>>Three Illini Collect NCBWA All-American Honors
A school-record three Fighting Illini baseball players were named NCBWA All-Americans on Wednesday. Junior LHP Tyler Jay notched first-team honors as a relief pitcher, junior LHP Kevin Duchene collected second-team honors as a starting pitcher and senior David Kerian was a second-team selection at first base.
All three Illini were selected in the 2015 MLB Draft and were named Louisville Slugger All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper earlier this year. Jay is the first Illini since Justin Parr in 2013 to earn first-team accolades. Duchene, who was a Freshman All-American in 2013, and Kerian both were honored with the laurel for the first time by the NCBWA.
>>Six More Illini Selected on Day Three of MLB Draft
On the final day of the 2015 MLB Draft, six more Illini were drafted, setting a school record with nine total selections, which led the Big Ten and was tied for third in the nation. The previous Illinois school record was six selections in 1985.
Catcher Jason Goldstein (No. 284 - 17th round) was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers followed by shortstop Adam Walton (No. 613 - 20th round) by the Baltimore Orioles, RHP Nick Blackburn (No. 659 - 22nd round) by the New York Mets, LHP Rob McDonnell (No. 762 - 25th round) by the Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP Drasen Johnson (No. 767 - 26th round) by the Colorado Rockies and outfielder Ryan Nagle (No. 817 - 27th round) by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Illini had the third most players selected in NCAA Division I behind Oklahoma (11), UC-Santa Barbara (10) and tied with Arizona State, Florida, and Vanderbilt.
