Chant Collects D3Baseball.com All-America Honorable Mention

BOSTON – Brady Chant of the Suffolk baseball team became the second-ever student-athlete for the Rams' baseball program to earn D3Baseball.com All-America status with the junior centerfielder earning an honorable mention nod, the organization announced Thursday. 

Chant joins Bobby Barrett '09 as the one of just two Rams to collect a spot on the D3Basebasell.com All-America team with Chant receiving the recognition in the 11th annual edition out of more than 800 players submitted. The Warwick, Rhode Island, product is the lone representative from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and one of just four New England players to receive the accolade. 

The first-team all-region honoree from D3Baseball.com and the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) in conjunction with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) finished the season with a .361 batting average, leading the nation in triples and triples per game with four jacks in 191 trips to the dish. The 12 triples not only set a new Suffolk single-season record, but rewrote the Rams' career annals with 22 triples throughout his three-years in blue-and-gold, a number that also sits atop NCAA Division III. Thanks to Chant's record setting ways, he amassed 118 total bases that included his 12 triples with 13 doubles, and four balls over the fence on 69 hits this season. His total bases lead the way in New England and land 10^th in the nation, while his hits rank third in the region and 35th in the country. The numbers are also present on Suffolk's single-season list with his hits and total bases sitting second thanks to the most plate appearances by a Ram in a single campaign. The GNAC Outfield Gold Glove recipient paced Suffolk in nearly every offensive category including runs (47), batting average (.361), slugging percentage (.618), doubles (13), triples (13), homeruns (4) and stolen bases (17) to go along with a .978 percentage in the field. Chant was named a first-team all-conference selection by the GNAC and earned a spot on the GNAC All-Tournament Team. 

Chant, who was voted a captain by his teammates prior to the first pitch of 2017, helped lead the Rams to one of its most successful seasons in the program's 70-year history. The Rams, who put together the best league ledger (12-2) under Anthony Del Prete, the GNAC Trophy for the third straight season to punch the squad's third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament marking the first-time in program history the blue-and-gold danced in three straight seasons. At its seventh overall appearance in the regional tournament, Suffolk found itself in the winner's bracket for the first time with a 4-0 shutout over #22/17 St. John Fisher May 18. The triumph also marked multiple firsts for Suffolk with the first-ever NCAA Tournament win under three-year Del Prete as well as the first shutout by Suffolk at the tournament. A day later Suffolk produced its second straight shutout, a 1-0, 11-inning walk-off win over #25 Arcadia to secure its spot in Championship Sunday. Chant and the Rams' thrilling season came to an end, however, falling to eventual regional winner #17/19 UMass Boston before being sent home by fifth-seeded Babson to complete its thrilling season 28-17 overall. 

D3BASEBALL.COM ALL-AMERICA TEAM

Pitcher of the Year - Josh Fleming, Webster
Rookie of the Year - SP, Anthony Brophy, St. John Fisher
Player of the Year - 2B/P, Pete Grasso, Salisbury

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

THIRD TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION