Talladega's Oropeza, Stillman's Minor garner Week 5 HBCUAC Baseball Weekly Awards

NEW ORLEANS - March 4, 2025 - Talladega College first baseman Miguel Oropeza wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Baseball Player of the Week. Stillman College's Griff Minor takes home Pitcher of the Week. The athletes were recognized for their performances between February 24-March 2, the conference announced on Tuesday.

Oropeza, the Preseason HBCUAC Player of the Year, hit .778 against Dillard with seven runs and six RBI - leading the Tornadoes to a sweep over the Bleu Devils. He recorded a hit, scored three runs and drove in two in the series opener on Friday. He recorded three hits in the second and third games of the series. He hit his third home run of the season in the finale. Oropeza leads the HBCUAC with a .500 batting average and ranks second in home runs.

Minor struck out nine batters in the series opener against Philander Smith University on Saturday. He held the Panthers to one run on four hits, marking his third consecutive outing of only allowing one run. His performance helped the Tigers sweep the series. Minor ranks second in the HBCUAC with a 2.70 earned run average. He is fifth with 28 strikeouts.

Additional baseball weekly nominees: Jalen Ayers (Dillard), Malik Berrien (Rust), Caleb Carter (Tougaloo), Armand Daigre (Wiley), Emilio Duque (Talladega), Ethan Farrell (Voorhees), Emory Guilford (Voorhees), Tedrus Hamilton (Oakwood), Thedrick Harris (Stillman), Dontre Henry (Dillard), Ethan Jones (Wiley), Beau Spears (Wilberforce), Orlando Truss (Tougaloo), Jalen Ward (Rust), Quintez White (Wilberforce)

2025 Baseball Players of the Week

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.