SOMERSET, N.J. - The Northeast Conference (NEC) tabbed UMES catcher Jonathan Gonzalez Perez as the co-player of the week on April 14, 2026. 

"Jonathan was locked in this weekend," said head coach Danny Acosta. "He produced the number of RBI that we needed with his three home runs and was also very solid behind the dish. We are very happy and proud of him."

In the Hawks' midweek contest against Georgetown and three-game series against Delaware State, Gonzalez Perez recorded three multi-hit games en route to finishing the week 6-for-18 at the plate with three home runs, 10 RBI, and five runs scored. 

The senior catcher from Syracuse, New York, eclipsed his 10th home run of the season, becoming the first Hawk to record double-digit home runs since Faheem Hammett's 11-home run season in 1998.

At the end of week nine, Gonzalez Perez, who has been named an NEC Prime Performer in five of the nine weeks this season, ranks top ten in the NEC in six major statistical categories including being fifth in slugging percentage (.664), eighth in OPS (1.086), ninth in hits (40), second in RBI (44), third in home runs (10), and second in sacrifice flies (five). 

Since joining the conference in 2023, Jonathan Gonzalez Perez is the second Hawk to be named an NEC player of the week. The senior catcher joins his teammate Diego Aponte (2025 season) as the UMES baseball players to be named NEC Player of the Week. Gonzalez Perez is also the second UMES player to take home an NEC weekly award in the 2026 campaign, joining Richard De Jesus who previously won NEC Rookie of the Week and Pitcher of the Week in early March.

Gonzalez Perez, who was named to the Buster Posey Award Midseason Watchlist, is expected to make his next start in UMES' upcoming home weekend series against Mercyhurst starting on Friday, April 17.

For more info on the NEC weekly award winners: NEC Baseball Weekly Release (4/14) - NEC

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