WICHITA, Kan. - University of Northern Iowa outfielder Travis Bennett was named the Missouri Valley Conference baseball Newcomer of the Year Monday.

Bennett, also selected to the Valley's all-conference second team, led the Panthers with a .338 average and 43 RBIs this season. He also had a slugging percentage of .490 and laced 15 doubles.

Teammates Brett Douglas (utility) and Nick Kirk (starting pitcher) were also named to the second team by the league's head coaches.

Douglas, a senior, batted .324 and was named to an all-conference team for the third time in his career. Kirk compiled a 6-5 record and led the Panthers with 89 strikeouts.

UNI first baseman Jason Summers and closer Shuhei Fujiya were honorable mention selections.

Missouri State's Brayden Drake was the league's player of the year, while Buddy Baumann earned pitcher of the year honors.

FIRST TEAM

CATCHER - Dallas Hord, Missouri State

FIRST BASE - Clint McKeever, Wichita State

SECOND BASE - Kevin Medrano, Missouri State

SHORTSTOP - Elliot Soto, Creighton

THIRD BASE - Brayden Drake, Missouri State

OUTFIELDERS - Brady Shoemaker, Indiana State; Nick Ciolli, Indiana State; Ben Carlson, Missouri State

DESIGNATED HITTER - Tyler Bullock, Southern Illinois

UTILITY - Ryan Strausborger, Indiana State

STARTING PITCHERS - Buddy Baumann, Missouri State; Aaron Meade, Missouri State; Joe Rodriguez, Indiana State

RELIEF PITCHERS - Bryan George, Southern Illinois; Jack VanLeur, Creighton

SECOND TEAM

CATCHER - Bronco LaFrenz, Indiana State

FIRST BASE - Darin Ruf, Creighton

SECOND BASE - Vicente Cafaro, Creighton

SHORTSTOP - Collin Salzenstein, Illinois State

THIRD BASE - Cody Fick, Evansville

OUTFIELDERS - Robbie Knight, Creighton; Nick Mitidiero, Bradley; Travis Bennett, Northern Iowa

DESIGNATED HITTER - Andy Pascoe, Evansville

UTILITY - Brett Douglas, Northern Iowa

STARTING PITCHERS - Nick Kirk, Northern Iowa; Tim Kelley, Wichita State; Jake Petricka, Indiana State

RELIEF PITCHERS - Matt Shelton, Indiana State; Tom Heithoff, Evansville

HONORABLE MENTION (UNI only)

Jason Summers, first base; Shuhei Fujia, relief pitcher

PLAYER OF YEAR - Brayden Drake, Missouri State

PITCHER OF YEAR - Buddy Baumann, Missouri State

NEWCOMER OF YEAR - Travis Bennett, Northern Iowa

FRESHMAN OF YEAR - Kevin Medrano, Missouri State