Todd Beamer High School graduate Cole Bixenman has been named the Northwest Conference Player of the Year after leading the Linfield Wildcats into the postseason.

Bixenman, a senior catcher, recently tied Linfield’s all-time mark for career home runs, totaling 32 over 40 games. One of two players to start every contest, he hit .373 over the course of the year, totaling a team-leading 102 total bases and 44 RBIs. He also stole nine bases and registered a .995 fielding percentage with just one error in 211 chances behind the plate.

Bixenman’s 10 home runs this season tie him with Paul Dean, who played at Linfield between 1987 and 1990.

Last year, Bixenman hit .299 with a team-leading 57 RBIs, 11 home runs, 16 doubles and 35 runs.

As a sophomore, Bixenman hit .383 and led the Northwest Conference in RBIs with 53 in 40 games. Bixenman had nine home runs, seven doubles and scored 36 runs.

The third-ranked Wildcats won their second-straight conference championship and third over the past four years. Linfield concluded the regular season with a 31-9 overall record, including 20-4 in the league, to earn the NWC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships.

The tournament kicks off on May 18 at eight regional campus sites.

Bixenman was also named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District District VIII Baseball Team in recognition of his academic accomplishments and on-field contributions.

Bixenman carries a 3.78 grade-point average in finance and was also an academic all-district selection for football as a sophomore in 2009 as Linfield’s quarterback.

The all-district team, selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America, was chosen from a pool of nominees from colleges and universities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Alaska and Hawaii, as well as British Columbia, Canada. The college division includes student-athletes representing NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.

First team all-district honorees are automatically considered for the academic all-America team, which will be voted on and announced later this month.

More local grads

• Matt Hart: The Beamer grad is currently playing his junior year at the University of Southern California after transferring from Santa Ana Community College and Washington State University. The infielder has started eight games this season and is hitting just .125 with two runs and two RBIs. The Trojans are currently 18-26 overall and 8-10 in the Pac-10. Last year, Hart started 37 games and hit .267 with 12 RBIs and three stolen bases.

Hart started his college career at Washington State before transferring to Santa Ana. Last year, he led the team with a .427 average in 46 games. He had 13 doubles, three home runs, 37 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He also scored 51 runs. Hart was named to the Orange Empire Conference’s first team as an infielder.

• Jeff Brigham: The Thomas Jefferson grad is playing his freshman season at the University of Washington. The right-hander has appeared in 20 games and started four for the Huskies. Brigham is a perfect 3-0 with a 4.12 ERA in 43 2/3 innings with 27 strikeouts. He is currently fifth on the team in innings pitched.

The Huskies are 13-30 overall and 4-14 in the Pac-10.

• Kenny Johnson: The Todd Beamer grad is playing his freshman season at Linfield. The middle infielder is hitting .250 with three runs and five RBIs. He has played in 17 games, starting one.

• Brady Kincannon: The Decatur graduate recently finished his junior season at Central Washington University. The infielder started 29 games this season and hit an impressive .310 with 12 runs, four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs. Kincannon transferred from Chemeketa Community College. Central finished the year 14-32 on the season.

• Brad Carter: The 2007 Decatur High School grad is currently playing at Western Oregon. Carter is a right-handed pitcher and has appeared in 12 games and is 0-0 with a 4.30 earned-run average. Western Oregon is 33-13 on the season.

• Logan Capp: The Beamer grad is playing his senior year at Dickinson State University in North Dakota. Capp, a catcher, has played in 23 games and is hitting .262 with eight runs, one triple, one home run and seven RBIs. Dickinson State is 22-15 overall.

• Andy Racus: The Federal Way grad is currently playing at Jamestown College in North Dakota. The catcher transferred after playing two seasons at Shoreline Community College. Racus is hitting .396 with 24 runs, seven home runs and 40 RBIs. Jamestown is 31-11-1 on the season.

• Marcus Hudson: The Decatur grad is playing at Jamestown College. The pitcher is 0-0 with a 6.35 ERA in 5 2/3 innings pitched.

• Brock Gates: Gates, a Decatur grad, transferred to Pacific Lutheran University from Edmonds Community College after spending a year at the University of Washington.

The first baseman hit .331 with 29 runs, seven doubles, one triple, four home runs and a team-leading 28 RBIs. The Lutes finished the year 19-20 on the season.

• Shane Elliot: The Federal Way High School graduate is playing at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Elliot, an outfielder, is hitting .282 with 20 runs, two doubles, one home run and 10 RBIs on the season. Oklahoma Wesleyan is 30-27 on the year.

• Taylor Stark: The Jefferson grad is playing his sophomore season at Grays Harbor Community College. Stark is a right-handed pitcher and is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA. Grays Harbor is 5-32 on the season.

• Harold Adams: The Thomas Jefferson grad is playing his freshman season at Green River Community College. Adams is an outfielder and is hitting .215 with 15 runs and three RBIs. Green River is 19-15 on the season.

• Brian Corliss: The Beamer grad is playing at Pierce College. Corliss is a right-handed pitcher and infielder. He is hitting .430 with 25 runs, nine doubles and 23 RBIs. Pierce is 25-7 overall on the season.

• Jerett Hardy: The sophomore from Thomas Jefferson is playing infield at Pierce College. Hardy is hitting .367 with 17 runs, four doubles and 12 RBIs.

• Derek Voigt: The Jefferson grad is playing at Pierce College. Voigt is a sophomore. Voigt is hitting .288 with 21 runs, one home run and 15 RBIs.

• Travis Crumb: The Beamer graduate is playing his freshman season at Tacoma Community College. Crumb is a pitcher/outfielder who is hitting .161 with three RBIs. Tacoma is 22-10 on the season.

• Drew Staples: The TJ grad is playing at Pierce College. Staples is a left-handed, sophomore pitcher. He is 5-1 on the season with a 3.44 ERA.

• TJ Horsfall: The Federal Way grad is playing his freshman year at Pierce College. Horsfall is an infielder. He is hitting .256 with four runs and five RBIs.

• Elliot Morris: The Federal Way grad is playing his freshman year at Pierce College. He is a right-handed pitcher.

• Austin Campbell: The freshman pitcher from Jefferson is also playing at Pierce College. He is 0-0 on the season with a 1.31 ERA.

Tracking the Grads appears periodically in the Mirror. If we missed someone, email sports@fedwaymirror.com.