Whitlinger Named Defensive Player Of The Year, Four Earn All-League Honors
5/7/2025 2:11:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Four Mountain Hawks have been named to 2025 Patriot League Baseball All-League teams, as announced by the league on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Jake Whitlinger was named the Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the second team. Junior Aidan Quinn was named to the first team while first-year Cole Kochanowicz and senior Justin Butler were named to the second team.
Whitlinger picks up the second all-league nod of his career after being on the first team last season. In addition, Whitlinger wins the Defensive Player of the Year award after being named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the winter and becomes the first player to win the award in Lehigh history. Quinn, Kochanowicz and Butler are all earning all-league recognition for the first time in their careers.
Whitlinger has had a stellar senior season for the Mountain Hawks, batting .282 on 48 hits with 50 runs scored, nine doubles, a team-high six home runs and a team-high 20 stolen bases. He ranks second in the Patriot League in runs scored, second in home runs, eighth in at bats, fifth in hit by pitches and fifth in stolen bases. Whitlinger has also recorded a .990 fielding percentage from the center field position this season.
In his first season as a full-time starter for the Mountain Hawks, Quinn leads Lehigh in batting average at .323, hits with 50, RBIs with 48, doubles with 12, triples with one and home runs with six. He leads the Patriot League in RBIs, ranks ninth in the league in batting average, second in slugging at .529 and seventh in OPS at .954.
A four-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week honoree, Kochanowicz has been a steady presence in the bullpen for the Mountain Hawks all season long. The first-year leads the team with 2.36 ERA and 1.29 ERA in league play. His 6-1 record, three saves and .200 batting average against are all team highs. In addition, four of Kochanowicz's wins and two of his saves have come against league competition.
Butler has moved up in the Lehigh record books this season, reaching as high as second all-time with 29 career home runs. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania product is hitting .265 on the season on 27 hits with six doubles, a triple, four home runs and 30 RBIs primarily from the designated hitter position. Butler is hitting .275 in Patriot League play.
The Mountain Hawks will face the Holy Cross Crusaders in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Championship from May 10-11. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
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2025 Patriot League Baseball Major Awards
Player of the Year – C.J. Egrie, Holy Cross, Jr., OF
Pitcher of the Year – Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Jr., RHP
Rookie of the Year – Ty DePerno, Navy, Fr., C
Defensive Player of the Year – Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Gene Depew Coach of the Year – Ed Kahovec, Holy Cross
2025 First Team All-Patriot League*
SP: Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Jr., RHP
SP: Tyler O'Neill, Bucknell, Sr.
SP: Andrew Berg, Army West Point, Jr.
RP: Landon Kruer, Navy, Sr.
C: Ethan Swidler, Lafayette, Jr., C
IF: Thomas Schreck, Army West Point, Sr.
IF: Tyler Dunn, Bucknell, Sr.
IF: Jimmy King, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Chris Baillargeon, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Aidan Quinn, Lehigh, Jr.
OF: Chris Barr, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: C.J. Egrie, Holy Cross, Jr.
OF: Easton Brenner, Lafayette, Sr.
At-Large: William Parker, Army West Point, Jr
2025 Second Team All-Patriot League*
SP: Danny Macchiarola, Holy Cross, Jr.
SP: Brady Bendik, Navy, So.
SP: Joe Skapinetz, Lafayette, Sr.
RP: Jonathan Adelmann, Bucknell, So.
RP: Cole Kochanowicz, Lehigh, Fr.
C: Jack Quinlan, Army West Point, Jr.
C: Ty DePerno, Navy, Fr.
IF: Connor Peek, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Alex Barrist, Lafayette, Fr.
IF: Michael Zarillo, Lafayette, Sr.
IF: Evan Brown, Navy, Jr.
OF: Gianni Royer, Holy Cross, So.
OF: Andrew Manning, Navy, So.
OF: Addison Ainsworth, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: John LaFleur, Holy Cross, So.
OF: Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr.
At-Large: Ryan Facinelli, Bucknell, Jr.
