MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (February 5, 2018) –West Virginia University junior right-handed pitcher/outfielder Braden Zarbnisky has been named to the Preseason All-America First Team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Zarbnisky, who was named to the NCBWA All-America Third Team last year, is the seventh Mountaineer in program history to earn preseason All-American accolades and the third since coach Randy Mazey took the helm in 2013. Zarbnisky joins Matt Schubert (1992) as the only Mountaineer to be recognized on the first team.
A Marietta, Georgia, native, Zarbnisky is named the first team’s utility player. He is the lone Big 12 player named to the first team and one of four who were named to one of the three NCBWA teams.
Along with earning Third Team All-America accolades in 2017, Zarbnisky was named the NCBWA District II Player of the Year and was a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award finalist. He also added All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors to a stellar sophomore campaign.
Zarbnisky played a key role in helping WVU reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years last season. He played in a total of 52 games, with 17 games where he pitched and played in the field or was the designated hitter.
At the plate, Zarbnisky led the team with a .336 batting and a .417 on-base percentage and finished second with 12 stolen bases in 12 attempts. He had 42 hits with 12 RBIs, 17 walks and 32 runs scored.
On the mound, Zarbnisky led the team in both wins and saves, with six apiece, earning a 6-2 record with a 2.75 ERA, second-best amongst pitchers with at least 3.0 innings pitched. In 39.1 innings pitched, he struck out 46, fourth-most on the team, and allowed 12 earned runs on 35 hits.
In his career, Zarbnisky owns a .304 batting average with 69 hits and 21 RBIs. He owns a 3.26 ERA and a record of 10-2 with six saves.
West Virginia, ranked No. 22 in the nationally in the D1Baseball Preseason Top 25, opens the 2018 season on Feb. 16, with a three-game series at Jacksonville. Twenty-four players from last year’s squad return in 2018, including nine of a program-record 12 that earned All-Big 12 Team honors in 2017.
Season tickets and mini-packages for the 2018 season are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets atWVUGAME.com, call 1-800-WVU GAME or visit the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
The 2018 schedule, with game times, can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. A printable PDFand schedule breakdown also are available on WVUsports.com.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Zarbnisky, who was named to the NCBWA All-America Third Team last year, is the seventh Mountaineer in program history to earn preseason All-American accolades and the third since coach Randy Mazey took the helm in 2013. Zarbnisky joins Matt Schubert (1992) as the only Mountaineer to be recognized on the first team.
A Marietta, Georgia, native, Zarbnisky is named the first team’s utility player. He is the lone Big 12 player named to the first team and one of four who were named to one of the three NCBWA teams.
Along with earning Third Team All-America accolades in 2017, Zarbnisky was named the NCBWA District II Player of the Year and was a John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award finalist. He also added All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors to a stellar sophomore campaign.
Zarbnisky played a key role in helping WVU reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years last season. He played in a total of 52 games, with 17 games where he pitched and played in the field or was the designated hitter.
At the plate, Zarbnisky led the team with a .336 batting and a .417 on-base percentage and finished second with 12 stolen bases in 12 attempts. He had 42 hits with 12 RBIs, 17 walks and 32 runs scored.
On the mound, Zarbnisky led the team in both wins and saves, with six apiece, earning a 6-2 record with a 2.75 ERA, second-best amongst pitchers with at least 3.0 innings pitched. In 39.1 innings pitched, he struck out 46, fourth-most on the team, and allowed 12 earned runs on 35 hits.
In his career, Zarbnisky owns a .304 batting average with 69 hits and 21 RBIs. He owns a 3.26 ERA and a record of 10-2 with six saves.
West Virginia, ranked No. 22 in the nationally in the D1Baseball Preseason Top 25, opens the 2018 season on Feb. 16, with a three-game series at Jacksonville. Twenty-four players from last year’s squad return in 2018, including nine of a program-record 12 that earned All-Big 12 Team honors in 2017.
Season tickets and mini-packages for the 2018 season are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets atWVUGAME.com, call 1-800-WVU GAME or visit the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
The 2018 schedule, with game times, can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. A printable PDFand schedule breakdown also are available on WVUsports.com.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
