-ECU Athletics Media Release

RALEIGH, N.C. – East Carolina sophomore Connor Norby and junior Gavin Williams have both been named Baseball America First-Team All-Americans the publication announced Thursday. For the duo, it’s the third time they have earned All-America status this postseason following their Collegiate Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) selections.

Norby, the 2021 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award winner, garners his initial first-team All-America honors after being selected as a second-teamer by Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA. He closed out the 2021 season batting .415 where he currently leads the nation in hits (102) before the start of the College World Series. Norby also ranks among the national leader’s top-15 in total bases (fifth/162), hits per game (sixth/1.67), batting average (eighth) and runs (12th/64). The Pirates triple crown winner, who led the club in home runs (15) and runs, also stood atop the team stat columns in multi-hit games (33), slugging percentage (.659), on-base percentage (.484) and stolen bases (18), while sharing the lead in doubles (15) with Zach Agnos.

The Kernersville, N.C. native collected at least one hit in 53 of 61 games and plated at least one run in 27 contests (multiple 12 times). He was named the American Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year, First-Team All-AAC selection, NCBWA District Player-of-the-Year and was a First-Team American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Regional pick. Norby also set the school record with a 56-game on-base streak that started in 2020 and ended at USF on May 21, 2021.

Williams, the American Pitcher-of-the-Year, took home his third first-team All-America honor after posting a 10-1 record in 15 appearances (12 starts). He led the league and team in ERA (1.88), hits allowed per 9 innings (6.31), Ks per 9 innings (14.39), strikeouts (130), wins (10) and WHIP (0.96). The Fayetteville, N.C. native allowed just 18 runs (17 earned) on 57 hits in 81.1 innings and closed out the regular season standing second on ECU’s single-season strikeout list. Williams fanned 10 or more batters in a game six times tying his career-high with 13 in the Nashville Super Regional opener.

The right-hander went unbeaten during league play posting a 7-0 ledger where he struck out 69 batters and walked just nine. He surrendered just eight runs (all earned) on 29 hits in 41.1 innings and sported a 1.74 ERA.