Hawks’ Schissel named NCBWA Division II Coach of the Year, Napleton first-team All-American

QUINCY — Capping a record-setting season with a first-in-school-history honor is quite special.

Quincy University baseball coach Matt Schissel earned that.

Hawks catcher Luke Napleton earned his All-American honor, too.

Schissel, the second-year skipper who led the Hawks to a 47-11 record while winning both the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season and tournament championships, was honored by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.

Schissel is the first QU coach to receive a national coach of the year honor in the school’s NCAA era. Jack Mackenzie was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year four times during his Hall of Fame career as the QU men’s soccer coach.

A graduate of Rock Island Alleman and Central College, Schissel joined the QU staff in 2017 as a graduate assistant, became pitching coach in 2018 and spent three seasons as the top assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in July 2021.

In two seasons at the helm, he has led the Hawks to an 84-36 overall record and a 42-14 GLVC mark. The Hawks advanced to D-II Midwest Super Regional both seasons.

Napleton is the Hawks’ first NCBWA first-team All-American since 2016 when Ryan Snyder was honored and became the first consensus first-team All-American since Snyder, earning D2CCA and ABCA/Rawlings honors as well.

The Chicago St. Rita product was named the GLVC and Midwest Region Player of the Year to go along with first-team All-GLVC and all-region honors.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound right-handed slugger established new single-season and career home runs records this season, hitting an NCAA Division II-leading 29 dingers and finishing his three-year QU career with 50 home runs. He hit .352 with 18 doubles and 87 RBIs, which ranks second all-time behind Ryan Snyder’s 88 RBIs in 2016.

Napleton, who has entered the transfer portal and will not return to QU, also threw out 10 of 39 base stealers with a .987 fielding percentage.

Schissel and Napleton were the NCBWA Midwest Region Coach and Player of the Year as well with four other Hawks being honored.

Senior right-hander Spencer Walker and sophomore designated hitter Austin Simpson were second-team all-region selections, while senior first baseman Lance Logsdon, junior shortstop Gino D’Alessio and senior reliever Chase Gockel were all-region honorable mention.