Matt Quade, Shannon Ahern, Riley Ahern and Jake Shusterich will serve as the 2021 St. Cloud State Baseball captains
St. Cloud State Baseball names 2021 captains
1/20/2021 3:30:00 PM | Baseball
St. Cloud State Baseball head coach Pat Dolan announced his program's four captains ahead of the 2021 season on Wednesday. Seniors Shannon Ahern and Matt Quade will serve as captains for the second time in their careers, while juniors Riley Ahern and Jake Shusterich join them in their first Huskies captaincy.Â
Shannon Ahern has long been one of St. Cloud State's most trusted arms in a variety of roles, having made 50 appearances with 14 starts during his four-year Huskies career. He has 14 collegiate wins to his credit along with three saves, working 156.0 innings to the tune of a 4.33 ERA and a stellar 3.33 FIP (fielding independent pitching) along with a 137:37 K:BB ratio. Ahern posted a brilliant 2019 campaign, going 3-3 in 19 appearances and three starts with a 2.91 ERA and a 2.65 FIP over 46.1 frames. He struck out 29.1% of the batters he faced (55 K's) and limited his opponents to a meager .582 OPS. Last season Ahern earned the win in all three of his relief appearances, recording a 2.63 ERA/2.22 FIP and striking out 15 across 13.2 innings. Ahern was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member.
"I'm excited to help lead the Huskies with Jake, Matt and Riley," said Shannon, "We can't wait to get back out on the field in a month or so and bring a championship home at the end of the year."
An elite defender at third, first and the corner outfield slots, Matt Quade has been a steady presence in the Huskies' lineup over the past two seasons. He spent his 2016 season as a SCSU redshirt athlete, then transferred to St. Cloud Technical College where he was named the 2018 Spalding NJCAA DIII Defensive Player of the Year award after posting a 1.000 fielding percentage with 166 putouts and 13 assists as the everyday Cylone first baseman. Quade returned to SCSU in 2019 and helped lead the Huskies to their fifth straight NCAA Central Region Tournament berth. Last season Quade transitioned from third base to the outfield, starting all 14 games and driving in seven with a pair of doubles and a home run. Over 125 collegiate games and 455 plate appearances, he owns a .346/.418/.548 triple-slash for a .966 OPS along with 30 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 108 RBI. Quade was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member and named to the 2020 NSIC Academic Team of Distinction.
"It's an honor to be an elected captain by both my teammates and coaches," Quade said, "We're all excited to get back to playing games and I'm excited to be a leader on the team."
Riley Ahern has quickly established himself as an extremely reliable arm, owning a 2.68 ERA over 18 career appearances and four starts through two seasons with St. Cloud State. Ahern's debut redshirt-freshman 2019 season saw the righthander become one of the very best relievers in the Central Region as he worked 32.1 innings across 15 appearances and worked at a 1.95 ERA/1.96 FIP. He struck out 38, walked just nine, operated at a 0.959 WHIP and limited hitters to a .198/.280/.225 slash line for a .505 opponent OPS. Last season Ahern went 1-0 over three starts, striking out 19 and walking only three over 14.2 frames. Ahern was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member and named to the 2020 NSIC Academic Team of Distinction.
"We have a great group of guys that are really close so it means a lot to me that they would vote for me," said Riley, "I'm looking forward to getting out on the field with them!"
First baseman Jake Shusterich led St. Cloud State in home runs and RBI while starting all 14 games last season, belting four homers and knocking in 14 while slashing .250/.327/.542 for an .869 OPS. Over his three-year collegiate career including two seasons at Allan Hancock College, Shusterich owns a .315/.415/.573 slash line for a .988 OPS over 78 games and 318 plate appearances with 22 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs, 70 RBI and a .422 wOBA. He finished in the top three in each of the Western State-North Triple Crown categories as a freshman in junior college.
"It is truly an honor to be named a captain on this talented team," Shusterich said, "I am proud that my fellow teammates and coaches selected me to be a leader and motivator for this team and I hope that I am able to bring this team together and bring another conference title back to St. Cloud. Go Huskies!"
