Schlossnagle, Volantis earn high honors on SEC all-conference baseball lists

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Freshman pitcher Dylan Volantis and head coach Jim Schlossnagle earned superlatives in the Southeastern Conference season-ending awards list.

Volantis, tied for No. 6 in NCAA Division I with 12 saves, was named the SEC's freshman of the year, and Schlossnagle was tabbed the coach of the year after leading the Longhorns to the regular season championship with a 22-8 record. It was the first time in conference history that a school won the regular season championship in its first year as a member (excluding the first year of the SEC in 1933).

Catcher Rylan Galvan was named to the first team as a catcher alongside Volantis' nod as a relief pitcher. Volantis was also on the SEC all-freshman team. Coaches around the SEC voted on the awards.

Four Longhorns were named to the SEC all-defensive team. Along with Galvan behind the plate, Kimble Schuessler won the award at first base. This is the first year that he's played the position full-time. He began his collegiate career as a catcher at Texas A&M. Ethan Mendoza made the all-defensive team at second base and Will Gasparino grabbed one of the outfield spots.

Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy was named the player of the year and Tennessee's Liam Doyle earned pitcher of the year honors. Mississippi State's Ace Reese was named the newcomer of the year and Texas A&M pitcher Ryan Prager was the scholar-athlete of the year.

The Longhorns open SEC tournament play at 3 p.m. Thursday, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.