GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Louisville junior two-way standout Brendan McKay has been voted the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches, while North Carolina junior J.B. Bukauskas received the nod as Pitcher of the Year.
North Carolina’s Ashton McGee was voted the ACC Freshman of the Year. Louisville junior shortstop Devin Hairston was voted the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while the Cardinals’ Dan McDonnell was selected as the ACC Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season.
McKay and Bukauskas head up the 2017 All-ACC Baseball Team, which was also announced on Monday.
The ACC Player of the Year honor is the second major conference award earned by McKay, who was voted the league’s ACC Freshman of Year in 2015. 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 RBIs. 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. McKay earned two spots on the All-ACC first team, as he was selected at both the utility/designated hitter spot and as a starting pitcher.
Bukauskas helped North Carolina to the ACC Coastal Division crown with an 8-0 record on the mound while striking out 106 batters and walking only 31 in 82 innings. The Ashburn, Virginia, native’s 1.87 ERA leads the conference. He was named to the D1Baseball and Rawlings/Perfect Game Midseason All-America first teams, earning Midseason Top Pitcher honors from D1Baseball.
McGee has also played a key role in the Tar Heels’ 44-11 season, leading the team with a .339 average with six home runs and 39 RBIs. The infielder from Pikeville, North Carolina, has appeared in 50 games during his first collegiate season with 49 starts, including all 30 of the Tar Heels’ ACC games.
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.
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 recently earned his 500th victory as a collegiate head coach, and Louisville has averaged more than 45 wins per year in his 11 seasons with the program.
McDonnell is the first in ACC history to earn three straight Coach of the Year honors.
McKay and Bukauskas are joined on this year’s All-ACC first team by catcher Ben Breazeale of Wake Forest, first basemen Pavin Smith of Virginia and Gavin Sheets of Wake Forest, second baseman Wade Bailey of Georgia Tech, third baseman Drew Ellis of Louisville, shortstop Logan Warmoth of North Carolina, outfielders Brian Miller of North Carolina, Adam Haseley of Virginia, Stuart Fairchild of Wake Forest and Reed Rohlman of Clemson, starting pitcher Tyler Holton of Florida State and relievers Lincoln Henzman of Louisville and Josh Hiatt of North Carolina.
Virginia’s Haseley leads all ACC hitters with a .400 batting average and also leads the league in on-base percentage (.498). Wake Forest’s Sheets leads the conference in home runs with 19 and leads the nation in RBIs with 77. Virginia’s Smith has driven in 70 runs to also rank among the nation’s leaders. Louisville’s Ellis tops all players with a .737 slugging percentage.
The Cardinals’ Henzman leads the league in saves with 16. Florida State’s Holton owns an 8-2 record and ranks just behind McKay in strikeout leaders with 109.
Division champions Louisville and North Carolina each filled four slots on the 16-member All-ACC first team. Wake Forest had three first-team selections, and two were chosen from Virginia.
A league-high nine spots on the All-ACC first, second, and third teams were filled by Wake Forest. Louisville had eight individuals recognized, followed by Clemson and Virginia with six apiece.
North Carolina’s McGee headed up this year’s ACC All-Freshman Team, and NC State placed a league-high three players on the 12-member squad. Florida State and North Carolina each had two selected to the team.
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
