Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Villanova Career: Returning for his fifth year as one of the top defensive players in the BIG EAST at either second base or shortstop … Has excelled at both positions for the Wildcats and owns a career .946 fielding percentage in 177 games played of which he started 168 … During the course of his collegiate career has developed into a steady offensive performer capable of hitting near the top of the lineup … His career slash line is .238/.285/.320 … His offensive totals include a .238 batting average (146-for-613) with 62 runs scored, 63 runs batted in, 22 doubles, two triple, one home run, 57 walks and 19 hit by pitch … Has struck out 106 times … Has three career stolen bases, 20 sacrifice bunts and five sacrifice flies … In the field he has recorded 316 putouts, 366 assists and 39 errors in 721 total chances … Begins the 2022 season ranked 19^th in school history in assists and is 18^th with 57 doubles plays turned … Five-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team and seven-time member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
 
2022: The fifth year came back as a dependable starter in the middle infield and solid hitter on the offensive end … Played and started in all 49 games… 196 at bats resulting in 40 hits, 24 runs, and 21 RBIs … He clipped two doubles, one triple, and stole one base on one attempt … He attained a .204 batting average, .224 slugging percentage, and .291 on base percentage … Drew 15 walks and was hit by a pitch nine time … Tied for the team’s second leader with six sacrifice bunts… Defensively he had a 0.945 fielding percentage with 77 putouts and was a team leader (second) in both double plays and assists with 17 double plays and 94 assists on 181 total chances… Yielded 10 errors… Had a season high of three hits at Richmond on March 26… Had a season high of six putouts at The Citadel on February 25… He played 22 games where he had two putouts or more and played 25 games where he had two assists or more.
 
2021: Started each of the first 22 games of the season before missing the final 13 contests with an injury … Batted .278 (22-for-79) on the year with a .366 on-base percentage and a .367 slugging percentage while hitting in six different spots on the batting order … Hit five doubles and a triple while scoring nine runs and driving in eight … Walked nine times, was hit by a pitch three times and struck out just 10 times in 94 plate appearances … Stole two bases in four tries, had one sacrifice bunt and hit two sacrifice flies … Had four multi-hit games, including going 4-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base in a 5-0 win over Hofstra in the home opener on March 7 … Went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in an 11-10 win at Delaware on March 14 … Reached base safely in 20 of the 22 games he played, including each of the first 16 games of the season … His defense up the middle continued to make him one of the best defensive players in the BIG EAST as he had 44 putouts, 45 assists and just two errors in 91 total chances (..978 fielding percentage).
 
2020: Started all 14 games of the abbreviated season at second base and batting second in the lineup … Hit .280 (14-for-50) with three doubles, four runs scored and six runs batted in … Drew six walks, was hit by a pitch three times and struck out only eight times in 66 plate appearances … Led the team with six sacrifice bunts and had one sacrifice fly … Had 28 putouts, 31 assists and four errors in 63 chances at second base … Led the team with five multi-hit games, including consecutive two-hit contests in the first two games of the season at No. 3 Arizona State … Singled, doubled and had a sacrifice bunt in a 2-1 upset victory in the second game of that series … Added two hits in wins over Campbell, Eastern Michigan and Bucknell.
 
2019: Appeared in 50 games with 49 starts on the season … Batted .262/.329/.337 and emerged as a contact hitter in the Wildcats lineup … Went 49-for-187 at the late with 20 runs scored and 19 runs batted in … Ranked second on the team with 11 doubles and hit his first collegiate home run … Drew 16 walks, was hit by a pitch three times and struck out 28 times … Recorded four sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly … Played terrific defense at second base with 104 putouts, 124 assists and only six errors in 230 total chances (.974 fielding percentage) … Tied for the team lead with 14 multi-hit games, including four three-hit efforts … Went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and a run scored against Milwaukee … Had a season-high three runs sored against Mount St. Mary’s and Central Michigan … Went 2-for-4 with his first collegiate home run and a season-high three runs batted in at St. John’s … Reached base safely seven times in 12 plate appearances during the St. John’s series, going 5-for-10 with a double, home run, two walks and four RBI … Collected three-hit games against La Salle and Bucknell in weekday non-conference action … Had as many as six putouts in a game and twice had a season-high seven assists at second base.
 
2018: Was the Wildcats primary starting shortstop as a freshman and played in 42 games with 34 starts on the year … Started 31 games at shortstop and three at second base … Batted .208 (21-for-101) with 11 walks, one hit by pitch and a .289 on-base percentage … Had five runs scored, nine runs batted in, one double, three sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly … Recorded 63 putouts, 72 assists and 17 errors in the field … Got the start at short in the season opener at Norfolk State and went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a sacrifice bunt, one putout and five assists in his collegiate debut … Drew three walks, scored a run and drove in two in the final game of a three-game series against Norfolk State … Had two hits in both ends of a doubleheader against NJIT … Singled, walked and matched a season-high with two RBI at Saint Joseph’s … Had multi-hit games against La Salle and Butler.
 
Club Baseball: Played for All Star Baseball Academy Futures during the summers of 2015 and 2016, as well as for Wayne in the DELCO League during the summer of 2017.
 
Methacton High School: Earned four varsity letters in baseball as a shortstop, as well as three varsity letters in basketball as a guard ... As a senior was a second team all-state selection and batted .411 with a .451 on-base percentage, 30 runs scored, 17 runs batted in and 16 doubles ... Was named first team all-division and first team All-Pioneer Athletic Conference as a senior, as well as being a first team all-area and a first team All-Southeastern Pennsylvania selection ... Previously earned second team all-conference honors as a junior ... As a basketball player was second team All-Pioneer Athletic Conference as a senior and was the winner of the Pioneer Athletic Conference Citizenship Award his junior year ... Earned the M Award for academic excellence every year of his scholastic career ... Presented with the USMC Award for Academic Excellence and the Robert Morris Childress Memorial Award his senior year ... Recipient of the Methacton Schoolmen's Award for excellence in athletics, academic and leadership in 2014-15.
 
Personal: Born 10/13/98 in Norristown, Pa. ... One of three children of Kenneth and Geralyn O'Neill ... Has an older brother, Sean (26), and a younger sister, Shannon (17) ... Hobbies include spending time with family and friends, as well as watching sports and movies ... Chose to attend Villanova for its academic reputation, the beauty of the campus and his comfort with the baseball coaching staff ... Biology major.