Hurley named to 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team

CARY, N.C. – After posting the second highest batting average during the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp, Virginia Tech rising junior outfielder Jack Hurley has been selected to the formal, 26-man roster that will represent Team USA and compete for gold at Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands.
 
Hurley started 4-of-5 games during USA Baseball's recent six-day training camp that featured five intrasquad Stars vs. Stripes showcase events across three North Carolina venues – Cary (June 30), Durham (July 1-3) and Charlotte (July 4). Tech's four-time 2022 All-American slugger batted .357 (5-for-14) with a double, an RBI and three runs scored, co-leading the camp with his perfect, 2-for-2 mark in stolen base attempts.
 
Making the 26-man cut from the 51-player training camp pool, Hurley will depart for the Netherlands on Wednesday with the 2022 Collegiate National Team, as led by manager Mike Bianco, who two weeks ago led Ole Miss to its first College World Series title. Bianco's Team USA staff is comprised of Xan Barksdale, Drew Bianco (LSU), Scott Brown (Vanderbilt), Cliff Godwin (East Carolina) and Josh Holliday (Oklahoma State).
 
"A week ago, as I sat with the 51 players that we invited to Cary, I told them what a tremendous honor this is because you are 51 of the best amateur baseball players in the United States of America," said Mike Bianco. "To narrow it down nearly in half is quite a task. We shared with all of them, as honestly as we could, that there are players that will go home that will play in the big leagues and be All-Americans next year.
 
"I commend these coaches and the USA Baseball committee on the selections we have made. We cannot wait to get to work today and on the road to winning the championship at Honkbalweek."
 
Hurley becomes Tech's fifth rostered Collegiate National Team selection all-time, joining the ranks of Franklin Stubbs (1981), George Canale (1985), Trey McCoy (1986) and Gavin Cross (2021). This summer, he is one of eight ACC players competing with Team USA and one of four such position players, accompanying infielder Yohandy Morales (Miami), catcher Jack Payton (Louisville) and catcher/outfielder Kyle Teel (Virginia).
 
During the 2022 collegiate season, Tech's sophomore left fielder paced the Hokies with his .375 batting average that featured 87 hits, 23 doubles, a triple and 14 home runs. Starting all but one of Tech's 59 games, the six-foot native of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, carried his .400 batting average from opening weekend to May, compiling a 26-game hitting streak along the way that set the Hokies' ACC-era program record.
 
Hurley earned All-American Second Team honors from the NCBWA this season while placing onto three additional All-American Third Teams. The decorated 2022 All-ACC First Team outfielder was named a national semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy while also earning ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region First Team, VaSID All-State First Team and All-ACC Academic Team praise.
 
Upon arriving at Pim Mulier Stadium in the Netherlands, Hurley and Team USA will open their run for gold at Honkbalweek Haarlem on Thursday, July 9, with the first of five preliminary games, beginning against Japan (8 a.m. EDT). Team USA will continue with appearances against Italy (July 10, 7 a.m. EDT), Cuba (July 11, 2:30 p.m. EDT), the Netherlands (July 12, 2:30 p.m. EDT) and Curaçao (July 13, 10:30 a.m. EDT) with qualification pending for the semifinal (July 14) and championship rounds (July 15).
 
Team USA has earned four gold medals at Honbalweek Haarlem since 2000, championing during its most recent appearance in 2014 – adding to its 2000, 2002 and 2008 titles (taking bronze in 2012).
 
Hurley was joined at Collegiate National Team training camp by Tech rising sophomore Drue Hackenberg, who came away with Sunday's game four victory after tossing two scoreless, hitless late-relief innings.