Willard, Simmons Sweep Top Honors to Headline All-League Haul
HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The accolades are piling up for Huntington baseball as the Foresters hauled in a historic haul of Crossroads League honors, highlighted by graduate standouts Owen Willard and Grant Simmons sweeping the league's top individual awards.
Willard was named the Crossroads League Player of the Year while Simmons earned Pitcher of the Year distinction, marking the first time in program history Huntington has claimed both honors in the same season.
Willard is putting together a record-breaking campaign at the plate, breaking the program's single-season marks for home runs (18) and total bases (147). The graduate second baseman has collected 72 hits, including 38 for extra bases, while driving in 55 runs. He boasts a .389 batting average, third-best in the league, and an impressive .795 slugging percentage. Willard also earned First Team All-League recognition as the conference's top second baseman and currently ranks second in the league in home runs.
Simmons has been dominant on the mound this spring. The right-hander owns a 6-1 record over 75.0 innings, allowing just 56 hits and 25 earned runs while striking out 72 and issuing 22 walks. He leads the league with a 3.00 ERA and averages 8.64 strikeouts per game to go with a 1.04 WHIP. Simmons also secured First Team All-League honors.
Huntington placed four players on the First Team overall, with senior catcher Keifer Wilson and freshman outfielder Tanner Reinartz joining Willard and Simmons.
As the top catcher in the league, Wilson anchors the lineup with 55 hits, including 17 home runs (tied for third in the league) and 12 doubles. He has driven in a team-best 59 runs, placing him fourth in the conference, and has scored 34 times while posting a .983 fielding percentage behind the plate.
Reinartz continues to shine in his rookie campaign, totaling 51 hits with a program-record 22 doubles to go along with 14 home runs. He has driven in 57 runs, fifth-most in the league, and scored 42 times and has crossed the plate 42 times.
Freshman left-hander Max Engle represents the Foresters on the Second Team as a starting pitcher, compiling a stellar 9-1 record. In 67.1 innings, he has allowed 67 hits and 26 earned runs while striking out 67. His 3.48 ERA ranks second in the league.
Senior closer Dylan Eggl also secured Second Team honors as the league's best relief pitcher. He set a new program record with a league-leading nine saves. Over 23 innings, Eggl has surrendered 18 hits and 10 earned runs while striking out 12 to go with a 3.91 ERA.
Defensively, Huntington was equally impressive with two Gold Glove selections. Junior pitcher RJ Anglin earned the honor after posting a .950 fielding percentage with just two errors in 62.2 innings. Junior third baseman Kade Flores was recognized at the hot corner, registering a .934 fielding percentage with 16 double plays turned over 50 games.
The honors add to what is already a record-setting season for the Foresters, who have set a new program benchmark with 39 wins and finished 27-9 in Crossroads League play to secure second place in the regular season standings.
Huntington now awaits word on a potential at-large bid to the 46-team 2026 NAIA National Championships, to be announced later today.
The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. Huntington has a top quartile ranking in the 2026 U.S. News Best Regional Universities Midwest Rankings.