Donovan Tabbed First Team All-American by Jewish Sports Review
7/19/2017 1:35:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh baseball recent graduate Connor Donovan was tabbed a first team All-American (D-I) in the July/August 2017 edition of the Jewish Sports Review. Donovan was the only player to earn dual first team honors this year as he was selected as both a first baseman and a pitcher. He joins 19 other players on the first team from Division I programs across the nation.
Donovan capped off his career with the Brown and White in 2017 with his best career numbers both at the plate and on the mound. At the dish, he accumulated career-highs in batting average (.280), runs (30), hits (42), home runs (8), RBI (30), slugging percentage (.507) and on-base percentage (.384). On the bump, the right-hander assumed the role of a weekend starter for the first time in his career and posted career-best marks in earned-run average (2.11), wins (4), innings pitched (47.0) and opponent batting average (.229). He also posted career-highs in putouts (219) and assists (25) while fielding .988 at first base.
At the end of regular season play, Donovan's eight home runs finished third in the Patriot League, while his .507 slugging percentage ranked ninth in the league. He surrendered the fewest total runs (17) and earned runs (11) by a Patriot League starting pitcher. Donovan allowed just four extra-base hits on the season (1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR) which was the lowest total of any Lehigh pitcher who logged at least 8.1 innings of work this season and the lowest total of any Patriot League pitcher who logged at least 22.1 innings on the season.
Donovan has now earned an All-American honors by the Jewish Sports Review in consecutive years after receiving first team honors as a first baseman in 2016. For his career, Donovan is a three-time All-Patriot League selection, an ECAC All-Star, an Academic All-Patriot League selection and a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll honoree. He is just the 10th three-time All-Patriot League selection in Lehigh baseball history.
2017 Jewish Sports Review Baseball All-Americans (D-I)
Position Players
1B: Connor Donovan (Sr.) – Lehigh
1B: Adam Fogel (Fr.) – Hawaii
2B: Sam Shaikin (So.) – Valparaiso
SS: Zack Kone (So.) – Duke
SS: Aharon Modlin (Fr.) – Pepperdine
3B: Ryan Weisenberg (So.) – Georgetown
C: Jason Agresti (Jr.) – Binghamton
C: Albee Weiss (Jr.) – Cal State Northridge
OF: Sam Finfer (Sr.) – Marshall
OF: Lex Kaplan (Sr.) – Tulane
OF: Zach Racusin (Sr.) – Georgetown
DH: Benny Wanger (So.) – Yale
DH: Aaron Barnett (Sr.) – Pepperdine
Pitchers
RHP: Connor Donovan (Sr.) – Lehigh
RHP: Sam Delaplane (Sr.) – Eastern Michigan
RHP: Eric Brodkowitz (Jr.) – Yale
RHP: Brad Schwartz (Sr.) – Miami
LHP: Gabe Kleiman (Jr.) – Penn
RHP: Jordan Scheftz (Jr.) – Central Florida
RHP: Harrison Simon (Jr.) – Loyola Marymount
RHP: Sam Nepiarsky (Sr.) – UConn
Donovan capped off his career with the Brown and White in 2017 with his best career numbers both at the plate and on the mound. At the dish, he accumulated career-highs in batting average (.280), runs (30), hits (42), home runs (8), RBI (30), slugging percentage (.507) and on-base percentage (.384). On the bump, the right-hander assumed the role of a weekend starter for the first time in his career and posted career-best marks in earned-run average (2.11), wins (4), innings pitched (47.0) and opponent batting average (.229). He also posted career-highs in putouts (219) and assists (25) while fielding .988 at first base.
At the end of regular season play, Donovan's eight home runs finished third in the Patriot League, while his .507 slugging percentage ranked ninth in the league. He surrendered the fewest total runs (17) and earned runs (11) by a Patriot League starting pitcher. Donovan allowed just four extra-base hits on the season (1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR) which was the lowest total of any Lehigh pitcher who logged at least 8.1 innings of work this season and the lowest total of any Patriot League pitcher who logged at least 22.1 innings on the season.
Donovan has now earned an All-American honors by the Jewish Sports Review in consecutive years after receiving first team honors as a first baseman in 2016. For his career, Donovan is a three-time All-Patriot League selection, an ECAC All-Star, an Academic All-Patriot League selection and a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll honoree. He is just the 10th three-time All-Patriot League selection in Lehigh baseball history.
2017 Jewish Sports Review Baseball All-Americans (D-I)
Position Players
1B: Connor Donovan (Sr.) – Lehigh
1B: Adam Fogel (Fr.) – Hawaii
2B: Sam Shaikin (So.) – Valparaiso
SS: Zack Kone (So.) – Duke
SS: Aharon Modlin (Fr.) – Pepperdine
3B: Ryan Weisenberg (So.) – Georgetown
C: Jason Agresti (Jr.) – Binghamton
C: Albee Weiss (Jr.) – Cal State Northridge
OF: Sam Finfer (Sr.) – Marshall
OF: Lex Kaplan (Sr.) – Tulane
OF: Zach Racusin (Sr.) – Georgetown
DH: Benny Wanger (So.) – Yale
DH: Aaron Barnett (Sr.) – Pepperdine
Pitchers
RHP: Connor Donovan (Sr.) – Lehigh
RHP: Sam Delaplane (Sr.) – Eastern Michigan
RHP: Eric Brodkowitz (Jr.) – Yale
RHP: Brad Schwartz (Sr.) – Miami
LHP: Gabe Kleiman (Jr.) – Penn
RHP: Jordan Scheftz (Jr.) – Central Florida
RHP: Harrison Simon (Jr.) – Loyola Marymount
RHP: Sam Nepiarsky (Sr.) – UConn
Players Mentioned
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