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Updated: June 8, 2018

Career Honors

• 2018 First-Year Player Draft – 26th-round selection, St. Louis Cardinals
• 2017 All-ACC Academic Baseball Team
• 2017 National Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List

Career Highlights: Became just the seventh Hokie true freshman to pick up a win in ACC play with his first collegiate win on March 15, 2015 in a relief appearance against No. 1 Virginia, tossing 2.2 innings with four strikeouts in the 6-5 win.

2017: Appeared in 17 games, making a team-high 12 starts on the mound, which included three quality starts … Had a 4.75 ERA (second on the team) in a team-high 72.0 innings pitched, struck out 59 batters (third), walked 33 and posted a 5-4 record while combining on two shutouts – versus Marshall (Feb. 21) and Canisius (March 13) … His five wins tied for the team lead and included wins over Marshall, Niagara (March 7), Canisius, Florida State (March 18) and Boston College (March 31) … Also led the team in opposing bating average at .262 ... Tossed a season-high 7.0 innings at Miami (May 19) and worked at least 5.0 in nine of his starts … In five appearances out of the bullpen, threw at least 1.0 innings in each ... Inherited three runners and none of them scored … Retired 5-of-5 first batters faced in relief outings … Struck out a season-high eight batters twice – at Clemson (April 7) and versus North Carolina (May 13) and struck out at least five seven times … Pitched a total of 42 scoreless innings (T-second most), including 9.0 consecutive … Also, threw 10 perfect frames, struck out the side once and, at one point, retired nine straight batters … Had three double plays turned behind him.

2016: Appeared in 17 games (third most on the team), which included three starts … Had a 7.42 ERA in a total of 30.1 innings, struck out 32 batters, walked 21, posted a 1-1 record with one save (one of six Hokies to record a save in 2016) and combined on one shutout – versus ETSU (Feb. 23) … Picked up the win in start versus Alcorn State (May 8) and the save against Campbell (March 9) … Tossed a season-high 5.1 innings in a start versus William & Mary (April 5) and 5.0 in a relief outing versus Pitt (April 17) … Threw at least 1.0 innings in 11 bullpen outings ... Inherited six runners and four of them scored … Retired 6-of-14 first batters faced … Struck out at least two batters eight times, including a season-high seven against Pitt, which included striking out the side in the eighth for the second time in his college career … Pitched a total of 17 scoreless innings, including 6.2 consecutive … Also, threw seven perfect frames and, at one point, retired nine straight batters … Had two double plays turned behind him, both GDPs.

2015: Appeared in 15 games and made three midweek starts … Had a 7.81 ERA in a total of 27.2 innings, struck out 26 batters, walked 22, and posted a 2-0 record … In his three starts, had a 3.95 ERA in 13.2 innings, while opponents hit just .260 against him … Tossed a season-high 5.0 innings twice (both starts) … Inherited 12 runners and allowed five to score for a 58.3 percent held rate (second best on the team) … Struck out at least two batters eight times, including a season-high five in his first start versus Norfolk State on March 24, which included striking out the side in the second for the first time in his college career … Pitched a total of 14 scoreless innings, including 4.0 consecutive … Also, threw five perfect frames, and, at one point, retired seven straight batters … Had three double plays turned behind him, two were GDPs.

High School: Earned varsity letters for three years while playing for Coach Eric Semega at Seneca Valley … Was a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette player of the year … Was named to the all-district team twice and all-state team once ... Led the Raiders to a pair of WPIAL championships.

Personal: Connor William Coward … Born May 31, 1996 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania … Son of Jeff and Teri Coward … Majoring in marketing.