WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Senior Shawn Gilblair (Windham, Conn.) has been named NCAA Division III Player-of-the-Year by the American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) for the second time in his career, in the process becoming the first player in Eastern Connecticut State University history to be named to the All-America first team as many as three times.

Gilblair, a left-handed pitcher and lefty-swinging, designated hitter, first baseman, and outfielder, shared the Player-of-the-Year Award for the second time, this year with Pomona-Pitzer Colleges senior first baseman Drew Hedman. As a sophomore first-team All-America in 2007, Gilblair shared the award with Chapman University utility player Kurt Yacko.

Joining Gilblair from Eastern on the 50-player ABCA/Rawlings All-America team was junior third baseman Melvin Castillo (Danbury, Conn.), who received the identical honor as a freshman shortstop in 2007. Gilblair was a first-team All-America as a freshman in 2006 as a left-handed pitcher before being named at the utility position in 2007 and in 2009. An assortment of shoulder, elbow and knee injuries limited Gilblair to 123 at-bats and 24 1/3 pitching innings last season.

Re-gaining his form of 2006 and 2007 was a difficult process for Gilblair. He underway surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right knee less than a week after the 2008 season ended, and went under the knife again at the conclusion of the fall season to fix three tears in his right shoulder. With rest, the pain in his left elbow dissipated enough to throw 63 innings this year - second-most on the staff.

By dieting and adhering to a swimming and running regiment, Gilblair dropped more than 40 pounds from last year, beginning the 2009 season at 196 pounds. "I had so many things wrong with my body, I didn't know if I'd ever be able to play a full season (in 2009)," admitted Gilblair. "I really didn't think that I'd ever be able to throw again. That was one of my biggest worries. I definitely had my doubts. But I just worked extra-hard last off-season and in the summer, and I came back strong. All of that work paid off."

One of the most versatile players in program history, Gilblair started 10 games on the mound this year, 33 at designated hitter, seven at first base, and five in left field. He was the team's starting cleanup hitter in 40 of 47 games.

Prior to this year, no Eastern player had ever garnered first-team All-America honors as many as three times. The only previous three-time All-Americas were right-handed pitcher John Caneira a second-team NAIA selection between 1972 and 1974, and Don Fusari (1976-78) a two-time second-team and one-time third-team NCAA pick at designated hitter.

Last week, Gilblair was named New England Player-of-the-Year at the utility position for the second time in three years and became only the second four-time all-region selection in Eastern Connecticut State University baseball history.

"I was recognized as an all-region player in 2008, but I didn't think that I as one of the top players," said Gilblair. "I didn't play the way I wanted to in 2008. I had been very successful my first two years, and I just wanted to get back to that level. You expect something out of yourself, and when you don't achieve it, it's a big disappointment. I wanted to help the team (this year). I wanted our team to work hard and be one of the top teams in the country."

Giblair started all 45 games in which he appeared this year and batted over .400 (.402) for the second straight season this year. He totaled career-highs in hits (7), doubles (21/one shy of the season record), total bases (118), RBI (68), and runs (51) and also hit nine home runs. As a left-handed pitcher, he was 8-1 with a 2.71 ERA which topped all starting pitchers. He fanned 99 batters and walked only 12, opponents hitting .212 against him.

After being named most outstanding player of the Little East Conference tournament for the third time in his career, Gilblair was named to the NCAA New England Regional all-tournament team last weekend. In the regional tournament, he was 9-for-24 (.375) with three doubles, a home run and a team-leading seven RBI, handled 32 chances at first base without an error, and pitched a complete-game five-hitter against conference rival University of Southern Maine in the second round.

Gilblair leaves the program as the only player ever with as many as 20 pitching wins, 20 home runs, and 200 hits and is among the all-time offensive and pitching leaders in most every category.  In his career, he collected 236 hits with a .373 batting average, and 29 home runs. He is ranked second all-time (one behind the leader) with 194 RBI and fourth in total bases (370). His 28 pitching wins in 35 decisions rank him in a tie for fifth all-time, and he also ranks fourth in strikeouts (281) and seventh in ERA (2.31).

The national Player-of-the-Year Award was instituted in 1988. Prior to Gilblair, junior outfielder Basilio Ortiz of Eastern was accorded the prestigious honor in 1991. Gilblair becomes the third player to be selected for the award as many as two times, but the first to earn the distinction in non-consecutive seasons. Shortstop Tim Jorgensen of UW-Oshkosh was the recipient in 1994 and '95 and utility player Joe Thomas of Marietta  the winner in 1996 and '97.

In his first season at third base, Castillo batted a career-high .388 and led the Warriors with 138 total bases - two  more than his freshman total - and matched his freshman total of 14 home runs. He drove in a career-high 60 runs and equaled his career high by scoring 60. Castillo carried a 15-game hitting streak through the first four games of the regional tournament. Castillo broke the program's career record with his 39^th career home run Sunday in the regional championship round against Trinity College.

Hedman of Pomona-Pitzer batted .500 with 23 home runs, 166 total bases and 79 RBI through the regular season. Like Gilblair, Hedman re-gained first-team All-America honors this year after earning the award as a sophomore.

Gilblair and Castillo become the 51^st and 52^nd All-America selection since 1970 under 41^st-year head coach Bill Holowaty, who led the Warriors to their ninth straight 30-win season this spring and a final record of 39-8. Ranked first nationally early in the year, Eastern was ranked first in the final New England Division III poll and is rated seventh in the most recent ABCA national poll. The Warriors have reached the championship round of the New England/Northeast Regional Tournament the last 22 times in which they have compted, losing this year, 5-4, to Trinity College.

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