National seed for the second straight season, third time overall

For the third time in school history and the second straight season, Louisville was chosen by the NCAA Division I Selection Committee as a national seed for the 2016 NCAA Championship. Named as the No. 7 national seed in 2010 and No. 3 national seed in 2015, the Cardinals led the nation in RPI top 50 wins in 2016 with 20 (20-12 record overall) and was second overall in the RPI.

Winning at least 50 games for the fourth time ever, Louisville reached the 40-win plateau for the fifth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. The Cardinals have registered 40 or more regular season wins in four consecutive seasons, including matching a school record with 46 regular season wins in 2016 equaling the total accomplished in 2010 and 2013.

BACK-TO-BACK ACC ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

A year after setting the single season record for ACC wins in its debut campaign with a 25-5 conference mark, Louisville successfully defended its Atlantic Division title by winning seven of its 10 ACC series in 2016. The Cardinals, who have won five straight regular season conference championships, have lost just three of their 20 ACC series the last two seasons while compiling a 47-13 record during that stretch, including a 27-3 mark at home.

Since opening the gates at Jim Patterson Stadium in 2005, the Cardinals have won 77 percent of their games in the ballpark posting a 313-93 record (.770 winning percentage), including an impressive 36-3 mark during the 2016 season at the corner of Third and Central.

• Collectively, the Cardinals finished with a .322 (No. 6 nationally entering the week) batting average as eight players hit .309 or better while starting at least 27 games.

• Prior to the season-ending loss against UCSB on June 12, Louisville had won 186 straight games when entering the ninth inning with a lead dating back to May 2012.

• The Cardinals were 101-of-126 on stolen bases in 2016 (12th nationally) continuing the aggressive approach from Dan McDonnell. Louisville was fourth nationally with 127 stolen bases in 2015, second in the nation in 2014 with 133 and second in 2013 with 150.

• Conversely, Louisville’s opponents were just 23-for-47 on stolen bases this season as Will Smith threw out 12 of 27 attempts.

• Louisville allowed two or fewer earned runs in 36 of 64 games this season, a feat achieved in 36 of 65 games last season. In 2014, they did it in 40 of 67 games, while in 2013, they accomplished the task in 36 of 65 games.

• The Cardinals closed the season ranked second in hits allowed per nine innings, third in hits, third in sacrifice flies, third in shutouts, fifth in ERA, sixth in batting average, sixth in doubles, sixth in slugging percentage, sixth in WHIP, ninth in runs scored, 12th in stolen bases, 15th in fielding percentage, 15th in on-base percentage, 15th in strikeouts per nine innings, 19th in home runs, 20th in scoring, 21st in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 25th in hit by pitch and 26th in triples.

• Louisville closed the regular season leading the ACC in batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, doubles, RBI and opponents’ batting average.

Corey Ray: Closed the season ranked second in the nation in stolen bases, 30th in total bases and 33rd in home runs.

Blake Tiberi: Tied for team lead with 29 multiple-hit games and second with 15 multiple-RBI games.

Devin Hairston: All-ACC Third Team honoree ranked 11th in the ACC in hitting, 10th in runs.

Nick Solak: Received All-ACC Second Team honors and ranked third on the team in runs scored despite missing 17 games with hand injury.

Will Smith: Closed season ranked second in the ACC in hitting, sixth in on-base percentage and second in hit by pitch.

Colby Fitch: Delivered four of five home runs, 22 of 25 RBI in his 27 starts this season.

Danny Rosenbaum: Had 15 career home runs, team high 149 career starts and 206 games played while starting 54 games this season, including 28 straight.

Drew Ellis: Redshirt freshman had 30 starts this season in left field, one at third base and one at second base.

Devin Mann: While being called into everyday duty with the injury to Nick Solak, the freshman managed himself well hitting .307 with eight doubles, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored in the 19 starts.

Colin Lyman: Had 47 starts and 60 total games played this season with all 47 starts coming in right field.

Logan Taylor: Has played in 177 career games with 81 starts, including 44 starts this season.

Brendan McKay: Recorded eight or more strikeouts in 11 of his 17 starts this season and has finished with eight or more strikeouts 18 times in his career.

• McKay ranked seventh in the nation with 128 strikeouts this season.

• In 17 collegiate starts at Jim Patterson Stadium, McKay is 15-1 with a 1.56 ERA (20 earned runs in 115.0 IP) and 137 strikeouts.

