CHICAGO, Ill. – Senior Bobby Bartlett was recognized as one of the top players in Division III Baseball on Thursday evening when he earned fourth-team All-American honors as a utility player by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). Bartlett becomes the third All-American produced by NPU Baseball in four seasons (Justin Swanson, 2023 and Jake Reinhardt. 2021).
Bartlett, the 2024 CCIW Player of the Year and an All-Region pick by D3Baseball.com and the ABCA, was formidable at the plate and on the hill to guide the Vikings to a CCIW title. The left hander led NPU with a 3.36 ERA, .223 batting average against, .800 win-loss percentage, and was second on the team with 48 strikeouts. He only got better as the season went on, evidenced by his season high 10 strikeouts against Carthage in the CCIW Tournament.
At the plate, Bartlett hit .370 with seven doubles, a home run, and 24 RBI while fielding .989 with 16 assists. He showcased an OBP of .454, scored 18 runs, and swiped four bases.
One of Bartlett's top moments in 2024 was a walkoff home run against conference co-champs Millikin University on April 14.
The blast to right field secured a series victory over the Big Blue which allowed North Park the tie-breaking advantage of hosting the conference tournament.
"Playing at the level Bobby did all year at the front of the rotation and in the middle of the lineup is really hard and very special," said Head Coach Luke Johnson. "Captain, Player of the Year, Conference Champion, All-American... Bobby has checked almost every box you can here at North Park. The level of humility he has, however, is even more rare than all these accolades. He's a really authentic, selfless, and effective leader. We are all so happy for him."
The ABCA/Rawlings All-America teams are selected by members of the ABCA All-America committees. ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team selections, which were announced Tuesday, were eligible for All-America honors.
