Trio of Cardinals Named NCBWA Preseason All-Americans
January 31, 2017 | Baseball
McKay, McClure receive First Team honors, Hairston tabbed for Second Team
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville juniors Brendan McKay and Kade McClure were named Tuesday as preseason First Team All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, while junior Devin Hairston was chosen for the Second Team.
This was the fourth preseason honor for McKay, who was selected as the preseason National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper and was a first team pick by Baseball America and Perfect Game. Today's announcement was the second preseason honor for McClure, who was a third team choice by Perfect Game, and it was the first preseason honor for Hairston.
McKay, a lefty pitcher and first baseman from Darlington, Pennsylvania, was tabbed as the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year and earned First Team All-America honors in each of his first two collegiate seasons. As a sophomore in 2016, McKay had a 12-4 record with a 2.30 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 17 starts on the mound, while hitting .333 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 41 RBI at the plate. The two-time All-ACC First Team selection also had a stellar summer hitting .326 with five RBI in 13 starts as a hitter and registering a 2-1 record with a 1.35 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 13.1 innings on the mound for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
McKay emerged on the scene with an impressive rookie season in 2015 when he was selected as national Freshman of the Year by four different organizations, was a First Team All-American and won his first John Olerud Award. McKay closed his first season at Louisville with a 9-3 record, 1.77 ERA, four saves and 117 strikeouts in 96.2 innings on the mound while also hitting .308 with four home runs, 34 RBI and 14 doubles in 58 starts as a hitter.
In his first season in a starting role, McClure earned All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (First Team) and Perfect Game (Third Team) after finishing 12-0 with a 2.54 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 13 starts and 15 total appearances on the mound. The 12 wins ranked as the second most in school history and placed the righthander from Mentor, Ohio, fifth in the nation in victories last season.
Hairston, a shortstop from Lexington, Kentucky, received Third Team All-America recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association and was an All-ACC Third Team honoree last season after hitting .361 with three home runs, 45 RBI, 16 doubles and a team-high 56 runs scored. Hairston is a two-time NCAA Louisville Regional All-Tournament selection, including earning Most Outstanding Player accolades as a freshman in 2015.
The No. 6 Cardinals will open the 2017 season on Feb. 17-19 in Clearwater, Florida with a trio of games at Spectrum Field, the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Louisville will face Alabama State on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m., ET, No. 22 Maryland on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., and Ball State on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. The 2017 home-opener for the Cardinals is set for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium against Eastern Kentucky.
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