NO. ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Junior Joel Valera (Boston, Mass.) of the 22nd-ranked Southern New Hampshire University baseball team was chosen as the NE10 Player of the Week for the period ending April 19, the league office announced Monday.

Valera becomes the fourth different NE10 Player of the Week this season for the Penmen, who have earned the honor five out of the nine weeks to this point.

Valera went 9-for-16 (.563) with three home runs, eight RBI and nine runs scored during a 4-1 week for SNHU. Seven of his nine hits went for extra bases and he also drew six walks to craft a slash line of .682/1.375/2.057. Valera was 6-for-8 with a walk, three doubles, a pair of home runs, six RBI and four runs scored in Friday's doubleheader split with Adelphi University.

Valera has started 29 of the 33 games he has played in this season and is batting .327 (37-113) with nine home runs, 35 RBI and 25 runs scored. He is getting on base at a .385 clip and slugging .646 for an OPS of 1.031. Valera has also made only five errors in 76 chances as the team's every-day third baseman for a fielding percentage of .934. He ranks sixth in the NE10 in home runs and seventh in slugging. Valera has a hit in 20 of his last 21 games, including six straight, while his streak of 21 straight games reaching base is second the second longest on the team. 

Valera and the Penmen (30-9) are back in action Tuesday, April 21 (3 p.m.) when they travel across town to take on Saint Anselm College.

For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. You can also sign up for text alerts and email newsletters to stay connected with your favorite SNHU teams.