University of North Carolina Athletics
Moran Named Baseball America Freshman Of The Year
July 5, 2011 | Baseball
July 5, 2011
DURHAM, N.C. - Freshman third baseman Colin Moran was named Baseball America's Freshman of the Year on Tuesday after completing an impressive freshman campaign for the Tar Heels. Moran finished the season with a team-high .335 average and led the ACC in RBI with 71, the most for a Carolina freshman since Dustin Ackley had 74 in 2007. Left-handed pitcher Kent Emanuel was named to the All-Freshman First Team.
Moran's 71 RBI paced the ACC this season as he became the first freshman since Wake Forest's Jamie D'Antona in 2001 to lead the conference in RBI. The Rye, N.Y., native finished his initial campaign 12th in the country in RBI, while also drawing the 21st most walks with 47.
Moran becomes the third player in school history to garner the Baseball America Freshman of the Year Award joining Brian Roberts (1997) and Dustin Ackley (2007).
Fellow newcomer Kent Emanuel was named to the Baseball America Freshman All-America First Team for his performance in 2011. Emanuel finished the season with a 9-1 record to go along with a team-low 2.33 ERA in 104.1 innings pitched.
The Woodstock, Ga., native turned in a strikeout to walk ratio of 89 to 23 on the season while allowing opponents a .246 average. Emanuel saved his best start for last when he threw a shutout against Texas to keep the Tar Heels alive in the College World Series.
The Tar Heels were the only team to place two members on the first team.