• In 22 career appearances on the mound at home (including 17 starts), McKay is 16-1 with four saves, a 1.48 ERA (20 earned runs in 121.0 IP) and 149 strikeouts.

• At the plate, the All-ACC First Team utility player ranked ninth in the ACC in doubles.

Drew Harrington: ACC Pitcher of the Year allowed two or fewer earned runs in 14 of 17 starts this season.

• In 10 ACC starts, Harrington was 8-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 67.2 innings.

Kyle Funkhouser: Louisville’s career leader in wins (35), strikeouts (376), innings pitched (380.2) and starts (56). He also holds the school record for single season wins with 13 in 2014.

Kade McClure: Won 12 of 13 starts and was tied for fifth nationally in victories. Was also in the top 10 in the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per 9 IP.

Zack Burdi: Named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on May 16 after registering three saves during the week of May 10-15. He finished with nine strikeouts without surrendering a hit or a walk in 4.1 innings of shutout work against a trio of nationally ranked foes during that stretch.

Junior lefthander Drew Harrington was named 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and Dan McDonnell received his second straight ACC Coach of the Year award as the Cardinals led the way on May 23 with nine All-ACC honorees, including five first team selections. Harrington becomes the sixth Louisville player in the last 10 seasons to earn conference pitcher of the year honors as the Cardinals claimed two of the ACC’s four major awards for the second consecutive season. The Cardinals also registered five All-ACC First Team selections for the second straight year as Harrington was joined by junior relief pitcher Zack Burdi, junior outfielder Corey Ray and sophomore two-way standout Brendan McKay, who was named to the first team as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter/utility player. Junior second baseman Nick Solak was tabbed as a second team honoree, while junior catcher Will Smith, sophomore shortstop Devin Hairston and sophomore third baseman Blake Tiberi received third team accolades. Additionally, infielder Devin Mann was named to the ACC All-Freshman team.

The Louisville baseball program set a school record with three players selected in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, while seven of the team’s eight selections were among the first 115 players selected overall. Outfielder Corey Ray became the highest draft selection ever for the Cardinals going No. 5 overall to the Milwaukee Brewers. He was joined in the first round by pitcher Zack Burdi (No. 26, Chicago White Sox) and catcher Will Smith (No. 32, Los Angeles Dodgers). That trio was followed by infielder Nick Solak (2nd Round, No. 62, New York Yankees), pitcher Drew Harrington (3rd Round, No. 80, Atlanta Braves), infielder Blake Tiberi (3rd Round, No. 100, New York Mets), pitcher Kyle Funkhouser (4th Round, No. 115, Detroit Tigers) and pitcher Lincoln Henzman (31st Round, Seattle Mariners), who will return to Louisville.

The Louisville baseball team set a school record as seven different players received All-America honors in 2016. A record-high four members of the Louisville baseball team earned 2016 Louisville Slugger All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper, marking the first time in school history four Cardinals received All-America recognition from one organization.

Here is the complete list of Louisville’s 2016 All-America honorees:

• Zack Burdi (NCBWA First Team, Louisville Slugger Second Team)

• Devin Hairston (ABCA Third Team)

• Drew Harrington (Louisville Slugger First Team, NCBWA First Team, D1Baseball Second Team, Perfect Game Second Team)

• Kade McClure (NCBWA First Team, Perfect Game Third Team)

• Brendan McKay (ABCA First Team, Baseball America First Team, D1Baseball First Team, NCBWA First Team, Perfect Game Second Team, Louisville Slugger Third Team)

• Corey Ray (ABCA First Team, D1Baseball First Team, NCBWA First Team, Perfect Game First Team, Baseball America Second Team, Louisville Slugger Second Team)

• Nick Solak (D1Baseball Second Team, NCBWA Second Team, Perfect Game Second Team, Baseball America Third Team)

With its 2-0 win over No. 10 NC State on May 13, the Louisville baseball team set a school record with its 11th shutout of the season breaking the previous mark of 10 during the 2010 season. The Cardinals rank second nationally with the 11 shutouts, while five of those shutouts have come against ACC foes. The starting pitcher breakdown in those 11 shutouts includes four each for Drew Harrington and Brendan McKay, two for Kade McClure and one for Kyle Funkhouser.