Special to Gatorsports.com
HOOVER, Ala.—Senior Nelson Maldonado and freshman Kendrick Calilao were recognized by the leagues’ coaches with postseason Southeastern Conference Honors, announced on Monday by the SEC office.
Maldonado, one of two captains on the 2019 squad, was named the First Team All-SEC Designated Hitter. It is the first time winning All-SEC honors in his four years at Florida. The Tampa native had the best season of his career, hitting .335 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI. He had 20 multi-hit games and tied for the team lead with 11 multi-RBI games on the year.
Entering the 2019 SEC Tournament, Maldonado has played in 254 career games, third-most in school history, with 242 career starts, fourth in UF history. In addition, he is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.
Calilao earned Freshman All-SEC honors in his first year on campus. He broke onto the scene early in the season, hitting .333 with three home runs and 32 RBI in the first two months of the season. He had 18 multi-hit games and 10 games with multiple RBI.
The Kissimmee native had two games with six RBI. He had a grand slam and six RBI against Winthrop on March 3 and went 4-for-6 with another grand slam and six RBI in his first game against Florida State on March 12.
Through the regular season, Calilao is hitting .278 with four home runs and 43 RBI, second most on the team.
Florida opens play in the 2019 SEC Tournament on Tuesday against No. 6 seed Texas A&M at 10:30 a.m. ET on SEC Network.
2019 SEC BASEBALL AWARDS
Player of the Year: JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt
Pitcher of the Year: Ethan Small, Mississippi State
Freshman of the Year: JT Ginn, Mississippi State
Coach of the Year: Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Garrett Stallings, Tennessee
First-Team All-SEC
C: Philip Clarke, Vanderbilt
1B: Tanner Allen, Mississippi State
2B: Justin Foscue, Mississippi State
3B: Austin Martin, Vanderbilt
SS: Grae Kessinger, Ole Miss
OF: JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
OF: Alerick Soularie, Tennessee
DH/UT: Nelson Maldonado, Florida
SP: Ethan Small, Mississippi State
SP: Emerson Hancock, Georgia
RP: Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt
Second-Team All-SEC Team
C: Cooper Johnson, Ole Miss
1B: Trevor Ezell, Arkansas
2B: LJ Talley, Georgia
3B: Aaron Schunk, Georgia
SS: Casey Martin, Arkansas
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU
DH/UT: Matt Goodheart, Arkansas
SP: TJ Sikkema, Missouri
SP: Zack Thompson, Kentucky
RP: Matt Cronin, Arkansas
Freshman All-SEC Team
JT Ginn, SP, Mississippi State
Kumar Rocker, SP, Vanderbilt
Doug Nikhazy, SP, Ole Miss
Cole Henry, SP, LSU
Cole Wilcox, SP, Georgia
Patrick Wicklander, SP, Arkansas
Connor Noland, SP, Arkansas
Ryan Bliss, 2B, Auburn
Christian Franklin, OF, Arkansas
Joseph Menefee, RP, Texas A&M
Kendrick Calilao, 1B, Florida
Brett Kerry, RP, South Carolina
SEC All-Defensive Team
C: Cooper Johnson, Ole Miss
1B: Trevor Ezell, Arkansas*
1B: Julian Infante, Vanderbilt*
2B: LJ Talley, Georgia
3B: Austin Martin, Vanderbilt
SS: Cam Shepherd, Georgia
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
OF: Zach Watson, LSU
P: Garrett Stallings, Tennessee
*Tie (Ties are not broken)
