UVA’s Brian O’Connor named national college baseball coach of the year

Appearing on every single ballot, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor waltzed away with National Coach of the Year honors by the National College Baseball Writers Association on Saturday.

Voted on by the NCBWA Board of Directors, the list of candidates for the award included the eight coaches from the teams at the College World Series and every Division I coach honored as the conference coach of the year.

O’Connor received the award at the Omaha Press Club.

“It is quite an honor,“ said O’Connor, who was preparing for the Cavaliers CWS opener against LSU. “This award belongs as much to me as it does to my players and my assistant coaches.“

O’Connor led Virginia to its first ACC tournament championship since 1996, a program-best 48 wins and its first-ever berth in a super regional.