SPORTS

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Davidson outfielder Trevor Candelaria and relief pitcher Nolan DeVos have been named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team, the league announced Wednesday afternoon.

They are the first Wildcats named to the A-10 First Team since outfielder Will Robertson in 2017.

“First-team all-conference is a great honor for Nolan and Trevor,” said coach Rucker Taylor. “Both guys were consistent all year, and we leaned heavily on them at times. I think each would tell you team success is more important to them, but it’s outstanding for them to receive these individual honors.”

Candelaria, a junior from Durango, Colo., hit .285 with 11 home runs, 17 doubles and 32 RBIs. He led the team with a .960 OPS, a .576 slugging percentage and with 99 total bases, 13 stolen bases and 40 runs scored. He ranked third in the A-10 in doubles, fifth in home runs, seventh in steals and eighth in slugging percentage.

Candelaria was named A-10 Player of the Week on March 1, after hitting a game-winning two-run home run in the 16-14 series finale win over Toledo. He homered in three straight games at VCU last month.

“Trevor is a great player and even better person,” said Taylor. “He’s talented and respected by his teammates and coaches and was a leader the whole year with his play and actions. He battled through some injuries and was as consistent as anyone in the league in a tough year to do so. Incredibly happy for him and his success.”

A sophomore right-hander from nearby Harrisburg, DeVos led the A-10 with eight saves and finished the year 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in 19 appearances and 30.1 innings. He totaled 39 strikeouts to 14 walks, and in a seven-appearance stretch from March 23 to April 10, DeVos was 1-0 with five saves, an 0.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in seven innings.

In league play, DeVos was 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA and three saves.

“Nolan had a huge impact on our team this season,” said Taylor. “He parlayed success in his freshman year and took a jump this year to be a security blanket for us on the mound. We have a ton of confidence in him, and the team feeds off of him. Nolan’s worked hard and earned his success. His versatility and mentality were instrumental to us this season, and we’re excited for him moving forward.”

Candelaria and DeVos are the sixth and seventh Wildcats to be named to the First Team in baseball, also joining pitcher Clark Beeker and infielder Sam Foy from 2016 and first baseman David Daniels and outfielder Lee Miller in 2015.