May 23, 2016
Nashville, Tenn. – Six Vanderbilt Commodores earned honors from the Southeastern Conference’s coaches in the league’s annual postseason awards.
Jeren Kendall, Bryan Reynolds and Kyle Wright all earned All-SEC second team accolades. Kendall has built a strong sophomore season leading the Commodores into the postseason with a .330 average and 26 stolen bases. The Holmen, Wisc. native started out with a bang on opening weekend going 10-for-15 with three home runs to earn SEC and National Player of the Week honors. Kendall’s 26 stolen bases are the most by a Commodore since Tony Kemp swiped 34 bases en route to earning SEC Player of the Year honors in 2013. Kendall is also one triple shy of matching Kemp’s and Ryan Klosterman’s single-season school record.
Reynolds, along with Kendall, has started all 56 games for Vanderbilt this season hitting .325 with a team-leading 12 home runs. The Brentwood, Tenn. native has hit 10 of his 12 home runs during league play, including a two-run shot over the weekend against Auburn. Reynolds was a member of the 2014 SEC All-Freshman team and along with Kendal becomes the first VU outfielders to earn All-SEC recognition since Mike Yastrzemski and Connor Harrell in 2013.
Wright has been outstanding for the Commodores as a sophomore, turning it on down the stretch winning each of his last four starts in the regular season. The right-hander was named SEC Pitcher of the Week for his three-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts at No. 1 Florida two weeks ago. The Huntsville, Ala. native leads the Dores and the league with a 1.76 ERA entering the SEC Tournament. Wright and Kendall will suit up for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team this summer.
Connor Kaiser and Ethan Paul were named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Kaiser took over as the Commodores’ starting shortstop in early April and has started every game at shortstop since. In his 22 games in the league the Overland Park, Kan. product hit .271 with 12 RBI and 10 runs scored. Paul played in 24 SEC games and hit .274, third-best on the roster, with seven doubles and 10 RBI. The Bellevue, Wash. Native has started games for the Commodores at designated hitter, shortstop, second base and first base in his first season on West End. The duo joins fellow teammates Reynolds, Kendall, Wright and Will Toffey to earn Freshman All-SEC status.
Jordan Sheffield earned SEC All-Defensive team honors. The Vandy ace has been great for the Commodores going 8-4 with a 2.38 ERA and a team-high 101 strikeouts. The Tullahoma, Tenn. native earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors three times during the season and amassed a 24-inning scoreless streak over three starts. The athletic Sheffield has made just one error this season.
Ryan Johnson was named to the SEC’s Community Service Team last week. The Cedar Park, Texas product volunteered with Full Count Ministries this year.
Vanderbilt has placed at least one student-athlete on the All-SEC team in each of head coach Tim Corbin’s 14 seasons at the helm dating back to left-hander Jeremy Sowers in 2003 on Corbin’s first team. Under Corbin, Vanderbilt has seen 40 All-SEC selections and 19 Freshman All-SEC members.