GREENSBORO, N.C. — Junior relief pitcher Quinton Driggers, who became Newberry’s fourth-ever All-American and second in the Division II era, was named a Third Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), earning All-America honors by all three publications that select teams for Division II baseball.

Driggers joins Albert Baur (2015) as the only All-Americans since Newberry’s transition to Division II in 1994. Johnny Harbin (1971 and 1972) and Tim Cook (1977) were All-Americans in Newberry’s NAIA era. All three former All-Americans were selected in the MLB draft: Baur in the 28th round of the 2015 draft by the Pirates, Cook in the fifth round by the Brewers in 1978, and Harbin in the first round by the Dodgers in 1972.

Driggers has transformed into one of the most dominant relievers in the nation in 2019. He finished the regular season as one of two players in all three NCAA divisions with nine wins and six saves on the season, leads Divisions I and II with 4.32 hits allowed per nine innings, and is fourth in Division II with a 1.40 ERA. He appeared in 29 games, the eighth-most nationally, and his walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP) of 0.94 is ninth in Division II.

The junior First Team All-Region and All-SAC selection, SAC All-Defensive Team member, and SAC All-Tournament Team pick struck out 94 batters, third-most in the SAC this season and fifth-most in school history, and set a school record with an opponents’ batting average of .145.

Driggers was twice named SAC Pitcher of the Week and earned a Southeast Region Pitcher of the Week selection, threw 21.1 consecutive scoreless innings in a 26-day span in March and April, and did not allow an earned run in conference play.

Baur and Driggers were both named All-Americans by all three selectors, with Baur earning First Team accolades on the D2CCA team, then sponsored by Daktronics, and Second Team laurels from the ABCA and NCBWA in 2015. Driggers and Danton Hyman joined Baur as the only unanimous First Team All-Region selections in school history.

Driggers joins Albert Baur (2015) as the only All-Americans since Newberry’s transition to Division II in 1994.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_DriggersNCThirdTeam.jpgDriggers joins Albert Baur (2015) as the only All-Americans since Newberry’s transition to Division II in 1994. Courtesy photo

Courtesy of Newberry College