Braves’ Rezek, O’Connor named to CSC Academic All-America team

PEMBROKE — Seniors Joey Rezek and Kody O’Connor added their names to a distinguished group of UNC Pembroke baseball players on Tuesday when the pair earned spots on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American Team.

Rezek, a first-team selection, logged a 3.78 GPA as a Brave and graduated this spring with a degree in business administration. On the field, the Colfax native had one of the most prolific offensive seasons in UNC Pembroke history, hitting .421 (83-for-197) in 51 starts, adding 19 doubles, 22 home runs, and 76 RBI, while also leading Conference Carolinas and breaking the UNCP single-season record for runs with 77. The first-team All-Conference selection and Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP logged 21 multi-hit games and a team-leading 24 multi-RBI games, while also going a perfect 14-14 in the stolen base department. Rezek also provided a .521 on base percentage and an .853 slugging percentage for a 1.374 OPS.

O’Connor earned a spot on the second team after compiling a 3.60 GPA at UNC Pembroke and also graduated this spring with a degree in exercise & sport science. The Lebanon, Ohio native compiled a .362 (77-for-213) batting average in 56 starts this season to go along with 18 doubles, 19 homers, and a team-high 78 RBI. O’Connor also drew 33 walks and was hit by a team-high 18 pitches, while logging a .478 on base percentage and a .714 slugging percentage for 1.192 OPS. The first team All-Conference and Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team selection racked up a team-leading 25 multi-hit games this season, and also chipped in with eight stolen bases and three outfield assists.

The selections mark just the 21st and 22nd student-athletes in the history of UNCP athletics to earn the award, and are the seventh and eighth baseball players to pick up the honor. Rezek and O’Connor join soccer player Anna Grossheim — who also earned the award during the 2023-24 athletic season — marking the second-consecutive season that multiple UNCP student-athletes have been named CSC Academic All-Americans. The announcement also marks the second-straight year (Christian Jayne, 2023) the baseball program has had at least one selection, and the first time since the 2012 season (Josh Haley, Eitan Maoz) the program has had multiple selections.

Rezek becomes just the second baseball player in program history to be named both an All-American and an Academic All-American, joining former shortstop Zade Denton who achieved the feat in 2015.

All told, the duo combined to pick up seven different All-American honors this postseason.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his current institution. Nominated student-athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s games at the position listed on the nomination form, while pitchers must have at least 10.0 innings pitched.