Ako Thomas - Baseball Coach - University of Michigan Athletics

Ako Thomas

Title:
Volunteer Assistant Coach

Ako Thomas, a heralded U-M graduate and star infielder for head coach Erik Bakich, returns to the program in 2020 as a volunteer assistant coach. Thomas, a former Big Ten batting champion who enjoyed a lengthy career that saw him earn NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team honors, first-team All-Big Ten honors, Academic All-Big Ten accolades and ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast honors, will assist in all aspects of the program.

The Chicago, Ill. native earned his degree from U-M in 2019 with a health & fitness degree and remained a vital part of the Wolverines' program as a student assistant en route to becoming the official volunteer assistant.

Ako Thomas Career Synopsis
Senior (2019)
• NCAA College World Series All-Tournament Team selection
• Academic All-Big Ten selection
• Appeared in 64 games, starting all at second base
• Finished the season with a .267 batting average and 38 runs scored
• Recorded twelve multi-hit games on the season
• Posted a hit in every game of the College World Series
• Walked three times and scored twice in a win over Texas Tech in the College World Series (June 21)
• Drove in two of the Wolverines’ four runs in the Super Regional finale at UCLA (June 9)
• Totaled two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored in an NCAA Regional victory over Cincinnati (June 1)
• Tied his career-high with three RBI against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament (May 25)
• Went 1-for-2 with a home run at Nebraska (May 16)
• Tied his career-high with three runs scored against Northwestern (April 21)
• Hit his first career home run at Cal State Northridge to lead off the game (March 1)

Junior (2018)
• Reached base safely in 29 consecutive games to begin the season
• Missed part of the season due to injury
• Played in 45 games, making 45 starts in the infield
• Posted a .272 batting average with a .371 on-base percentage as a junior
• Totaled 38 runs with 10 doubles and 15 stolen bases
• Went 3-for-5 with three runs scored in a 9-2 win at Central Michigan (May 8)
• Tied his season-high with three hits in a 10-2 win at Iowa (April 28)
• Went 2-for-3 with a run scored in an 11-0 win over Delaware (March 31)
• Went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI against Michigan State (March 23)
• Knocked in the game-winner in a walk-off win over Western Michigan (March 21)
• Registered a season-high three RBI in a win over Oakland (March 20)
• Totaled a season-high three hits in wins over Bowling Green (March 16), Western Michigan (March 21) and at Iowa (April 28)

Sophomore (2017)
• All-Big Ten First Team selection
• ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region second team
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Finished the season with a .354 batting average and a team-leading .994 fielding percentage
• Compiled a 38-game reached-base streak before being sidelined due to injury
• Led Michigan and the Big Ten in batting average and on-base percentage
• Tallied a season-high four hits against Illinois (Apr. 8) and Michigan State (Apr. 18)
• Stole a career-high four bases against Seton Hall (Feb. 19)
• Tied his career-high with three runs scored against Michigan State (Apr. 18)
• Went 3-for-4 with two RBI at Loyola Marymount (Mar. 1)
• Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in a 14-4 win over Oklahoma (Apr. 14)

Freshman (2016)
• Led Michigan freshmen with 53 appearances and 52 starts
• Recorded nine multi-hit games on the season
• Blasted an RBI single to knock in the game-winning run in an 11-inning victory over Michigan State (Apr. 29)
• Tallied a career-high three hits against Minnesota (Apr. 8) and at Illinois (May 20)
• Recorded a career/season-high three RBI in a 7-2 victory over Nebraska (Apr. 16), driving in Michigan's first three runs for the defining lead
• Led the Big Ten Conference with 11 sacrifice bunts on the year
• Made his collegiate debut in the season opener against Canisius (Feb. 19)

Prep
• Graduated from Mount Carmel High School (2015)
• Guided his team to a 2015 state runner-up title as a senior and a 2013 state championship as a sophomore
• Earned Chicago Catholic League All-Conference Recognition as a junior
• Named to the Illinois High School Association First Team All-State during junior season
• Named to the Daily Southtown's First Team All-Area team as a senior
• Was a Chicago Catholic League All-Conference team selection as a senior
• Spent the 2011 season playing for USA Baseball
• Four-year Honor Roll recipient and member of the National Honor Society
• Ended junior season with a .419 batting average and 31 RBI
• Finished senior campaign with a .397 batting average and four home runs

Personal
• Ako Ronald Thomas was born Jan. 26, 1997
• Graduated from U-M's College of Kinesiology in 2019 as a Health & Fitness major
• Son of Zebedee and Reeshemah Thomas
• Has two brothers