North Carolina State University Athletics
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
Groover III Named to Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List
2/15/2023 4:36:00 PM | Baseball
FORT WORTH, Texas – NC State infielder LuJames Groover III was named to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List on Wednesday.
Groover III, who on Friday was one of just 55 student-athletes named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, is one of just 51 players across the country tabbed to the Bobby Bragan watch list.
The award, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, was open to nominations from all Division I baseball programs in the country. The BBNCSA is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
In his first season with the Pack in 2022, Groover III earned Second Team All-ACC honors after leading the Wolfpack offense with a .364 batting average, 86 hits, 16 doubles and a .440 on-base percentage. He also finished second on the team with 65 runs scored and fourth on the team with 10 home runs.
The junior tallied at least one hit in 48 of the Pack's 57 games this past season, reaching base safely in 50 contests. He also led the Wolfpack with 27 multi-hit games, including a team-high 11 three-hit outings.
Groover III produced in the clutch for the Pack a season ago, hitting a game-winning home run in the team's extra-inning thriller against Quinnipiac on Feb. 26. He also scored the game-winning runs in back-to-back walk-off against UNCW (April 12) and Boston College (April 15).
The winner of the BBNCSA will be announced in June and honored at a gala in the fall at the Fort Worth Club. Texas Tech's Hunter Hargrove won the initial BBNCSA in 2017. Dallas Baptist's Devlin Granberg took home the honor in 2018 with Texas Tech's Josh Jung winning the award in 2019. Connor Norby from East Carolina University won the BBNCSA in 2021. Last year's winner was Ivan Melendez from the University of Texas.
Groover III and the Wolfpack open the 2023 season on Friday against Wagner. First pitch at Doak Field at Dail Park is set for 3 p.m.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Groover III, who on Friday was one of just 55 student-athletes named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, is one of just 51 players across the country tabbed to the Bobby Bragan watch list.
The award, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, was open to nominations from all Division I baseball programs in the country. The BBNCSA is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
In his first season with the Pack in 2022, Groover III earned Second Team All-ACC honors after leading the Wolfpack offense with a .364 batting average, 86 hits, 16 doubles and a .440 on-base percentage. He also finished second on the team with 65 runs scored and fourth on the team with 10 home runs.
The junior tallied at least one hit in 48 of the Pack's 57 games this past season, reaching base safely in 50 contests. He also led the Wolfpack with 27 multi-hit games, including a team-high 11 three-hit outings.
Groover III produced in the clutch for the Pack a season ago, hitting a game-winning home run in the team's extra-inning thriller against Quinnipiac on Feb. 26. He also scored the game-winning runs in back-to-back walk-off against UNCW (April 12) and Boston College (April 15).
The winner of the BBNCSA will be announced in June and honored at a gala in the fall at the Fort Worth Club. Texas Tech's Hunter Hargrove won the initial BBNCSA in 2017. Dallas Baptist's Devlin Granberg took home the honor in 2018 with Texas Tech's Josh Jung winning the award in 2019. Connor Norby from East Carolina University won the BBNCSA in 2021. Last year's winner was Ivan Melendez from the University of Texas.
Groover III and the Wolfpack open the 2023 season on Friday against Wagner. First pitch at Doak Field at Dail Park is set for 3 p.m.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Players Mentioned
INF
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