By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BJ Murray received conference wide recognition for his breakout sophomore season and developed into one of the leading members of the Florida Atlantic University Owls lineup.

Murray was named a 2021 All-Conference USA second team selection as voted on by league coaches, SID’s and media members. He joined Noah Schanuel and Hunter Cooley as Owls selected to the second team.

Murray’s 14 home runs led the Owls and finished second in C-USA and 32nd in all of NCAA Division I.

In 53 games, all starts, Murray hit .316 and also led the team with 116 total bases and slugging percentage (.601). He finished second on the Owls in OPS (1.029), runs scored (46), hits (61) and RBI (53).

His 51 RBI was sixth in C-USA and 49th nationally. He was also third in C-USA with 38 walks, and is sixth in slugging. Other C-USA ranks are seventh in total bases, 11th in hits, 12th in runs, and 13th in OBP. He hit a home run in each game of a road series against eventual C-USA regular season champion Charlotte, and two more the next weekend against Old Dominion. Nine of his 14 home-runs have come against C-USA teams, second among league hitters.

His quick start to the season began with his production at the plate to lead the Owls to a 2-1 series opening win over then No.24 ranked Central Florida Knights. Murray hit .312 with a 1.040 OPS, six RBI, one double, one triple, one home-run, and four runs scored.

His season was highlighted by a four-game stretch where he hit a home run in every game of a series against Charlotte and hit .467 with seven hits and eight RBI. Murray finished with 19 multi-hit games on the season.

The Owls were eliminated from the 2021 Air Force Reserve Conference USA Championship with a loss to Old Dominion, their second to the Monarchs in three days. They finished the season 35-25 and 1-2 in tournament play. In game one, FAU lost 11-2 to the Monarchs on Wednesday. Murray doubled and scored on an RBI groundout in the game.

In game two, FAU survived to edge out No. 1 seed and No. 16 ranked Charlotte 49ers 9-8 on Thursday.

In the next matchup against Middle Tennessee, FAU produced 20 hits and scored the game’s last 11 runs in a comeback victory, 14-8 to stay in contention.

Their run in the tournament concluded with a 13-5 loss to the Monarchs.