University of Louisville junior two-way standout Brendan McKay was named Monday as the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, junior shortstop Devin Hairston received the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year honor and Dan McDonnell earned his third straight Coach of the Year award.
Monday’s announcement marked the third straight season the Cardinals have received at least two of the ACC’s major individual honors and it is the ninth time in the last 11 seasons Louisville has claimed a conference Player or Pitcher of the Year award. McKay adds the prestigious Player of the Year honor to his 2015 Freshman of the Year award while also being tabbed as an All-ACC First Team selection as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter/utility player. McDonnell becomes the first skipper in ACC history to receive three consecutive Coach of the Year honors.
Along with the three major award winners, Louisville had four All-ACC First Team honorees as junior third baseman Drew Ellis and junior righthanded reliever Lincoln Henzman accompanied McKay’s two selections. Junior catcher Colby Fitch was named All-ACC Second Team, while freshman lefthanded starter Nick Bennett, Hairston and junior righty starter Kade McClure were All-ACC Third Team members. Bennett was also named to the All-Freshman Team.
A native of Darlington, Pennsylvania, McKay has led the Cardinals to the No. 1 seed in this week’s ACC Baseball Championship by ranking among the league’s leading hitters with a .361 batting average, 15 home runs and 47 RBI. On the mound, McKay owns an 8-3 record with a 2.22 ERA that ranks third among conference hurlers. His 116 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched leads the ACC.
In addition to several conference and national weekly honors, McKay was named the National Player of the Month of February by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the National Midseason Player of the Year by Perfect Game, the National Midseason Most Valuable Player by D1Baseball, and is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.
Hairston’s play at shortstop has loomed big for Louisville, as he has posted a sparkling .990 fielding percentage with just two errors in 209 chances. He has registered 75 putouts to go with 132 assists and has had a hand in turning 22 double plays. The Lexington, Kentucky native also has a .314 batting average with three home runs and 47 RBI while starting all 55 games this season.
McDonnell was again voted ACC Coach of the Year by his peers after guiding the Cardinals to a 46-9 overall regular-season mark, a 23-6 record in ACC play and a top-five national ranking throughout the season. McDonnell earned his 500th victory as a collegiate head coach on May 12, and Louisville has averaged more than 45 wins per year in his 11 seasons with the program.
Ellis leads the ACC in slugging percentage (.737), ranks second in batting average (.387) and on-base percentage (.481), third in home runs (15), seventh in doubles (18) and ninth in RBI (51) while starting all 55 games for Louisville. The Jeffersonville, Indiana native was selected as the National Player of the Month in April by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association after hitting .455 (30-for-66) in 19 games with five doubles, one triple and eight homers, 22 RBI and a .532 on-base percentage.
Henzman leads the nation with 16 saves to go with a 2-0 record, 1.16 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 31.0 innings pitched and 22 total relief appearances. Thirteen of the Lexington, Kentucky native’s 16 saves came against ACC foes, while opposing hitters are batting just .146 against him this season.
A native of Rocheport, Missouri, Fitch connected for 11 home runs, 11 doubles and 40 RBI while hitting .262 in 54 starts this season. Bennett, who hails from Cincinnati, accumulated a 5-0 record with a 2.47 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 58.1 innings and 13 total appearances, including 11 weekend starts.
McClure has a 7-2 record, 2.99 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 14 starts and 81.1 innings pitched. The Mentor, Ohio product has a 20-3 career record in three collegiate seasons to go along with 197 strikeouts in 191.2 innings.
Top-seeded Louisville will open its Pool A schedule at the 2017 ACC Championship against No. 12 Notre Dame on Thursday at 7 p.m., ET at Louisville Slugger Field. The Cardinals will close their preliminary slate against No. 8 Florida State on Friday at 3 p.m.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
2017 ALL-ACC BASEBALL HONORS
Player of the Year: Brendan McKay, Louisville
Pitcher of the Year: J.B. Bukauskas, North Carolina
Defensive Player of the Year: Devin Hairston, Louisville
Freshman of the Year: Ashton McGee, North Carolina
Coach of the Year: Dan McDonnell, Louisville
2017 All-ACC Baseball Teams
First Team
C – Ben Breazeale, Wake Forest
1B – Pavin Smith, Virginia
1B – Gavin Sheets, Wake Forest
2B – Wade Bailey, Georgia Tech
3B – Drew Ellis, Louisville
SS – Logan Warmoth, North Carolina
OF – Brian Miller, North Carolina
OF – Adam Haseley, Virginia
OF – Stuart Fairchild, Wake Forest
OF – Reed Rohlman, Clemson
DH/UT – Brendan McKay, Louisville
SP – Tyler Holton, Florida State
SP – Brendan McKay, Louisville
SP – J.B. Bukauskas, North Carolina
RP – Lincoln Henzman, Louisville
RP – Josh Hiatt, North Carolina
Second Team
C – Joey Bart, Georgia Tech
C – Colby Fitch, Louisville
1B – Sam Fragale, Virginia Tech
2B – Jake Mueller, Wake Forest
3B – Johnny Aiello, Wake Forest
SS – Joe Dunand, NC State
OF – Seth Beer, Clemson
OF – Griffin Conine, Duke
OF – Cameron Simmons, Virginia
OF – Tom Stoffel, Virginia Tech
DH/UT – Quincy Nieporte, Florida State
SP – Pat Krall, Clemson
SP – Jeb Bargfeldt, Miami
SP – Parker Dunshee, Wake Forest
SP – Connor Johnstone, Wake Forest
RP – Griffin Roberts, Wake Forest
Third Team
C – Robbie Coman, Virginia
1B – Andrew Cox, Clemson
2B – Jack Owens, Virginia Tech
3B – Dylan Busby, Florida State
3B – Trevor Craport, Georgia Tech
SS – Devin Hairston, Louisville
SS – Ernie Clement, Virginia
OF – Chase Pinder, Clemson
OF – Matt Vierling, Notre Dame
OF – Jonathan Pryor, Wake Forest
DH/UT – Brad Debo, NC State
SP – Charlie Barnes, Clemson
SP – Kade McClure, Louisville
SP – Nick Bennett, Louisville
SP – Gianluca Dalatri, North Carolina
RP – Tommy Doyle, Virginia
All-Freshman Team
SS – Logan Davidson, Clemson
OF – J.C. Flowers, Florida State
1B – Drew Mendoza, Florida State
SS – Austin Wilhite, Georgia Tech
SP – Nick Bennett, Louisville
SP – Gianluca Dalatri, North Carolina
DH/UT – Ashton McGee, North Carolina
SP – Michael Bienlien, NC State
DH/UT – Brad Debo, NC State
2B – Will Wilson, NC State
2B – Alex Amos, Pittsburgh
SP – Noah Murdock, Virginia
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