(Greenville, SC) The National Christian College Athletic Association announced Billy Blair (JR/St. Charles, MI) as Baseball's 2020 Hank Burbridge Outstanding Leadership Award recipient. This award is the NCCAA's highest honor given out to a baseball student athlete that shows exemplary leadership and Christian service through baseball.
As a childhood cancer survivor, Blair has learned that life is a gift and to not take opportunities for granted. The junior pitcher from St. Charles, Michigan uses the belief that God has a plan for him to lead by example. In 17 career games, Blair has made 13 starts with a 5-1 record on 69 innings pitched. He has 69 career strikeouts and a career ERA of 2.21. Blair helped the Cardinals win the 2019 NCCAA Baseball World Series and was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Blair's leadership off the field is evident through the amount of volunteer work and community service he has participated in. He has served with Athletes in Action and Special Olympics, along with many local organizations and events including a soup kitchen, yard cleanup for elderly, mentoring high school freshman, and quilt making for people in need. In the classroom, Blair holds a 3.87 GPA in business - marketing, has been on the CUAA Dean's List, Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference All-Academic, NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete, and NCCAA Scholar-Athlete.
Concordia's Head Baseball Coach had this to say about Blair. "Billy is an incredible person. He is a highly disciplined, determined and motivated individual that always puts in extra time to make sure the team's goals are accomplished. He consistently sets high goals for himself and makes a commitment to be better every single day. His success doesn't stop on the field. He thoroughly cares about the people in his life. His intelligence, commitment, good judgment and positive outlook make him an exceptional teammate. Billy is always courteous and respectful which makes him a real pleasure to be around. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He is one of the most loyal and genuine people I have ever met. I would be proud if my son modeled himself after Billy."
