LA JOLLA, CALIF.—Nine members of the UC San Diego baseball program received All-Big West honors, as announced Tuesday by the conference. Two Tritons earned First Team accolades and two were named to the Second Team, highlighting a group set to make their Big West Championship debut on Thursday as the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament.
 
Gabe Camacho and Anthony Potestio were named to the All-Big West First Team, while J.C. Allen and Michael Crossland earned All-Big West Second Team recognition. Nick Costello, Alex Leopard, Steele Murdock, Nathan Huy and Jake Villar received All-Big West Honorable Mention.
 
UC San Diego's nine honors are the most for the Tritons since joining the Big West in 2021. The Tritons had seven players recognized last season and in 2023 after securing the conference title. It is the first all-conference award Huy, Murdock and Villar and second for the remaining six Tritons.
 
GABE CAMACHO » ALL-BIG WEST FIRST TEAM
First baseman Gabe Camacho led the Tritons in most statistical categories in his junior season, appearing in all 50 games with 49 starts. Camacho set the Tritons Division I single season home run record with 16 knocks this season and currently has a .259 batting average, team-best .580 slugging percentage and .394 on base percentage. 
 
At the conclusion of the regular season, Camacho leads the Big West in home runs (16), RBI per game (1.02) and hit by pitch (26), ranking second in RBI (51), fourth in runs scored (46), fifth in slugging percentage (.580) and total bases (112), and seventh in OPS (.974). In addition to his 16 homers, Camacho has 10 doubles and two triples this season. It is the second consecutive First Team honor for Camacho.
 
ANTHONY POTESTIO » ALL-BIG WEST FIRST TEAM
Shortstop Anthony Potestio started 44 games for the Tritons and currently leads the team in batting average (.308) and on base percentage (.442). The junior also has a .450 slugging percentage with 20 RBI and 43 runs scored as the Tritons leadoff man. 
 
Potestio ranks third in the Big West in walks (33), fourth in stolen bases (12), fifth in on base percentage (.442), seventh in runs scored (43), 15th in batting average (.308). He is second on the team with 52 hits, including 10 doubles, a triple and four home runs. It is the second all-conference honor for Potestio after earning Honorable Mention last season.
 
J.C. ALLEN » ALL-BIG WEST SECOND TEAM
Third baseman J.C. Allen put together another strong season for the Tritons, appearing in 48 games and making 46 starts. The senior registered a .301 batting average, .503 slugging percentage and .379 on base percentage in his second season in La Jolla.
 
Allen ranks seventh in the Big West in doubles (14), 11th in slugging percentage (.503) and RBI (38), 14th in OPS (.882), 16th in hits (55) and home runs (7). Allen leads the team with 55 hits this season, including a team-best 14 doubles, one triple and seven homers. It is the second all-conference honor for Allen after being named to the First Team last season.
 
MICHAEL CROSSLAND » ALL-BIG WEST SECOND TEAM
Center fielder Michael Crossland appeared in 40 games, making 39 starts before being sidelined with an injury in early May. The junior recorded a .242 batting average, .484 slugging percentage and .335 on base percentage, recording his second consecutive season with double-figure home runs.
 
Crossland ranks seventh in the Big West with 10 homers and ranks 15th in slugging percentage (.484). He tallied 39 hits, 25 RBI and 31 runs scored for the Tritons, with nine doubles and 10 home runs on the season. It is the second all-conference honor for Crossland after earning First Team recognition last season.
 
NICK COSTELLO » ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE MENTION
Right fielder Nick Costello has made the most of his final season in La Jolla, starting 47 games for UC San Diego. The graduate student recorded a .228 batting average, .443 slugging percentage and .389 on base percentage. He ranks fourth in the Big West in walks (32) and 13th in home runs (8). Costello tallied 34 hits, including a team-best two triples and ranks third on the team in RBI (32) and fourth in runs scored (33). It is the second all-conference award for Costello who was also an Honorable Mention in 2024.
 
NATHAN HUY » ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE MENTION
Left-hander Nathan Huy was a key situational reliever for the Tritons this season, making 20 appearances out of the bullpen. The junior finished the regular season with a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, holding opponents to a .164 batting average. Huy tallied 15 strikeouts to six walks in 17.1 innings, earning one save and contributing to one combined shutout. It is the first conference honor for Huy.
 
ALEX LEOPARD » ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE  MENTION
Outfielder Alex Leopard had another strong season for UC San Diego, appearing in 48 games and making 46 starts primarily in left field. The senior recorded a .255 batting average, .398 slugging percentage and .429 on base percentage, aided by his 37 walks to lead the Big West. Leopard ranks eighth in the conference in on base percentage, 13th in runs scored (39) and 15th in hit-by-pitch (12). Leopard tallied 41 hits, including eight doubles and five home runs with 22 RBI and 39 runs scored. It is the second consecutive Honorable Mention nod for Leopard.
 
STEELE MURDOCK » ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE MENTION
Right hander Steele Murdock made a splash as the Tritons' Friday night guy for 14 starts this season. The redshirt sophomore set the UC San Diego all-time program record with 17 strikeouts at UC Santa Barbara (April 10) and currently ranks fourth in the Big West with 93 total strikeouts. Murdock ranks first in the conference and 18th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (12.68). He finished the regular season with a 5.73 ERA, a 4-2 record and team-high 66.0 innings pitched. It is the first all-conference honor for Murdock. 
 
JAKE VILLAR » ALL-BIG WEST HONORABLE MENTION
Left hander Jake Villar was a reliable arm out of the bullpen for the Tritons this season, making a team-high 23 appearances including one start. The graduate student tallied 35 strikeouts compared to just 14 walks in 40.2 innings pitched with a 6.64 ERA and 1-4 record. It is the first all-conference honor for Villar.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among institutions in NCAA Division I or II.