Rutgers-Newark Athletics

Connors helped Rutgers-Newark to win totals of 18, 22, 22 and 23 games in his four seasons donning the Scarlet Raider jersey, and they reached the postseason in each of his final three seasons – getting two NJAC berths and three ECAC berths. The 85 wins Connors and his teammates experienced are the most in any four-year stretch. 

For his career, Matt had 207 hits and he boasted a .332 batting average. Matt played in 160 games in four years, hitting better than .340 in three of those seasons. He totaled a massive 233 bases, drove in 71 runs, stole 71 bases – on just 84 tries – and also drew a staggering 144 walks. His on-base percentage eclipsed the .400 mark three times, including a 456 OBP in 2008. 

Connors was a warrior, starting every game but one during his career. He graduated as the Rutgers-Newark leader in walks and stolen bases and he is second on the all-time hits list to someone who will remain nameless for a few more minutes. He is tied for first all-time – tied with that nameless person – with 160 starts. 

Matt was the 2008 Rutgers-Newark Rookie of the Year, the NJAC Rookie of the Year, the New Jersey Collegiate baseball Rookie of the year and ECAC Metro Rookie of the Year, earning all-conference, all-region  and mid-atlantic gold glove honors as well. 

He was all-state as a sophomore, and as a junior was a Rawlings Gold Glove performer and NJCB second-teamer in addition to picking up honorable mention all-conference honors.