TUCSON, Ariz. — Nine Arizona Wildcats were honored with twelve Pac-12 postseason awards on Thursday afternoon, highlighted by the selection of Daniel Susac as Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and head coach Jay Johnson as Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
 
In addition to Arizona's two major award winners, Chase Silseth, Donta Williams, Susac, Jacob Berry, and Branden Boissiere were selected to the Pac-12 All-Conference team. Williams and Susac were also tabbed to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Finally, Ryan Holgate, Vince Vannelle, and Kobe Kato all earned Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition.
 
Coach of the Year:

• Jay Johnson

Freshman of the Year:

• Daniel Susac

Pac-12 All-Conference Team:

• Chase Silseth
• Donta Williams
• Daniel Susac
• Jacob Berry
• Branden Boissiere

Pac-12 All-Defensive Team:

• Daniel Susac
• Donta Williams

Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention:

• Ryan Holgate
• Vince Vannelle
• Kobe Kato

This marks Arizona's second consecutive Pac-12 Freshman of the Year winner, after Austin Wells took home the honor in 2019, and the Wildcat's first Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor since Andy Lopez in 2012. For the third time under coach Johnson, and the first time since 2017, Arizona placed five players on the Pac-12 All-Conference team. Wrapping up the superlatives is multiple Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honorees for just the second time in program history.
 
Johnson, in his sixth season with the Wildcats, led Arizona to an outright Pac-12 Championship on the back of a 40-15 overall record and a 21-9 mark in conference play. The Wildcats reached 40 regular season wins for just the 13^th time in program history and logged the second-most conference victories all-time at Arizona. Johnson, a coach known for his prolific offenses, again produced one of the most dangerous lineups in America in 2021. The Wildcats finished the regular season leading the Pac-12 in nearly every statistical category and ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 8.7 runs per game. Previously in his career Johnson has been tabbed as the 2016 ABCA West Region Coach of the Year and the 2015 Mountain West Coach of the Year.
 
Susac, a native of Roseville, California, tore through the Pac-12 in his inaugural collegiate campaign and rewrote large portions of the Arizona record books along the way. Across 53 regular season games, he hit .344 with 45 runs scored, 20 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 59 RBI, a .618 slugging percentage, and a .396 on-base percentage. As the Wildcats everyday starting catcher, Susac posted a .996 fielding percentage and threw out 8-of-24 attempted base stealers. At the conclusion of Wildcats 30 Pac-12 contests, Susac had set Arizona freshman conference records with 45 hits, 12 doubles, 21 extra-base hits, 83 total bases, and a .669 slugging percentage while tying Arizona freshman conference records with eight home runs and 34 RBI. Last month, Susac was tabbed as a semifinalist for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award. He is the first Arizona catcher to earn Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors.
 
All five of the Wildcats All-Conference selections are first-time recipients of the award.
 
Silseth, Arizona's Opening Night starter and game one ace all season, led the team and ranked second in the Pac-12 with eight wins while also pacing the club and ranking third on the circuit with 89 strikeouts. He limited opposing hitters to a .269 batting average and logged five quality starts during his first campaign in Tucson. Silseth earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors on May 3 after working 7.0 two-hit innings with eight strikeouts against Utah.
 
Williams, in his fourth season with the Wildcats, was the primary driver of one of the nation's top offenses, hitting .335 with 71 runs scored, 13 doubles, 3 triples, six home runs, 41 RBI, a .517 slugging percentage, and an astounding .487 on-base percentage. The Las Vegas native led the Pac-12 and ranked third among all Division I players in the country with 71 runs while also setting career-high marks in doubles, home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. Defensively, the star center fielder logged a .975 fielding percentage, collected one outfield assist, and committed just one error across 30 Pac-12 games. Williams' selection to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team is the second of his career, having previously earned the honor as a sophomore in 2019.
 
Berry, who along with Susac made up the Baby Bombers duo, slugged his way through 55 games to the tune of a team-leading .371 batting average, 48 runs scored, 16 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs, 64 RBI, a .710 slugging percentage, and a .463 on-base percentage. His 15 home runs so far are five shy of matching the Wildcats freshman record of 20, set by the program's home run king, Shelley Duncan, in 1999. Through the conclusion of the regular season, Berry leads the team in batting average, triples, home runs, RBI, extra-base hits, total bases, and slugging percentage. His 64 RBI are the most in the Pac-12 and tied for fifth most among all Division I players. In addition to his Pac-12 honors, Berry was picked to the midseason watch lists for the Golden Spikes Award and Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award and named as a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.
 
Boissiere, Arizona's everyday first baseman, finished the regular season on a tear and ultimately hit .362 with 62 runs, eight doubles, four triples, five home runs, 55 RBI, a .505 slugging percentage, and a .453 on-base percentage. He was one of just three players to start every game this year for the Wildcats, making him a critical piece of the conference's most dangerous offense. At the end of the regular season, his 62 runs scored ranked second in the conference and tied for ninth nationally. Defensively Boissiere turned in a Gold Glove caliber performance, logging a .991 fielding percentage on over 400 chances. For his efforts, he was selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
 
Holgate, a third-year sophomore, enjoyed a breakout season after showing tremendous promise in each of his first two years in Tucson. Across 55 regular season games, the slugging outfielder posted a .344 batting average, 43 runs scored, 18 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 48 RBI, a .549 slugging percentage, and a .419 on-base percentage. Holgate posted career-best marks in nearly every offensive category and registered a fielding percentage well above .900 in right field. His 74 hits, 18 doubles, and 118 total bases all ranked among the top five players in the Pac-12 this year.
 
Vannelle, one of Arizona's two seniors, put together the best performance of his career as one of the Wildcats two primary late-innings relievers. Across 22 appearances, the Ohio native went 5-2 with seven saves and a 2.83 ERA to go alongside an 11.31 K/9 rate. Vannelle's seven saves this year are tied for 10^th most in a single season in program history, while his 11 career saves are 8^th all-time at Arizona. In total, he worked 13 scoreless outings and limited opposing hitters to a .261 batting average.
 
Kato, who hails from Aiea, Hawai'i, earned his first taste of extended playing time in 2021 and made the most of his opportunity. In 55 games he hit .351 with 48 runs scored, 14 doubles, two triples, one home run, 28 RBI, a .459 slugging percentage, and a .466 on-base percentage. Kato drew 41 walks this year, giving him 12 more walks than strikeouts. A slick defender on the right side of the infield, he was part of 27 of the Wildcats 34 double plays turned in the regular season and logged a fielding percentage of .939.
 
Arizona is back in action this weekend at Hi Corbett Field, kicking off postseason play by hosting the Tucson NCAA Regional. For opponents, ticketing information, a full schedule, and more visit our Tucson Baseball Regional Central.