VILLANOVA, Pa.- Junior pitcher Danny Wilkinson and freshman outfielder/pitcher Connor Hale each earned preseason honors from D1 Baseball just days before opening the season against Pepperdine this weekend.

Wilkinson was named to D1Baseball's Top Prospects of the 2022 Draft list. Wilkinson had an impressive 2021 season where he led all Wildcats with 17 appearances and seven saves (second in the BIG EAST). The southpaw struck out 36 batters in 25 and 1/3 innings pitched and finished the season with a 3.20 ERA. Last summer, Wilkinson played for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League and fanned 29 batters in 16 and 2/3 innings.

Hale was named to the D1Baseball's Impact Freshmen list. The freshman from Ashburn, Virginia was named the county Player of the Year and earned both all-county and All-NOVA (Northern Virginia) accolades while at Broad Run High School.

Villanova kicks off the season with a road trip to Malibu to take on Pepperdine in a three-game series starting Friday, February 18 at 4:30 PM.