LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV baseball's Edarian Williams was named to Collegiate Baseball's Freshman All-America Team, as selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper staff.
 
Williams is the third Rebel in a span of four years to claim Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year honors and be selected a CBN Freshman All-American, joining Kyle Isbel (2016) and Bryson Stott (2017).
 
Williams played in a total of 57 games this season, making 46 starts at second base, one more at first base and nine more as the designated hitter. Additionally, he was penciled into the cleanup spot of the batting order on 54 occasions.
 
The Rancho High School graduate led the Rebels in at-bats (234) and hits (80), which were the 44th most in the nation when the regular season concluded on May 26. He finished second in average (.342), RBI (36) and multiple-hit games (23), and added 13 doubles, one triple, one home run and 35 runs. He also posted .419 slugging and .399 on-base percentages.
 
Williams registered a team-best 34-game reached-base streak that ran from the second contest of the season (Feb. 16 vs. Seattle) through game one of a MW series against San Jose State (April 12). During this lengthy stretch, he recorded a 17-game hitting streak – the longest by a Rebel this season – that began against Seattle (Feb. 16) and concluded against San Jose State (March 15), and saw him hit .367 (25-for-68) with six multiple-hit games, including a then-season-high four hits against then-No. 5 Stanford (Feb. 24), and tally 18 runs and 16 RBI.
 
Defensively, Williams helped the Rebels finish the regular season ranked second overall in double plays, turning 65 for an average of 1.12 per game – the third most nationally.
 
QUOTABLE: "It's great to hear that Edarian (Williams) got this well-deserved honor," said Rebel head coach Stan Stolte. "He's a great teammate and we are counting on him taking more of a leadership role next year!"