Honors & Awards
• Two Letters (2019, 2020)
• Big Ten Preseason Honors List (2020)
• Second-Team All-Big Ten (2019)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2020)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2018, 2019; Spring 2019, 2020*)
2020: Aaron Palensky started all 15 games in right field before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic • Was one of four Huskers to start every game, along with Joe Acker, Cam Chick and Spencer Schwellenbach • Had at least one hit in 11 of his 15 games, including four multi-hit efforts • Hit .302 (16-for-53) and led the team in runs scored (15), doubles (5), walks (15) and RBIs (19), while sharing the team high in home runs (4) • His 16 hits were the third-most by a Husker • Produced five multi-RBI performances, the most on the team • Opened the season on a five-game hitting streak, amassing eight hits, seven runs scored, 10 RBIs, four doubles and one home run during that span • Had at least one hit in all three games of the Arizona State series, homering in back-to-back games on Feb. 28 and 29 • Drove in a career-high five runs as part of a 2-for-5 performance with one double and one home run against Northern Colorado on March 11.
2019: Palensky made an immediate impact during his first season at Nebraska on his way to second-team All-Big Ten honors • Was one of two Huskers to start all 56 games, making 54 starts in right field and two starts in left field • Led the Husker offense in nearly every offensive statistical category, including batting average with a .320 clip (71-for-222), which ranked eighth in the Big Ten • Also led the team in hits (71), runs scored (43), home runs (7) and total bases (107), while sharing the team high in doubles (11) and triples (2) • Ranked second on the team in RBIs (35) • Went 6-for-6 stealing bases • Produced 21 multi-hit performances, a team high, and seven multi-RBI games, tied for second-most on the team • Compiled a slugging percentage of .482 and an on-base percentage of .420, both leading the squad • Achieved his season-long 11-game hitting streak on two occasions and ended the season on a 21-game reaching base streak • During Big Ten play, led the team with a .323 average, including 31 hits, four doubles and four home runs • Managed a hit in each of his first 11 games of the season, including five two-hit performances • Went 3-for-3 against Air Force on March 19 with two runs scored, one double, one triple and one stolen base • Had at least one hit in all 11 games from March 22 to April 7 • Produced a season-high four hits against Purdue on April 7 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored • Homered in back-to-back games on May 6 (Northwestern) and May 10 (Arizona State), compiling three hits in each game and totaled five RBIs during that stretch • Recorded at least one hit in all three games of the NCAA Oklahoma City Regional, including a home run and three RBIs against Oklahoma State on June 1.
Before Nebraska: Palensky played at Southeast Community College for one year under Coaches Dion and Tyson Parks before transferring to Nebraska • Batted .417 with 18 home runs, 77 RBIs, 72 runs scored, 24 stolen bases and 43 extra-base hits, while posting an .850 slugging percentage and .515 on-base percentage • Selected to the 2018 Valley Baseball League All-Star Team and 2018 Valley Baseball League Showcase Team • Graduated from Papillion La Vista South in 2017, playing baseball under Coach Bill Lynam • Helped the team qualify for the state tournament in 2016 • As a senior, he batted .342 with 23 runs scored, 15 RBIs, eight extra-base hits and an on-base percentage of .485 en route to second-team Super-State honors from the Lincoln Journal Star • Also earned second-team USA Today All-Nebraska accolades in 2017 • Named an honorable-mention all-state team member by the Omaha World-Herald on three occasions • A three-year honor roll member, he lettered four times in tennis, earning a spot on the honorable-mention all-state tennis list • Played Legion ball for the Amerilawn Titans Post No. 32 under Coach Bill Lynam and helped the team to runner-up honors at the 2015 State Legion Championship • In 2017, won the Legion batting title by hitting .475 and added five homers, 34 RBIs, 28 extra-base hits and 40 runs scored.
Personal: Born on Sept. 22, 1998 • Parents are Jim and DeeDee Palensky • Has one sister, Leah, and three brothers, Caleb, Sam and Ben • Enjoys playing disc golf • Majoring in sports media and communication.