Taylor Black ’17 Named First Team CoSIDA Academic All American
By Corey McCarthy
Taylor Black ’17 of Cardiff by the Sea, California, is pursuing his passion for athletics and wellness by attending Northeastern University and studying Physical Therapy. But in September, he took some time to return to campus for the Alumni Baseball Game and receive his hardware from College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for his 2017 Academic All-America® Division III Baseball First Team accolades. Black is the first Saint Joseph’s athlete to garner First Team Academic All-America® honors and the second individual to be listed on one of the three Academic All-America® teams overall, as he joins former softball standout Alyssa Dunn ’11—a Second Team honoree in 2011—on the exclusive list.
A standout–in the classroom as an Exercise Science major and on the field–Black was selected as the 2017 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Year and earned First Team All-GNAC honors for the third consecutive season after hitting .417 (53-127) with 37 runs, 12 doubles, four home runs, and 44 RBI during his final collegiate campaign. Associate Director of Athletics and Head Baseball Coach Will Sanborn said, “Taylor Black is an amazing young man, on and off the field. His commitment, leadership, and positive attitude are infectious. His athletic preparation is only matched by his dedication in the classroom. Taylor is a great example of what it means to be a Saint Joseph’s College student-athlete. He has brought great distinction to Saint Joseph’s College by being named a Co-SIDA First Team Academic All-American.”
Black was also recognized as one of the top players in New England this spring with First Team All-Region honors from D3Baseball.com, ABCA/Rawlings, and the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA).
A captain for the Monks last spring, Black helped lead the Royal Blue to a 31-8 overall record with a 13-1 mark in GNAC play and was a key cog for an SJC offense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in a handful of statistical categories.
Black is the only player from the 68 teams in the New England Region to collect First Team acclaim and is one of five individuals hailing from the largest region in NCAA DIII Baseball to be listed on one of the three Academic All-America® teams.
Photo caption: Baseball Coach Will Sanborn presented Taylor Black with his First Team Academic All-America® honors at the Alumni Baseball Game on campus in September.
