Johnson And Norby Tabbed To NCBWA Preseason All-America Third Team
February 07, 2025 | Baseball
DALLAS, Texas – East Carolina senior outfielder Ryley Johnson and sophomore LHP Ethan Norby have been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-America Third Team according to an announcement by the organization Friday afternoon.
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The Pirates have boasted at least one NCBWA Preseason All-American every season since 2019.
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Johnson, the reigning American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the first ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient in program history, did not commit an error in 142 defensive chances last season as he started 60 games in center field and was one of three Pirates to play in all 63 contests. He also owns a 1.000 career fielding percentage with no miscues in 271 opportunities. At the plate, Johnson hit .339 with 75 runs scored, nine doubles, five triples, four home runs and 33 RBI. He also stole a team-best 23 bases in 26 attempts while drawing a squad-best 43 walks. Johnson began the season by reaching base safely in 44-straight games – the third-longest streak by an ECU player since 1998.
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Norby, who was selected a Freshman All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game in 2024, slotted into ECU's weekend rotation for the latter half of the season on the way to earning AAC All-Freshman Team accolades. He compiled a 4-0 record, 3.79 earned run average and two saves with 63 strikeouts against 25 walks in 59.1 innings of work. He started 10 games over 20 appearances and held opposing hitters to a .243 batting average. Norby collected his first collegiate victory in the UAB series finale March 30th, tossing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He nabbed additional victories over Old Dominion, NC State and Evansville. Norby also became the first Pirate pitcher to collect 10 or more strikeouts in a relief appearance since Jake Agnos in 2017 when he fanned 10 ODU batters in 4.2 frames in a 7-5 East Carolina victory April 10th.
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Both Johnson and Norby were named to the Preseason All-AAC Team back in December.
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East Carolina officially opens its 2025 campaign Friday, Feb. 14, when it hosts Atlantic 10 Conference outfit George Mason for a three-game set from Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
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The Pirates have boasted at least one NCBWA Preseason All-American every season since 2019.
Â
Johnson, the reigning American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the first ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award recipient in program history, did not commit an error in 142 defensive chances last season as he started 60 games in center field and was one of three Pirates to play in all 63 contests. He also owns a 1.000 career fielding percentage with no miscues in 271 opportunities. At the plate, Johnson hit .339 with 75 runs scored, nine doubles, five triples, four home runs and 33 RBI. He also stole a team-best 23 bases in 26 attempts while drawing a squad-best 43 walks. Johnson began the season by reaching base safely in 44-straight games – the third-longest streak by an ECU player since 1998.
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Norby, who was selected a Freshman All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game in 2024, slotted into ECU's weekend rotation for the latter half of the season on the way to earning AAC All-Freshman Team accolades. He compiled a 4-0 record, 3.79 earned run average and two saves with 63 strikeouts against 25 walks in 59.1 innings of work. He started 10 games over 20 appearances and held opposing hitters to a .243 batting average. Norby collected his first collegiate victory in the UAB series finale March 30th, tossing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He nabbed additional victories over Old Dominion, NC State and Evansville. Norby also became the first Pirate pitcher to collect 10 or more strikeouts in a relief appearance since Jake Agnos in 2017 when he fanned 10 ODU batters in 4.2 frames in a 7-5 East Carolina victory April 10th.
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Both Johnson and Norby were named to the Preseason All-AAC Team back in December.
Â
East Carolina officially opens its 2025 campaign Friday, Feb. 14, when it hosts Atlantic 10 Conference outfit George Mason for a three-game set from Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
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Players Mentioned
Outfield
/ Baseball
LHP
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