Wake Forest Athletics
Wilken Named Perfect Game Preseason All-American
1/5/2022 3:23:00 PM | Baseball
The third baseman finished his first collegiate season with 17 home runs, the most by a true freshman in the entire nation at the end of the regular season as well as tying a Wake Forest freshman record.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest baseball sophomore third baseman Brock Wilken was named a 2021 Preseason Third Team All-American by Perfect Game, as announced by the publication.
Wilken heads into a sophomore campaign after a stellar freshman season where the Valrico, Fla. native received Freshman All-American honors from Perfect Game (First Team), Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America (Third Team), as well as Third Team All-ACC and All-Freshman Team accolades.
Wilken started at third base in all 47 games for the Deacs during his freshman season, tallying a .279 batting average with 51 hits, 11 doubles and 44 RBIs. Additionally, he posted a slugging percentage of .617 and an on-base percentage of .365. He ended the regular season with the fourth-most HRs in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while finishing 10th in RBIs and slugging percentage.
His 17 home runs were the most by a true freshman in the entire nation at the end of the regular season and tied a Wake Forest freshman mark, matching a 20-year-old record set by Jamie D'Antona with a solo shot in Wake Forest's 12-5 victory over Pitt on May 21. Additionally, 11 of his HRs came in Demon Deacon victories.
The Valrico, Fla. native posted his best game of the 2021 season at Florida State on March 27. Wilken led the Deacs to an 8-7 victory to claim their first ACC series of the season, posting an impressive offensive performance with two home runs and six RBIs, both career highs. He became the first Wake Forest player to hit two homers in a game since Shane Muntz did so against Sacred Heart on March 1, 2020 and record six RBIs since Bobby Seymour also tallied six in Tallahassee on April 28, 2019.
This summer, Wilken was named the Cape Cod Baseball League's most valuable player after an incredible debut season for the Harwich Mariners, producing a batting average of .302 with 39 hits, 10 doubles, six home runs, 26 RBIs and 26 runs scored. Wilken led the league in doubles and walks, while he also finished in the top 10 in batting average (tied for eighth), hits (second), home runs (tied for fourth) and RBIs (fourth).
Wake Forest opens the 2022 campaign with 11-straight non-conference games inside David F. Couch Ballpark, highlighted by opening weekend against Lafayette, Georgetown and VCU on Feb. 18-20.
The complete 2022 baseball schedule can be found here.
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