The Big Ten announced its end-of-season baseball individual award winners Tuesday afternoon, which featured three Maryland players: second baseman Nick Dunn, first baseman Kevin Biondic and pitcher Billy Phillips.
Dunn, who hit .330 this season, was featured on the All-Big Ten first team. The junior hit 10 home runs for the first time in his career after only hitting six in his first two seasons in College Park. He ranked fourth in the conference in total bases and third in doubles this season.
Dunn has played and started in all 172 games at Maryland, and now is projected to be selected within the first 10 rounds in the upcoming MLB Draft. He has 85 walks to just 67 strikeouts through three seasons, showcasing his ability to put the ball in play. He was consistently the best player on the field for Maryland in 2018.
Biondic earned All-Big Ten second team honors as a utility player, being noticed for his hitting, pitching and fielding. The senior came to College Park as a third baseman, but eventually transitioned into one of the best first baseman in the conference. Prior to the 2018 season, he even added pitching to his repertoire.
At the plate, Biondic hit .279 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. His four triples led the team, with no other player recording more than one. In his first year on the mound, Biondic finished with a 2.59 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.1 innings as one of the more reliable arms in the bullpen. For most of the year, the right-hander had an ERA below 1.00. In the field, Biondic recorded just one error toward a .998 fielding percentage.
One player on every team was also recognized for demonstrating sportsmanship, and left-handed pitcher Billy Phillips was the no-brainer decision as the Terps’ representative. After winning his battle with leukemia, Phillips has continued to overcome challenges in the face of adversity.
Pitching for the first time since high school, the southpaw pitched 20 innings and even started three games just months after being cleared to play. He earned his first-career win against James Madison, pitching four scoreless innings to help Maryland snap a six-game losing streak.