PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State first baseman Kyle Manzardo was named a first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball on Thursday.
The CDA native is WSU's first first-team All-America selection since pitcher Aaron Sele in 1990 and is the first position player to earn a first-team All-American selection since John Olerud in 1998. Collegiate Baseball only names one position player for each position to their first team, meaning that Manzardo was named the top first baseman in the country.
"I just feel very honored and humbled to have experienced it," Manzardo told KREM 2. "I kind of came here wanting to leave some kind of a mark on the program and I think I did that."
Manzardo was named a third-team All-American last season. With Thursday's honor, he becomes just the second player in WSU history to be a two-time All-American. The only other player to achieve that honor was Phill Westerndorf in 1975 and 1977.
"It's something else seeing your hard work come to fruition like this," Manzardo said.
The Lake City High alum finished this season fourth in the Pac-12 in hitting (.365), third in slugging (.640), second in RBI (60), tied for third in doubles (19), tied for ninth in home runs (11), and fourth in total bases (126).
Manzardo is one of just two players from the Pac-12 named to the first team. Arizona's Jacob Berry earned a spot as a designated hitter.