University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Three Heels Earn D1Baseball Preseason All-America Honors
January 20, 2026 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A trio of Carolina baseball players have been named preseason All-America by D1Baseball, the organization announced on Tuesday morning.
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Star pitchers Jason DeCaro and Walker McDuffie took spots on the second time while Gavin Gallaher wound up on the third team. It's the second preseason All-America nod for both DeCaro and Gallaher and the first for McDuffie, who garnered freshman All-America awards at the end of the 2025 season.
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The Tar Heels' three honorees were tied for the most of any team in the country alongside five other teams, including 2026 opponents Coastal Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Louisville.
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It is the second straight season earning a preseason All-America nod for DeCaro, who was named second team All-ACC in 2025 thanks to a 9-3 record with a 3.78 ERA. He was second on the team in innings thrown (83.1) while racking up 70 strikeouts on just 26 walks.
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McDuffie was an instant stalwart for the Tar Heels bullpen in his freshman season, racking up a team-high seven saves with a 3-3 record across 55.1 innings. He would finish the year with a 3.74 ERA on 72 strikeouts and just 25 walks.
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The junior Gallaher he slashed .325/.409/.603 with 17 home runs during a stellar sophomore campaign in 2025 while leading the team in hits (77) and RBIs (68). A nuclear run in the postseason earned him a second consecutive Chapel Hill Regional Most Outstanding Player award.
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DeCaro and McDuffie helped lead a pitching staff that had the third best ERA in the nation (3.47) and the best in the ACC for the second straight season. The duo, alongside Gallaher, pushed the Tar Heels to the program's 27th conference championship and 12th time hosting an NCAA Super Regional in 2025
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The Diamond Heels return to Boshamer Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13 for their season opener against Indiana.
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Star pitchers Jason DeCaro and Walker McDuffie took spots on the second time while Gavin Gallaher wound up on the third team. It's the second preseason All-America nod for both DeCaro and Gallaher and the first for McDuffie, who garnered freshman All-America awards at the end of the 2025 season.
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The Tar Heels' three honorees were tied for the most of any team in the country alongside five other teams, including 2026 opponents Coastal Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Louisville.
Â
It is the second straight season earning a preseason All-America nod for DeCaro, who was named second team All-ACC in 2025 thanks to a 9-3 record with a 3.78 ERA. He was second on the team in innings thrown (83.1) while racking up 70 strikeouts on just 26 walks.
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McDuffie was an instant stalwart for the Tar Heels bullpen in his freshman season, racking up a team-high seven saves with a 3-3 record across 55.1 innings. He would finish the year with a 3.74 ERA on 72 strikeouts and just 25 walks.
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The junior Gallaher he slashed .325/.409/.603 with 17 home runs during a stellar sophomore campaign in 2025 while leading the team in hits (77) and RBIs (68). A nuclear run in the postseason earned him a second consecutive Chapel Hill Regional Most Outstanding Player award.
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DeCaro and McDuffie helped lead a pitching staff that had the third best ERA in the nation (3.47) and the best in the ACC for the second straight season. The duo, alongside Gallaher, pushed the Tar Heels to the program's 27th conference championship and 12th time hosting an NCAA Super Regional in 2025
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The Diamond Heels return to Boshamer Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13 for their season opener against Indiana.
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