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Wilson Named A-10 Baseball Player of the Year, More ‘Cats Earn Honors

by | May 24, 2023

Ryan Wilson named A-10 player of the year.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Davidson junior outfielder Ryan Wilson has been named Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year and four other Wildcats also earned league recognition, the A-10 announced Wednesday morning.

Wilson, of Durham, N.C., is the second Wildcat to earn the league’s top honor and also the second in as many years, following Michael Carico’s selection last season.

The Wildcats’ all-conference honorees.

An All-Conference Second Team pick last year, Wilson also earned First Team honors and a spot on the A-10 All-Academic Team.

Davidson pitchers Bennett Flynn and Will Schomberg join Wilson on the A-10 First Team, while catcher Jacob Friend earned Second Team honors. First baseman Michael O’Shaughnessy was named to the All-Rookie Team.

An all-around offensive threat, Wilson finished the regular season as the A-10 leader with 17 home runs, 68 runs scored, a .523 on-base percentage, a .743 slugging percentage, a 1.266 OPS and 28 hit-by-pitches (second nationally). He’s third in the A-10 with a .377 average and 136 total bases and sixth with 53 RBIs. He reached base — by hit, walk or hit-by-pitch — in all 51 games and extended that streak to 52 in Tuesday’s A-10 Tournament opener.

“Ryan’s been really good this year and has had an incredible career,” said Davidson coach Rucker Taylor. “He’s talented and combines that with a toughness and competitiveness that is hard to find. He does so many different things well on both sides of the ball and is a unique player. He works and takes his career seriously; it’s wonderful for him to be recognized for those efforts.” 

Senior righthanders Flynn and Schomberg have been among the A-10’s best all season.

Schomberg, of Clemmons, N.C., went 7-2 as the Friday starter, while Flynn went 4-1 with four saves, filling starting and relief roles as needed.

Flynn, of Mill Valley, Calif., ranks third in the A-10 with a 3.61 ERA, while Schomberg is fourth (3.73).

The First Team honor is the second for Flynn, who has a league-best 13.41 strikeouts per nine innings.

“Bennett and Schomby have led our staff,” said Taylor. “Will took a jump this year and really stabilized our staff and our team in a lot of ways. Bennett has been so good for so long during his career. He’s been a security blanket for us and has evolved and filled multiple roles this season.”  

Friend, a sophomore from Arlington, Va., has emerged late in the season once again a year after earning A-10 All-Championship Team honors last season. He closed the regular season fifth in the A-10 with a .470 on-base percentage and 10th with a 1.036 OPS. He hit .548 in the last three series and belted eight home runs in a seven-game stretch.

“Jacob really got going in the second half of the season,” said Taylor. “He spent a lot of time in the outfield, but took over behind the plate and has been huge for us. He has a lot of tools, has really developed over the season and is playing very well.” 

O’Shaughnessy, a freshman from Delmar, N.Y., hit .307 with 10 home runs and is among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.458) and HBPs (16). He scored 41 runs and drove in 41.

“Shaggy missed a lot of the fall but carried himself like a veteran this spring,” said Taylor. “He’s done a few different things for us and has been a steady presence that was needed this year. He has a chance to do a lot of great things in a Davidson uniform.” 

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