Yovan named preseason All-America

EUGENE, Ore. – Collegiate Baseball has named Oregon junior starting pitcher Kenyon Yovan a second-team preseason All-American.

Yovan earned the honor after finishing last season with a 6-4 record and a 2.98 ERA with five saves and 98 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched. His 98 strikeouts were the fourth most in school history trailing only first-round Major League Draft picks David Peterson and Tyler Anderson (twice). In Pac-12 games, Yovan finished 6-3 with a 3.11 ERA.

The Ducks' ace started his sophomore season as the team's closer, picking up five saves in Oregon's first 16 games, before moving into the weekend rotation. In his 10 starts, Yovan compiled a 6-3 record with a 2.77 ERA while allowing opponents to hit just .204. He finished the season with eight quality starts and allowed two or fewer runs in eight different starts.

Yovan claimed Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors twice, the first coming after he held then-No. 3 Stanford to no runs on three hits in six innings while striking out nine in a 10-1 Oregon win. His second conference weekly honor came after he struck out 15, third most in Oregon history, in a 9-2 win over USC.

Yovan is just the fifth Duck during the modern era to claim first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors in back-to-back seasons. He claimed first-team honors in both 2016 and 2017, joining Anderson (2010 and 2011), Jimmie Sherfy (2012 and 2013), Tommy Thorpe (2013 and 2014) and Mitchell Tolman (2014 and 2015).

Yovan earned first-team preseason Collegiate Baseball All-America honors last season as a relief pitcher. As a freshman, he earned second-team All-America recognition from Collegiate Baseball after finishing his first season in Eugene with 15 saves and a 1.97 ERA as the team's closer.

Yovan Notes

Yovan enters his junior season with a 7-5 career record and a 2.70 ERA with 20 saves.
His 98 strikeouts last season were the fourth most in school history, trailing only two Major League Baseball first-round draft picks (David Peterson, Tyler Anderson-twice).
Yovan's 15 saves during his freshman season are the fourth most in school history.
Yovan ranks second all-time in career saves at Oregon with 20 and is sixth in games finished with 29.
Yovan has 134 career strikeouts with just 43 base on balls, while holding opposing hitters to a .207 batting average.
Yovan is one of just five Ducks to named first-team All-Pac-12 Conference in back-to-back seasons since baseball returned to Eugene.
Named an All-American following his freshman season by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball.
Named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America, D1Baseball, the NCBWA and Perfect Game after 2017 season.

University of Oregon Athletics

Players Mentioned

David Peterson

Kenyon Yovan

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