2022 ABCA/Rawlings Div. III Gold Glove Team

The College of Wooster's Ben Gbur was one of the top all-around players in NCAA Div. III this spring, and the five-tool center fielder's superb defensive skills resulted in American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Gold Glove honors, as announced by the coaching organization on Wednesday. Even more impressively, Gbur is the only four-year college player to earn both first-team ABCA/Rawlings All-America and ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove honors this year.

Gbur sported a .994 fielding percentage with just one error in 167 chances this spring. He had seven outfield assists, including run-saving cut downs of runners at home plate against DePauw University, Allegheny College, and John Carroll University. With range to get to fly balls deep in the gaps that few in Div. III possess, Gbur's defensive efforts were tremendous all season long, especially during a deep postseason run that saw Wooster advance to the NCAA Div. III Super Regionals, thanks in part to several highlight-reel fly ball track downs.

"Ben is so deserving of this honor," shared head coach Barry Craddock. "He was such a difference maker in the outfield, forcing every opposing team to adjust their plan to his presence as someone who could throw out anyone at any time and catch every ball possible."

Offensively, the first-team ABCA All-Region, third-team D3baseball.com All-Region, and first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection broke NCAC and Wooster single-season records with 83 runs, a total tied for the sixth-most in Div. III history. He became the first player in program history with over 80 hits and over 80 runs in a single season, ranked third nationally in runs, eighth nationally in hits, and seventh nationally with 22 doubles. Gbur's .367 average (83-for-226) was aided by a career-high 15 home runs, a total 15th nationally this spring.

"Ben is one of the all-time great outfielders at Wooster," added Craddock. "This is very high praise considering the guys we have been fortunate to have in a Fighting Scots' uniform."

Of note, Gbur is the second Wooster player to earn the prestigious ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award. Alumnus Michael Wielansky, the 2018 ABCA Div. III Position Player of the Year, was a 2017 gold glove selection.

The ABCA selects just one player at each position in each division of collegiate baseball to its gold glove team.

Wooster went 35-17 this spring and won a regional title for the eighth time in program history.