by Alan Babbitt

Hope College center fielder Evan Maday delivered one of the finest seasons in NCAA Division III baseball this spring as well as one of the best in the Flying Dutchmen's entire team history.

The fifth-year senior earned All-America First Team honors from D3baseball.com after batting a career-best .436, belting a career-high and school record-tying 11 home runs and playing nearly flawless defense.

D3baseball Release

Maday is Hope's fourth All-American in baseball and second first-team selection.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan native is one of three outfielders chosen to the first team and one of 16 first-team honorees.

Hope's All-Americans

"Evan is one of the very best to ever wear the Hope uniform," head coach Stu Fritz said. "He is a five-tool guy that can do it all on the baseball field. His work ethic and leadership skills have helped develop our team culture, Evan is a first class young man."

Maday (East Kentwood HS) joined as All-Americans Ryan Konkle (2016), Paul Terpstra (1965), and Ron Venhuizen (1963). Venhuizen was a first-team honoree.

The left-handed hitting Maday was a catalyst into the Flying Dutchmen's run to a 23rd MIAA regular-season championship and the first time in nine years.

Batting third, the civil engineering major topped all MIAA players for all games in batting average and home runs and ranked second in runs batted in with a career-high 47. 

Defensively, Maday recorded a .991 fielding percentage with only one error in 120 chances.

Maday claimed MIAA Position Player of the Year honors this spring. 

Maday is the first Hope baseball player to earn All-MIAA First Team honors in four consecutive completed seasons.