Zimmerman, O’Conner Take Top VaSID Baseball Honors

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- University of Virginia third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and Cavalier head coach Brian O’Conner earned top honors on the 2005 University Division All-State Baseball team chosen by the Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID).

     2005 VaSID University Division All-State Baseball Team

O’Connor, in his second season at Virginia, was named the VaSID Division I Baseball Coach of the Year for the second straight year after directing the Cavaliers to a 41-20 season, including a trip to the NCAA Regional.  O’Connor guided Virginia to the ACC tournament championship game this year as the Cavs posted the third most wins in school history.

Zimmerman, the fourth overall selection in the first round of this year’s Major League Baseball Draft, and a Second-team All-ACC selecton, was named to the All-State team as a third baseman.  He broke his own school record for hits in a single season (92), and led the Cavaliers in batting average (.393), hits, RBIs (59), doubles (18), triples (4), slugging percentage (.581), total bases (136) and stolen bases (17).  Zimmerman, an All-ACC tournament selection, was second on the squad in runs (51) and home runs (6). He was recently named a Second-team All-American by Baseball America and to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America Third-team.

Stacen Gant of George Mason was the only repeat selection on the first team of the VaSID squad.  Virginia led the way with four players on the 12-man first team, while George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth had three players each. Liberty and William & Mary filled the final two spots with one player each.  An honorable mention team was also named.