EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern seniors Joe Hietpas (Appleton, Wis./North) and Michael Nall (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) were picked by the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in the Major League Baseball draft. The draft began yesterday and will continue through tomorrow.
Hietpas, a senior catcher, was the 493rd player (16th round) taken overall, while Nall was the 830th selection (28th round). This marks the 19th straight year a Wildcat has been taken in the draft, as the two became the 33rd and 34th Wildcats to be selected in the 14-year tenure of head coach Paul Stevens.
This year, Hietpas capped his NU career by etching his name on nine different career record lists. He became the school's all-time doubles leader with 56 in his four-year career. In addition, Hietpas finished his career second in RBI (158) and total bases (374) and third in home runs (27) and at-bats (700). Hietpas was named second team All-Big Ten this spring.
Nall, in just his second year as a Wildcat after transferring from Triton Junior College, emerged as one of NU's dominating forces on the mound. He ended the 2001 season with a 7-7 record and a 3.99 ERA. In 90.1 innings of work, Nall struck out 80 batters and held opposing batters to a .238 average.