DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia baseball team had a pair of players named to the 2024 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference teams as announced by the league Thursday afternoon. 

Redshirt sophomore first baseman Phillip Ard was named to the 2024 PBC All-Conference second team after a stellar season with the Nighthawks. The slugger dazzled Nighthawk fans in what was effectively his first season as a collegiate player.

In the regular season, Ard led UNG in home runs (11), batting average (.335), slugging percentage (.620), on base percentage (.454), total bases (111) and walks (39).

He was named the PBC Baseball Player of the Week back on Apr. 1 after going 4-for-10 (.400) with three home runs, four RBIs, four runs scored and two walks in a three-game series against then No. 15 Georgia Southwestern.

Joining Ard on the All-Conference honor roll was senior pitcher Jacob Lassiat. 

Lassiat earned the Elite 18 Award presented by Barnes & Noble College. The Elite 18 Award is presented at each of the PBC's 18 championships to the competing student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA. 

Lassiat, Ard and the rest of the crew are on their way to Milledgeville, Ga. to compete in the 2024 PBC Baseball Tournament this weekend. The Nighthawks begin their trek through the postseason as the sixth-seeded team, facing third-seeded Columbus State on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m.