Atlantic 10 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Atlantic 10 Conference released their end of season awards today, and eight George Mason players earned end of season accolades.

11 awards were given to those eight Patriots in five categories, the most among any school in the conference this season.

Highlighted by junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons earning Player of the Year, seven other Patriots garnered awards. All-Conference First Team included Quinn-Irons in the outfield, junior Owen Clyne at shortstop and junior Brandon Cassedy and graduate student Connor O'Hara for starting pitchers.

Sophomore outfielder Owen Hull earned All-Conference Second Team as an outfielder and designated hitter.

Freshmen Lucas Alberti and Andrew Raymond were named to the All-Rookie Team, and pitchers O'Hara and Gardner Meeks earned All-Academic Team spots.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES QUINN-IRONS
Quinn-Irons started all 55 games in George Mason's regular season and had a batting average of .410 (89-for-217). He led the team in hits (89), doubles, (22), home runs (14) and RBI (78), is second in runs scored (67) and stolen bases (28-34) and third in walks (35).

In his junior season campaign, the Reston, Va., native had 27 multi-hit games, 24 multi-RBI games and two multi-home run games.

He was a three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Week, the most of any player in the league. In overall stats, he led the conference in OPS (1.239), doubles (22) and total bases (157). He was second in batting average (.410), hits, (89), RBI (78) and on-base percentage (.515) and was fourth in slugging percentage (.724).

Among NCAA leaders (as of May 19), Quinn-Irons is third in the nation in RBI (78), seventh in hits (89), 13^th in total bases (157), 14^th in batting average (.410) and doubles (22), 16^th in on-base percentage (.515), 26^th in runs scored (67) and 41^st in slugging percentage (.724).

USA Baseball announced that junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons was named one of the 25 semifinalists for the 47^th Golden Spikes Award, the organization announced Sunday afternoon.

Quinn-Irons is the first Golden Spikes Award semifinalist in George Mason baseball program history.  The award is given annually to the best amateur baseball player in the nation.

ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

OWEN CLYNE - SHORTSTOP
Junior infielder Owen Clyne is batted .333 (73-for-219) and started all 55 games in the regular season.  The Wichita, Kan., native was third in hits (73) and stolen bases (19-26), fourth in walks (34), RBI (56) and runs scored (53) and fifth in home runs (4).

JAMES QUINN-IRONS - OUTFIELD
Quinn-Irons started all 55 games in George Mason's regular season and had a batting average of .410 (89-for-217). The Reston, Va., product led the team in hits (89), doubles, (22), home runs (14) and RBI (78), is second in runs scored (67) and stolen bases (28-34) and third in walks (35). He was a three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Week, the most of any player in the league.

BRANDON CASSEDY - STARTING PITCHER
Junior Brandon Cassedy (7-1, 3.00) was second in innings pitched (75.0) and strikeouts (72). The Manassas, Va., native won back-to-back A-10 Pitcher of the Week awards for May 5 and May 11. Among NCAA leaders, Cassedy was 48^th in earned run average (3.00) at the end of the regular season.

CONNOR O'HARA - STARTING PITCHER
On the mound in the regular season, graduate student Connor O'Hara (7-4, 2.98) led the team in starts (15), innings pitched (81.2) and strikeouts (81).

Against Atlantic 10 opponents, O'Hara was tied for the most wins (6), he was tied for the most games started (10), tied for the most complete games (1), second in strikeouts (63), third in innings pitched (60.2), seventh in both ERA (3.41) and opponent batting average (.246).

The Davie, Fla., native was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week on March 17 for his complete-game, five-hitter shutout victory over Dayton. Among NCAA leaders, O'Hara was 46^th in earned run average (2.98) at the end of the regular season.

ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

OWEN HULL - OUTFIELD & DESIGNATED HITTER
Sophomore utility player Owen Hull hit .382 (81-for-212) and started all 55 games in the regular season.  The Alexandria, Va., native paced the Patriots in runs scored (75), and stolen bases (39-44), is second in hits (81), doubles, (14) and home runs (7), second in walks (37) and third in RBI (58).

Among NCAA leaders (as of May 19), Hull is was seventh in the country in runs scored (75), ninth in stolen bases (39), 29^th in hits (81) and 45^th in batting average (.382).

Hull now holds the season record for most steals in a single regular season with 39. The previous record of 36 was set in 1992 by Lonnie Goldberg.

ALL-CONFERENCE ROOKIE TEAM

LUCAS ALBERTI
Freshman outfielder Lucas Alberti had a .335 average (70-for-209) and started all 55 games in the regular season. The Toronto, Ontario, native was third in home runs (5, tied with Andrew Raymond), doubles (12) and runs scored (56) fourth in hits (70) and stolen bases (16-23, tied with Butler) and fifth in RBI (44).

Alberti was named Rookie of the Week for the first time on May 11 for his 9-for-18 week that included an extension of his 12-game hitting streak and his first collegiate grand slam.

ANDREW RAYMOND
Freshman catcher Andrew Raymond batted .286 (44-for-154) in 45 games, in which he started in 44 as wither catcher of designated hitter. The Middletown, Md., product was third on the team in home runs (5, tied with Lucas Alberti), fifth in doubles (10), sixth in RBI (28) and seventh in hits (44).

ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

GARDNER MEEKS

Graduate student pitcher Gardner Meeks had a 3-1 record with a 2.86 ERA in 23 appearances. The Virginia Beach, Va., native led the club in saves (4), is second in ERA (2.86) and appearances (23) and fourth in innings pitched (50.1).

In his 15 appearances against A-10 opponents, he leads the league in ERA (1.89), lowest opponent batting average (.205), fewest runs allowed (10), fewest earned allowed (7) and fewest hits allowed (25), is tied for second in saves (4) and has the second fewest walks (7).

CONNOR O'HARA
On the mound in the regular season, graduate student Connor O'Hara (7-4, 2.98) led the team in starts (15), innings pitched (81.2) and strikeouts (81).

Against Atlantic 10 opponents, O'Hara was tied for the most wins (6), he was tied for the most games started (10), tied for the most complete games (1), second in strikeouts (63), third in innings pitched (60.2), seventh in both ERA (3.41) and opponent batting average (.246).

The Davie, Fla., native was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week on March 17 for his complete-game, five-hitter shutout victory over Dayton. Among NCAA leaders, O'Hara was 46^th in earned run average (2.98) at the end of the regular season.