Asche Leads Three Huskers in Claiming 2011 All-Big 12 Honors

Three Nebraska baseball players were recognized for their 2011 season efforts Tuesday, as they were named to the All-Big 12 team selected by the league's coaches. Included in the group is first-team selection Cody Asche, second-team honoree Casey Hauptman and honorable-mention pick Kash Kalkowski.

Asche, who becomes Nebraska's first All-Big 12 third baseman since Alex Gordon in 2005, completed an outstanding regular season in which he finished as the Big 12's leader home runs (12), doubles (27), total bases (133), and slugging percentage (.639), while also ranking second in RBIs (56) and 12th in batting average (.327). The O'Fallon, Mo., native ended his junior campaign on fire, going 8-for-13 (.615) with four doubles and three RBIs while leading Nebraska to a series win over Missouri. Asche put an exclamation point on his year with a 4-for-4 day in the season finale, hitting three doubles to set Nebraska's single-season school record with 27, breaking the previous mark held by Jed Morris (2002) and Mike Duncan (1985). Asche also moved into a seventh-place tie on the all-time NU chart with 46 career doubles. He had a team-high 22 multiple-hit games in 2011, and shared NU's longest hitting streak of the season at 12 games.

Hauptman gave the Huskers its first relief pitcher on an All-Big 12 team since Brett Jensen in 2006. The Omaha, Neb., native established himself as one of the top relievers in the nation this season, ranking first in the NCAA in walks allowed (0.31) and seventh in the Big 12 in ERA (2.45). In a team-high 28 appearances, Hauptman did not allow an earned run 18 times. He compiled a 6-2 record and led the Huskers to an impressive 23-1 mark when leading after six innings. Hauptman's eight saves rank sixth on NU's single-season save chart, while his 13 saves rank fourth on the career list.

Kalkowski was one of the biggest surprises of the season for the Nebraska baseball team. A former pitcher, Kalkowski put together a team-best 12-game hit streak in the first month of the season and earned a spot atop the NU lineup. The Grand Island, Neb., native finished the season hitting .299, while he ranked second on the team behind Asche with five home runs and 42 RBIs. He also stole 11 bases in 13 attempts.

With Asche and Hauptman's honors, the Nebraska baseball team's All-Big 12 selection total will end at 53.