In a year during which Vanderbilt reigned as the nation’s premier baseball program — winning the College World Series and sending an SEC-record 13 players to the MLB draft — a freshman pitching in only his 20th game wearing black-and-gold provided the definitive moment. Taking the mound in a win-or-go-home game against Duke, Kumar Rocker didn’t just beat the hated Blue Devils, he no-hit them, striking out 19 batters and saving Vandy’s season in what some have called the greatest single-game pitching performance in college baseball history. To think — he’s still just 19, and Commodores fans get to enjoy him for three more years. At a time when Major League Baseball has never been more hard-up for African American ambassadors (black players made up 6.7 percent of big-league rosters in 2019, down from 18.7 in 1981), it’s hard not to get ahead of ourselves in regard to what Rocker — whose imposing frame, electric fastball and megawatt smile recall Yankee pitcher and likely Hall-of-Famer C.C. Sabathia in his younger years — could potentially accomplish. For now, let’s just savor greatness while it’s here. CHARLIE ZAILLIAN
Best Athletic Feat
Kumar Rocker’s No-Hitter