The 2021 SCSU Baseball schedule is yet to be announced, follow the Huskies on Twitter and Instagram for further updates.
Shannon Ahern has long been one of St. Cloud State's most trusted arms in a variety of roles, having made 50 appearances with 14 starts during his four-year Huskies career. He has 14 collegiate wins to his credit along with three saves, working 156.0 innings to the tune of a 4.33 ERA and a stellar 3.33 FIP (fielding independent pitching) along with a 137:37 K:BB ratio. Ahern posted a brilliant 2019 campaign, going 3-3 in 19 appearances and three starts with a 2.91 ERA and a 2.65 FIP over 46.1 frames. He struck out 29.1% of the batters he faced (55 K's) and limited his opponents to a meager .582 OPS. Last season Ahern earned the win in all three of his relief appearances, recording a 2.63 ERA/2.22 FIP and striking out 15 across 13.2 innings. Ahern was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member.
"I'm excited to help lead the Huskies with Jake, Matt and Riley," said Shannon, "We can't wait to get back out on the field in a month or so and bring a championship home at the end of the year."
An elite defender at third, first and the corner outfield slots, Matt Quade has been a steady presence in the Huskies' lineup over the past two seasons. He spent his 2016 season as a SCSU redshirt athlete, then transferred to St. Cloud Technical College where he was named the 2018 Spalding NJCAA DIII Defensive Player of the Year award after posting a 1.000 fielding percentage with 166 putouts and 13 assists as the everyday Cylone first baseman. Quade returned to SCSU in 2019 and helped lead the Huskies to their fifth straight NCAA Central Region Tournament berth. Last season Quade transitioned from third base to the outfield, starting all 14 games and driving in seven with a pair of doubles and a home run. Over 125 collegiate games and 455 plate appearances, he owns a .346/.418/.548 triple-slash for a .966 OPS along with 30 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 108 RBI. Quade was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member and named to the 2020 NSIC Academic Team of Distinction.
"It's an honor to be an elected captain by both my teammates and coaches," Quade said, "We're all excited to get back to playing games and I'm excited to be a leader on the team."
Riley Ahern has quickly established himself as an extremely reliable arm, owning a 2.68 ERA over 18 career appearances and four starts through two seasons with St. Cloud State. Ahern's debut redshirt-freshman 2019 season saw the righthander become one of the very best relievers in the Central Region as he worked 32.1 innings across 15 appearances and worked at a 1.95 ERA/1.96 FIP. He struck out 38, walked just nine, operated at a 0.959 WHIP and limited hitters to a .198/.280/.225 slash line for a .505 opponent OPS. Last season Ahern went 1-0 over three starts, striking out 19 and walking only three over 14.2 frames. Ahern was a 2020 NSIC All-Academic Team member and named to the 2020 NSIC Academic Team of Distinction.
"We have a great group of guys that are really close so it means a lot to me that they would vote for me," said Riley, "I'm looking forward to getting out on the field with them!"
First baseman Jake Shusterich led St. Cloud State in home runs and RBI while starting all 14 games last season, belting four homers and knocking in 14 while slashing .250/.327/.542 for an .869 OPS. Over his three-year collegiate career including two seasons at Allan Hancock College, Shusterich owns a .315/.415/.573 slash line for a .988 OPS over 78 games and 318 plate appearances with 22 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs, 70 RBI and a .422 wOBA. He finished in the top three in each of the Western State-North Triple Crown categories as a freshman in junior college.
"It is truly an honor to be named a captain on this talented team," Shusterich said, "I am proud that my fellow teammates and coaches selected me to be a leader and motivator for this team and I hope that I am able to bring this team together and bring another conference title back to St. Cloud. Go Huskies!"
The 2021 SCSU Baseball schedule is yet to be announced, follow the Huskies on Twitter and Instagram for further updates.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
1B
/ BaseballSt Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 4
Sunday, March 16
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 3
Sunday, March 16
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 2
Thursday, March 13
St Cloud State Baseball Vs Southwest Minnesota State Game 1
Thursday, March 13
