Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Villanova Career: One of the team’s top defensive players who has seen extensive time at both middle infield positions during his career … Demonstrates outstanding range and has great instincts in the field … Owns a .969 career fielding percentage with 138 putouts and 207 assists in 356 total chances … A terrific athlete who has started 82 games the last two years and still has a wealth of potential … Has made progress offensively during his career and is capable of once again being a mainstay in the lineup … Has started 62 games at shortstop and 20 at second base in his collegiate career … One of four returning players on the team this season with over 80 career starts … Tallied 13 career multi-hit games.

2020: Appeared in 11 games and made seven starts… Split time between the outfield and third base… Slashed .080/.179/.080… Went 1-2 with a walk and RBI in the season opener at ASU on 2/14… Reached twice going 1-3 with a walk against Purdue on 2/23… Was solid in the field converting all 14 chances he had for a 1.000 FLD%...

2019: Appeared in 41 games making 37 starts… Slashed .215/.290/.347… Hit a team-high five home runs on the season… Hit two home-runs twice, against Mount Saint Mary’s on 3/3 and La Salle on 3/15… Posted a team season-high eight RBIs against Mount Saint Mary’s on 3/3… His eight RBI came via a grand slam, a three-run home run, and a bases loaded walk… Had seven multi-hit games on the season…
Made one appearance on the mound, throwing two innings against Army on 5/8… allowed three earned runs during the appearance…

2018: Played in 41 games on the year, including 20 starts at second base and 17 at shortstop … Had success as a situational hitter, as he led the team with seven sacrifice bunts and also finished fourth on the squad with 18 runs batted in … Batted .221 on the year with a .302 on-base percentage, but stepped up his level of play to hit a team-best .372 with runners in scoring position … Also hit .310 and drove in nine runs with two outs, while leading the team by advancing runners on more than 54 percent of his opportunities to do so … Had eight multi-hit games, including a season-high three hits on three different occasions … Got off to a terrific start, batting .476 (10-for-21) with seven RBI and four runs scored in the season’s first five games … That stretch included a pair of three-hit contests against Norfolk State during the opening weekend as well as a 2-for-4 day with a double, a run scored and an RBI in the opener of a three-game series at USC … One of his best games of the year came in a 12-4 win over Army West Point on May 2, in which he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI and a walk … Put together an outstanding defensive season and committed just five errors in 135 chances (.963 fielding percentage) … Had 11 games in which he handled five or more plays … Totaled two putouts and six assists while going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base at Georgetown on May 4 … Was a part of turning 17 double plays on the year.
 
2017: Enjoyed a strong collegiate debut season in which he started all 45 games he played in at shortstop … Recorded a .973 fielding percentage while committing just six errors and helping turn 27 double plays … His 134 assists at shortstop tied for the 18^th most in a single season in the Villanova record book … Had eight games with five or more assists … Tied for the team lead with three sacrifice bunts … Batted .196 while posting a .270 on-base percentage … Collected five multi-hit games and had a season-high three hits in the opener of a three-game series at Creighton, when he went 3-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a double … Singled and had a career-high three RBI in a win over Saint Joseph’s in the Liberty Bell Classic … Went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, an RBI and a stolen base against George Washington on April 15 … Reached base safely in 11 of his 18 starts in conference play … Singled, scored and drove in two runs in a 9-6 win over No. 20 St. John’s in the final game of the season.
 
Club Baseball: Four-year member of the Longshots while in high school.
 
Saint Francis College Prep: Played baseball all four years and earned varsity letters as a junior and a senior … Played basketball for three seasons, including earning one varsity letter … Member of the junior varsity golf team as a freshman … Earned all-conference honors in baseball as a senior … Helped his team qualify for the state semifinals and earn a third place finish … Achieved honor roll status academically.
 
Personal: Born 6/13/98 in Glen Ellyn, Ill. … Oldest of five children of Neal and Elizabeth Lilly … Has four younger siblings: Mike (18), Ryan (17), John (15) and Katherine (13) … Hobbies include listening to music and watching movies … Chose to attend Villanova because of its strong academic reputation, the strength of the baseball team and the campus community … Enrolled in the Villanova School of Business ... Finance major.