At-Large: Justin Butler, Lehigh, Sr.
*Additional players selected to the All-Patriot League baseball teams due to ties in the voting.
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Whitlinger picks up the second all-league nod of his career after being on the first team last season. In addition, Whitlinger wins the Defensive Player of the Year award after being named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the winter and becomes the first player to win the award in Lehigh history. Quinn, Kochanowicz and Butler are all earning all-league recognition for the first time in their careers.
Whitlinger has had a stellar senior season for the Mountain Hawks, batting .282 on 48 hits with 50 runs scored, nine doubles, a team-high six home runs and a team-high 20 stolen bases. He ranks second in the Patriot League in runs scored, second in home runs, eighth in at bats, fifth in hit by pitches and fifth in stolen bases. Whitlinger has also recorded a .990 fielding percentage from the center field position this season.
In his first season as a full-time starter for the Mountain Hawks, Quinn leads Lehigh in batting average at .323, hits with 50, RBIs with 48, doubles with 12, triples with one and home runs with six. He leads the Patriot League in RBIs, ranks ninth in the league in batting average, second in slugging at .529 and seventh in OPS at .954.
A four-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week honoree, Kochanowicz has been a steady presence in the bullpen for the Mountain Hawks all season long. The first-year leads the team with 2.36 ERA and 1.29 ERA in league play. His 6-1 record, three saves and .200 batting average against are all team highs. In addition, four of Kochanowicz's wins and two of his saves have come against league competition.
Butler has moved up in the Lehigh record books this season, reaching as high as second all-time with 29 career home runs. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania product is hitting .265 on the season on 27 hits with six doubles, a triple, four home runs and 30 RBIs primarily from the designated hitter position. Butler is hitting .275 in Patriot League play.
The Mountain Hawks will face the Holy Cross Crusaders in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Championship from May 10-11. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
2025 Patriot League Baseball Major Awards
Player of the Year – C.J. Egrie, Holy Cross, Jr., OF
Pitcher of the Year – Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Jr., RHP
Rookie of the Year – Ty DePerno, Navy, Fr., C
Defensive Player of the Year – Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Gene Depew Coach of the Year – Ed Kahovec, Holy Cross
2025 First Team All-Patriot League*
SP: Jaden Wywoda, Holy Cross, Jr., RHP
SP: Tyler O'Neill, Bucknell, Sr.
SP: Andrew Berg, Army West Point, Jr.
RP: Landon Kruer, Navy, Sr.
C: Ethan Swidler, Lafayette, Jr., C
IF: Thomas Schreck, Army West Point, Sr.
IF: Tyler Dunn, Bucknell, Sr.
IF: Jimmy King, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Chris Baillargeon, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Aidan Quinn, Lehigh, Jr.
OF: Chris Barr, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: C.J. Egrie, Holy Cross, Jr.
OF: Easton Brenner, Lafayette, Sr.
At-Large: William Parker, Army West Point, Jr
2025 Second Team All-Patriot League*
SP: Danny Macchiarola, Holy Cross, Jr.
SP: Brady Bendik, Navy, So.
SP: Joe Skapinetz, Lafayette, Sr.
RP: Jonathan Adelmann, Bucknell, So.
RP: Cole Kochanowicz, Lehigh, Fr.
C: Jack Quinlan, Army West Point, Jr.
C: Ty DePerno, Navy, Fr.
IF: Connor Peek, Holy Cross, Sr.
IF: Alex Barrist, Lafayette, Fr.
IF: Michael Zarillo, Lafayette, Sr.
IF: Evan Brown, Navy, Jr.
OF: Gianni Royer, Holy Cross, So.
OF: Andrew Manning, Navy, So.
OF: Addison Ainsworth, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: John LaFleur, Holy Cross, So.
OF: Jake Whitlinger, Lehigh, Sr.
At-Large: Ryan Facinelli, Bucknell, Jr.
At-Large: Justin Butler, Lehigh, Sr.
*Additional players selected to the All-Patriot League baseball teams due to ties in the voting.
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