GREENSBORO, N.C. – Recent graduate John Thrasher from the Hartford baseball team was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Northeast Region Second Team. Thrasher, who is coming off a season that saw him become the fourth player in program history to earn America East Player of the Year honors, led the Hawks in nearly every offensive category this spring.
 
"I am very happy for John," said head coach Justin Blood. He had an unbelievable season. He was recognized as the best player in our league, and now to be recognized as one of the very best players in the region is a great honor for him and our program."

A native of Ridgefield, Conn., Thrasher enjoyed a breakout campaign for the Hawks at the plate, ranking first in the America East in batting average (.369), slugging percentage (.680), on-base percentage (.470), runs per game (1.03) and stolen bases (37). He led the nation in stolen bases per game (1.03), while his 37 swipes were third in the nation.
 
Thrasher inked his name atop Hartford's record book this season. His 37 stolen bases in 2021 are the most recorded in a single season, while his 69 career swipes are also a program record.
 
With Thrasher's award, Hartford has now combined for seven ABCA All-Region honorees, all of which have come under Blood, who just completed his 10th season with the Hawks. Sean Newcomb became the first Hawk to receive the award in 2014, while Ben Bengtson, David MacKinnon and Erik Ostberg were each named ABCA All-Region in 2016. Ashton Bardzell received the distinction as a sophomore in 2017, while Nick Campana took home the honors in 2018 as a senior.
 
The Hawks closed out their season with an 18-20 record on the season and in conference play, narrowly missing a berth at the America East Championship.
 
Each of the eight regions includes a 13-member First Team and Second Team, which are voted on by members of the ABCA. Leading the voting process is the ABCA NCAA Division I All-America Committee. 
 
Founded in 1945, the ABCA is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include eight divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School and Youth.
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