DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards for the week ending on May 8. Colorado School of Mines sophomore utility Luke Folsom is the National Hitter of the Week and Rockhurst senior righty Thomas Jones is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Folsom (Littleton, Colo. / Columbine HS) hit .579 with four home runs and 13 RBI, along with nine runs and five doubles, he also made starting appearances at designated hitter, third base and on the mound for the Orediggers. Folsom's five doubles put him over the edge to grab the Mines’ single-season program record and kept him ranked first in the nation in total doubles (29). Folsom now sits just five doubles shy from setting the NCAA Division II single-season mark. Heading into the postseason, Folsom ranks first in the nation in doubles, as well as first in the RMAC in total hits (81), third in on-base percentage (.507), fourth in batting average (.438), fourth in RBI (60) and ninth in home runs (15).

Jones (St. Louis, Mo. / Vianney HS) pitched a complete game shutout, only giving up one hit in nine innings of work for an opposing batting average of .037. He struck out a career-high 13 batters, fanning eight over the final five innings, and only walking two batters.

Division II Regional Players of the Week:
• Atlantic: Thomas Caufield, Millersville (Hitter); Owen MacNeil, Charleston (W. Va.) (Pitcher)
• Central: JT Mix, Augustana (S.D.) (Hitter); Kolby Kiser, Southwest Minnesota State (Pitcher)
• East: Dean DePreta, Pace (Hitter); John Esposito, Staten Island (Pitcher)
• Midwest: Devon Farrell, Rockhurst (Hitter); Thomas Jones, Rockhurst (Pitcher)
• South: Jake Roper, Palm Beach Atlantic (Hitter); Alex Canney, Tampa (Pitcher)
• South Central: Luke Folsom, Colorado School of Mines (Hitter); AJ Irvin, UT Tyler (Pitcher)
• Southeast: Zach Zarra, North Greenville (Hitter); Jared Donalson, Georgia Southwestern (Pitcher)
• West: Zach Berryman, Central Washington (Hitter); Austin McFarlane, Chico State (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.

2022 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
• Week ending Feb. 6: Duncan Pastore, Nova Southeastern (Hitter); Justin Fuson, Fresno Pacific (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 13: Harrison Rodgers, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Jack O'Brien, Hawaii Pacific (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 20: Brock Reller, Northeastern State (Hitter); Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas (Pitcher)
• Week ending Feb. 27: Zion Pettigrew, Illinois-Springfield (Hitter); Dominic Proietto, Kutztown (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 6: Lewis Beals, Hillsdale (Hitter); Dylan Miller, Point Loma (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 13: Kade Self, Oklahoma Baptist (Hitter); Kannon Handy, Colorado Mesa (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 20: Sean Johnson, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Lawson Isaacs, Central Oklahoma (Pitcher)
• Week ending March 27: Drey Dirksen, Augustana (Hitter); Mason Philley, Arkansas-Monticello (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 3: Enzo Bonventre, Southwestern Oklahoma State (Hitter); Brody McCullough, Wingate (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 10: Brennen van Breusegen, Central Missouri (Hitter); Dylan Brosky, California, Pa. (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 17: Caleb Stubbings, Colorado-Colorado Springs (Hitter); Colt Webb, Charleston (Pitcher)
• Week ending April 24: Joey Polak, Maryville (Hitter); Luke Tupy, St. Cloud State (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 1: Ben Gobbel, Belmont Abbey (Hitter); Jack Gonzales, Point Loma (Pitcher)
• Week ending May 8: Luke Folsom, Colorado School of Mines (Hitter); Thomas Jones, Rockhurst (Pitcher)