-- Story provided by Calvin University Athletics --

Calvin University sophomore Patrick Gillen was named the NCAA Division III Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association (NCBWA) on Wednesday.

Gillen (Jensen Beach, Fla.) is the first Calvin baseball player to ever receive the honor, which dates back to the 2003 season.

The honor comes after a terrific week for Gillen during the Knights' spring break trip to Florida during which he hit .485 with seven home runs and 20 runs batted in (RBI) to lead Calvin to a 6-1 record in seven games.

Gillen hit at least one home run in four games during the week, and finished with a three-home run, eight-RBI game in a 15-10 win over Pittsburgh at Greensburg on Saturday, March 9. He also had a two-home run game on Monday, March 4, in a 17-6 win over Bethany (W.V.).

The sophomore third baseman finished the week leading the nation with 50 total bases while ranking second in the country in home runs (eight) and ninth in RBI (22) for the season.

Gillen started his collegiate career with a bang in 2023, earning All-MIAA First Team honors after setting new Calvin single-season records for RBI (52) and doubles (17). In just his second season with the Knights, Gillen already ranks fifth in program history with 14 career home runs and is tied for eighth with five career triples. 

Calvin baseball will return to action on Friday, March 15, when it starts a three-game series at Rose-Hulman with a single game scheduled to start at 6:00 PM.