Teel, Early, Gelof named All-Americans by NCBWA

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Posted on Wednesday, Jun. 14, 2023, 4:00 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photos: UVA Athletics

Kyle Teel and Connelly Early were named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association First Team All-Americans on Wednesday. For the second-straight season, Jake Gelof was selected as an All-American at third base, earning second team honors in 2023.

Virginia was one of six schools (Florida, Stanford, LSU, Clemson & Wake Forest) to have multiple first team selections and was one of three programs (LSU, Stanford) with both a position player and a pitcher. Virginia has been represented on the NCBWA All-America team each of the last three seasons. It marks on the second time in program history (2010) UVA has sported two first teamers on the organization’s All-America squad.

Teel, a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy annually awarded by the NCBWA, is batting .417 (105-for-251) with 67 runs scored, 25 doubles, 13 homers and 69 RBI. He was voted the ACC Player of the Year and is one of three finalists for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award. Teel has established single-season school records in hits (105) and doubles (25) in 2023.

Early garnered All-America honors for the first time in his career. The lefthander is 12-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 82.1 innings pitched this season. He has fanned 98 batters while walking only 20 in 18 appearances on the mound. In two postseason starts, he’s allowed two earned runs in 13 innings pitched and was named the NCAA Charlottesville Regional Most Outstanding Player. The 12 wins in 2023 are tied for the most ever in a single season by a UVA pitcher.

Gelof, a third team honoree last season, becomes UVA’s fourth, two-time NCBWA All-American joining Adam Haseley (2016, 2017), Matt Thaiss (2015, 2016) and Danny Hultzen (2009, 2010, 2011). Gelof broke UVA’s single-season home run record with 23 and eclipsed his own single-season RBI record with 89 in 2023. Gelof is UVA’s career leader in home runs (48) and RBI (185).

In addition, Gelof, Griff O’Ferrall and Teel were all listed as American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings First Team All-Atlantic Region honorees on Wednesday. The three first-team selections are tied for the most in program history.

The ABCA Atlantic Region is comprised of 40 schools along the East Coast. As first team honorees, Gelof, O’Ferrall and Teel are now eligible for the ABCA All-America team scheduled to be announced later this summer.

Multiple Cavaliers have been placed on the first team eight times, including each of the last three seasons. Virginia has produced three first teamers, three times – 2011, 2014 & 2023. UVA has had a representative on the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region team in 15 of the last 16 years a team has been selected. Under head coach Brian O’Connor, 35 Cavaliers have garnered All-Region accolades and 15 have gone on to earn All-America honors.

First Team All-Region selections are nominated for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-America teams will be announced the morning of Friday, June 16 prior to the start of the 2023 NCAA Div. I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

The finalists for the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I Gold Glove team will be announced via Twitter by Rawlings Sporting Goods (@RawlingsSports) on Tuesday, June 20. The Gold Glove winners in all divisions will be announced on Wednesday, June 21.