohio State
SP – McCade Brown, Indiana
SP – Gabe Bierman, Indiana
SP – Cameron Weston, Michigan
RP – Ryan Ramsey, Maryland
DH – Matt Wood, Penn State
At-Large – Michael Trautwein, Northwestern
 
All-Big Ten Third Team*
C – Ryan Hampe, Illinois
1B – Jimmy Obertop, Michigan
2B – Izaya Fullard, Iowa
SS – Branden Comia, Illinois
3B – Chris Brito, Rutgers
OF – Zaid Walker, Michigan State
OF – Ben Nisle, Purdue 
OF – Miles Simington, Purdue
SP – Andrew Hoffmann, Illinois
SP – Garrett Burhenn, Ohio State
SP – Seth Lonsway, Ohio State
RP – Willie Weiss, Michigan
RP – TJ Brock, Ohio State
DH – Mike Bolton, Purdue
At-Large – Cole Barr, Indiana
 
All-Big Ten Freshman Team
C – Luke Shliger, Maryland
2B – Paul Toetz, Indiana
SS – Mitch Jebb, Michigan State
3B – Max Anderson, Nebraska
OF – Morgan Colopy, Indiana
OF – Kade Kern, Ohio State
OF – Ryan Lasko, Rutgers
SP – Riley Gowens, Illinois
SP – Jason Savacool, Maryland
SP – Nick Powers, Michigan State
RP – John Modugno, Indiana
DH – Ethan O'Donnell, Northwestern
At-Large – Matthew Shaw, Maryland
At-Large – Brice Matthews, Nebraska

Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Nathan Lavender, Illinois
Collin Hopkins, Indiana
Grant Leonard, Iowa
Elliot Zoellner, Maryland
Joe Pace, Michigan 
Andrew Morrow, Michigan State
Jack Wassel, Minnesota
Joe Acker, Nebraska 
Charlie Bourbon, Northwestern
Joe Gahm, Ohio State 
Conor Larkin, Penn State
Trent Johnson, Purdue
Kyle Muller, Rutgers
 
*Additional honorees due to ties