Academy of Art University Athletics

2021: 2020-21 Academic All-PacWest… 2020-21 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award… Appeared and started in 32 games, batting .308 (33-for-107; fourth-highest on ART U) with 16 runs scored and 15 RBI … Recorded five doubles, two triples and 42 total bases … Posted a .357 on-base percentage and .393 slugging percentage for a .750 OPS … Drew eight walks to 13 strikeouts while grounding into three double plays … Was 1-for-3 (.333) in stolen base opportunities … Tallied nine multi-hit games, including a trio of three-hit games … Notched five multi-RBI games … Had a season-long hitting streak and reached base safely streak of eight games … Laid down five sacrifice bunts, tied for third most in the PacWest … Made only one error all season for a .987 fielding percentage, eighth best in the PacWest … Game highs: At-bats – Five (three times; last: 4/3/21 at HNU) … Hits – Three (three times; last: 4/23/21 at HNU) … Doubles – Two (4/23/21 at HNU) … Triples – One (4/2/21 vs HNU) … Runs scored – Three (4/23/21 at HNU) … RBI – Two (five times; last: 4/24/21 vs HNU) … Walks – One (eight times; last: 5/22/21 vs APU) … Stolen bases – One (4/2/21 vs HNU).

Previous Experience: Niki is a sophomore transfer from Folsom Lake College ... started in 20 games as a sophomore, batting .342 with 26 hits, 16 runs, three doubles, and eight runs batted in across 88 plate appearances ... three-year varsity letter-winner in baseball at Soka High School ... West-Hyogo All-Star in 2015 ... vice captain as a senior.

Personal: Hayato Niki was born in Hyogo, Japan ... parents are Yasuko and Shinsaku Niki ... father played football at Soka University in Japan ... hopes to work on being part of a connection between America and Japan ... favorite TV show is Full House ... favorite food is ramen ... favorite song is "High On Life" by Martin Garrix ... life heroes are his parents and Ichiro ... favorite professional team is the San Francisco Giants ... enjoys listening to music loud ...  Communications & Media Technologies major.