College Sports Communicators Academic All-District 2023
Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll 2021-2022
2022 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team
2022 NCAA Statesboro Regional All-Tournament Team
REDSHIRT SENIOR (2024): Wraps up his Georgia Southern career as a .290 career batter, a .477 slugger and holds a .402 on-base percentage … In 2024, Blancato started every game the Eagles played, posting a .285 BA with 63 hits, 44 runs, and posting career-highs in doubles (13), home runs (nine), RBI (50), walks (38), and stolen bases (12) … Led the team in RBI … Played first base, center field, and right field in 2024.
REDSHIRT JUNIOR (2023): Started in all 55 games he played in, only missing one the entire season ... Finished the reason with the third-highest batting average on the team at .303 ... Set career-highs in runs (44), hits (59), doubles (12), and RBI (45), as well as finishing with a career-high OB% of .421 ... Went a perfect 4-4 on stolen bases on the season.Â
REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE (2022): Moved into the starting-lineup midseason and started the final 32 games for the Eagles … Batted .305 in 2022 with 39 hits, 41 runs, 33 RBI, six doubles, three triples and seven homers … Blancato’s second hit of the season was three run homer against #10 Texas State on 4/9 to cut the Bobcats lead to two (GS won 13-11) … Was second in slugging percentage among starters with .563.
SOPHOMORE (2021): Started six of the 28 games he appeared in this season... