Knapp Wins ACC Pitcher Of The Year, 7 Tar Heels Earn Conference Honors

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina ace Jake Knapp has been named ACC Pitcher of the Year as seven total Tar Heels earn spots on the All-ACC teams, the conference announced Monday afternoon.

Knapp, in the midst of an incredible comeback season after Tommy John surgery took away his 2024 campaign, earns the program's first pitcher of the year award since J.B. Bukauskas won in 2017. Knapp is the fifth Tar Heel to claim the honor.

The two-time captain wraps up a dominant stretch in conference play that saw him go 10-0 while leading the league in ERA, opposing batting average, innings pitched, and victories. Overall, his 11 wins is the most of any starting pitcher in the nation. His metrics have reflected his dominance, as he leads the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.69), WHIP (0.84), and walks allowed per nine (1.46).

He is joined on the All-ACC First Team by his catcher Luke Stevenson and first baseman Hunter Stokely. Fellow starter Jason Decaro and outfielder Kane Kepley made the second team while co-captain Jackson Van De Brake is on the third team.

Dynamic reliever Walker McDuffie earned himself a spot on the All-Freshman Team, the first pitcher to do so since 2017. Carolina's seven honorees were the third most in the conference and the program's second most since 2007.

Dick Howser Trophy and Buster Posey Award Semifinalist Luke Stevenson, who was a third-team and all-freshman honoree last year, garnered his first First Team selection by leading the team in home runs (16) and being top-11 in the nation in walks (53) while catching 32% of his attempted base stealers.

Stokely, another Tar Heel coming back strong from an injury that kept him out of the entire 2024 season, leads the team in batting average (.333), hits (67), and RBIs (53). He has 12 home runs this year, doubling his previous single season high of six in 2023.
Sophomore stud Jason DeCaro, still the youngest player on the team, has been a key piece of a Carolina arm barn that is fourth in the nation in ERA (3.44). He has an 8-3 record with a 3.38 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

Transfer outfielder Kane Kepley immediately filled a massive role as both the leadoff hitter and shut down defender in center field. He is third in the ACC in runs (61), second in stolen bases (35), and first in triples (6) while leading the nation's best defense in runs saved (72.40).

Senior Jackson Van De Brake claims his second career All-ACC honor thanks to a resurgent 2025 that has seen him hit .309 with 21 extra base hits and 45 RBIs. True freshman Walker McDuffie has been a stalwart out of the bullpen for the Tar Heels in his debut season, appearing 22 times and making four saves while recording a 3.25 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.

North Carolina ACC Award Winners
Pitcher of the Year: Jake Knapp

All-ACC
First Team
Luke Stevenson, C
Hunter Stokely, 1B
Jake Knapp, SP

Second Team
Kane Kepley, OF
Jason DeCaro, SP

Third Team
Jackson Van De Brake, 2B

Freshman Team
Walker McDuffie, RP

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Knapp Wins ACC Pitcher Of The Year, 7 Tar Heels Earn Conference Honors

Players Mentioned

Jason DeCaro

Kane Kepley

Jake Knapp

Walker McDuffie

Luke Stevenson

Hunter Stokely

Jackson Van De Brake

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