Ward becomes first NCBWA All-American in DI program history

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University baseball redshirt freshman Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) was named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Third Team All-American.

The honor caps a historic season for Ward, one in which he earned four All-American citations and three Freshman All-American citations. Ward also earned Co-National Freshman Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball and became the first player in Northeast Conference baseball history to earn Player and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season.

Ward, the NCBWA District I Player of the Year, still leads the nation in hits per game (1.89) and ranks fourth in hits (101) and batting average (.409). He finished the year with 22 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 52 RBI, 51 runs scored and a program-record 157 total bases. Ward also struck out just 10 times on the year, ranking as the fifth toughest player to strikeout in the country.