ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – University of New Mexico catcher Cory Voss was named the Mountain West’s Co-Freshman of the Year Wednesday to lead the Lobos’ All-Conference winners. Also honored were junior starting pitcher Toller Boardman and outfielder Danny Collier on the first team, and sophomore first baseman Jack Zoellner and freshman third baseman Carl Stajduhar on the second team.
“Everybody that got an award deserved it in a tough league,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said.
Voss, who hit .358 (38-for-106) to lead all freshmen in conference play, is the third straight Lobo to earn at least a share of MW Freshman of the Year honors, joining Sam Haggerty (2013) and Collier (2014).
“It sends a message that kids can come here and play right away and get developed,” said Birmingham. “Both Voss and Stajduhar should be Freshmen All-Americans, which would give us six in the last five years.”
Voss slugged .557 on the back of eight doubles, three triples and two home runs. He drove in 23 runs and scored 16 of his own.
“It’s a great honor, but I couldn’t have done this without my coaches and teammates pushing me every day to be better and helping me reach my potential,” he said. “Now I’m excited for the challenge of the conference tournament and hopefully winning a championship.”
Boardman went 7-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 67.2 innings over 10 starts. He struck out 42 and walked just 11 as UNM’s Friday night starter, and he narrowly missed out on Pitcher of the Year honors.
“Toller had a great shot at being Pitcher of the Year,” Birmingham said, “but the other guy (Nevada’s Christian Stolo) went undefeated. That’s tough to beat.”
Collier led the Lobos with a .374 average in 23 MW games. He had an OBP of .441 while batting mostly out of the leadoff spot.
Zoellner hit .320 and slugged .464 for UNM while playing perfect defense at first to lead the conference in fielding. Stajduhar hit just .284 in MW games, but he led UNM with 26 RBIs and, along with Voss, was one of just two Lobos to play in all 30 games.
A pair of Lobo freshmen just missed out on making first or second team: starting pitcher Tyler Stevens, who went 3-3 with a 3.54 ERA and had a one-hit shutout of Air Force, and outfielder Luis Gonzalez, who hit .338 and slugged .541 in 74 at bats.
“The coaches in the Mountain West said we had the best group of freshmen around,” Birmingham said. “These kids have a bright future.”
The Lobos open play in the conference tournament Wednesday night at 8 MT against the Air Force Falcons. The game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, and ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM will broadcast the game.