Secaucus, N.J. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior right-handed pitcher Caleb Boushley of Hortonville (H.S.) was taken in the 33rd Round of the 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft Wednesday afternoon by the San Diego Padres. Boushley was the 978th player selected in this year's draft. 

"It was a big sigh of relief (getting drafted)," said Boushley. "I was waiting around to see if anything was going to happen and I'm thankful it worked out. I saw it online I was drafted and the Padres called me about five minutes later."

Boushley will fly to Phoenix, Arizona Sunday for workouts and then be assigned to a team.  "We (family) are really happy, my mom is pretty overcome with joy, maybe a little more than I am," said Boushley. "It's pretty surreal.  As a kid, it was pretty to much be a professional in whatever sport I was playing."

He is the 11th player in UWL history to be drafted, including the second straight by the San Diego Padres. Outfielder Taylor Kohlwey was taken by the Padres in the 21st round in 2016.

"Taylor was one of the first people I talked to after getting drafted," said Boushley. "It's really nice to know someone in the organization and Taylor is a really good friend of mine. To maybe have a chance to play with him again would be really awesome."

UWL outfielder Charles Landis (1967, New York Mets) and pitcher Jerry Augustine (1974, Milwaukee Brewers) were both taken in the 15th Round, the highest draft choices in school history.  Pitchers Tom Klawitter (1980, Los Angeles Dodgers) and Joe Ohm (1998, Chicago Cubs) were both drafted in the 19th Round while pitcher Jack Gurholt (1979, Minnesota Twins) was a 20th Round selection.

Other UWL players drafted include pitchers Joel Effertz (2013, Miami Marlins, 28th Round), Dick Seidel (1982, New York Yankees, 29th Round), Dean Rockweiler (1986, Montreal Expos, 32nd Round) and Andy Elskamp (2000, Philadelphia Phillies, 36th Round).

Boushley was named to the 2017 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-America Second Team.  It marked the second straight season he earned ABCA/Rawlings All-America accolades after being selected to the 2016 first team. Boushley is the second player in school history to earn multiple ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors, joining Kohlwey, who was named to the 2014, 2015 and 2016 ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team. Boushley is a two-time (2016, 2017) ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region First Team selection and became the first pitcher in school history to earn the ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year award in 2016. 

Named to the 2017 D3baseball.com All-America Second Team, Boushley earned his second career D3baseball.com honor after being selected to the first team in 2016.  He is the third player in school history to earn multiple D3baseball.com All-America honors.  Kohlwey was a 2014, 2015 and 2016 first team choice while Justin Anderson earned 2015 honorable mention accolades and 2016 first team honors.

A two-time (2016, 2017) D3baseball.com All-Midwest Region First Team selection, Boushley was named the 2016 D3baseball.com All-Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year. He was voted to the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Division III Midwest Region All-Tournament Team.

A 2016 and 2017 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) First Team selection, Boushley finished 9-3 this season with a 1.75 earned run average. He led the WIAC in earned run average, innings (103.0), strikeouts (106) and starts (13) in 2017 while being tied for the league lead in wins (9) and opponents batting average (.202).  Boushley led UWL with six complete-games and three shutouts, allowing 20 earned runs in a school record 103.0 innings. He broke his own school record of 94.0 innings in 2016.  Boushley's 106 strikeouts in 2017 set a single-season school record, breaking the record of 86 by Dave Benedict in 1950.

Named the WIAC Pitcher of the Week a league-high four times in 2017, Boushley  pitched at least 7.0 innings in 12 of his 13 starts.  He allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 starts while recording at least seven strikeouts in nine contests. Boushley had a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 5-0 win at UW-Oshkosh April 13 and in a 11-0 victory at UW-Platteville May 5.  His three shutouts in 2017 ties the single-season UWL record held by Marc Nordstrom in 1987 and Mike Larson in 1991. Boushley was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division III Pitcher of the Week after his victory over UW-Platteville May 5.

Boushley ranks first in school history in wins (24), innings (264.2) and strikeouts (227) and second in career earned run average (2.28).  A transfer from UW-Fox Valley, Boushley finished 24-5 in his three-year career at UWL with 10 complete-games and four shutouts (second in school history).

"It was a lot of fun at UWL, obviously the playing career was very good for me," said Boushley. "We had unbelievable teams the past the three years, but it's more about the friendships and relationships I built there. Those friendships will last a lifetime."

He went 3-1 in WIAC play in 2017 with three complete-games and two shutouts. Boushley earned his second career save in the Eagles' 7-4 win over UW-Stout April 23. He held league opponents to a .185 batting average.

UWL finished 31-19 overall and 11-9 in the WIAC this season. It marked the Eagles' fourth 30-win season in school history, including third straight. UWL won a school record 39 games in 2016 while winning 36 games in 2015 and 34 in 2012.  The Eagles advanced to the 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Midwest Regional Championship game for the third straight season.