DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on March 14, 2021. Slippery Rock junior catcher Connor Hamilton is the National Hitter of the Week and Georgia Southwestern senior Tucker Smith is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Hamilton (Forestport, N.Y. / Adirondack) continued his great start to the 2021 season by leading SRU to a perfect 4-0 record last week with doubleheader sweeps of Indiana University (Pa.) and Frostburg State. In four games, Hamilton hit .733 (11-for-15) with eight runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI while slugging 1.467 with a .750 on-base percentage. Six of Hamilton's nine hits went for extra bases. Hamilton collected at least two hits in each game last week with the highlight being a 4-for-4, two-run, three-RBI, one-home run showing during SRU's 7-5 victory over IUP.

Smith (Fort Walton Beach, Fla. / Lake Sumter State) threw the first now-hitter in the Peach Belt since 2017 and the first no-hitter in a conference game since 2005 as he blanked Claflin in the series-opener. The senior hit Claflin's first batter of the game, then proceeded to set down the next 27 in order, coming that close to a perfect game. He issued no hits and no walks while striking out 12. It was the first no-hitter for GSW in the NCAA era and he did it with 115 pitches, 84 for strikes.

Division II Regional Players of the Week:
• Atlantic: Connor Hamilton, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Dylan Heid, Pitt-Johnstown (Pitcher)
• Central: Brock Reller, Minnesota-Crookston (Hitter); Jacob Potter, Southeastern Oklahoma State (Pitcher)
• East: Kyle Maurice, Saint Anslem (Hitter); Anthony Burgio, Mercy College (Pitcher)
• Midwest: Jeff Landis, Hillsdao (Hitter); Chad Patrick, Purdue Northwest (Pitcher)
• South: John Malcom, Tampa (Hitter); Troy Jones, Auburn Montgomery (Pitcher)
• South Central: Chance Westervelt, Oklahoma Christian (Hitter); Andrew Morris, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
• Southeast: Drue Galassi, Lenoir-Rhyne (Hitter); Tucker Smith, Georgia Southwestern (Pitcher)
• West: Joseph Kim, Azusa Pacific (Hitter); A.J. Woodall, Azusa Pacific (Pitcher)

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

2021 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
• Week ending Feb. 14: Brady Eeles, North Georgia (Hitter); Parker Morrison, North Georgia (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Tucker Greer, Young Harris (Hitter); Andrew Patrick, Lenoir-Rhyne (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 28: Ethan Baucom, UNC Pembroke (Hitter); Taylor Boisclair, Shorter (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 7: Haydn McGeary, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Dylan Heid, Pitt-Johnstown (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 14: Connor Hamilton, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Tucker Smith, Georgia Southwestern (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 21: Ben Werkheiser, Shippensburg (Hitter); Logan Workman, Lee (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 28: Jonathan Martin, Georgia Southwestern (Hitter); Cade Crader, MSU Denver (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 4: Dusty Stroup, Central Missouri (Hitter); Austin DeRosa, Mercy (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 11: Kory Carter, Truman State (Hitter); Jonathan Draheim, Mary (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 18: Chris Iazzetta, Wheeling (Hitter); Joe Vail, Le Moyne (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 25: Nikko Calabro, Drury (Hitter); Chad Saner, Illinois-Springfield (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 2: Blayze Arcano, Western Oregon (Hitter); Ryan Jares, Augustana, S.D. (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 9: Tommy Pellis, Seton Hill (Hitter); Riley Martin, Quincy (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 16: Aaron Walters, Angelo State (Hitter); Andrew Morris, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)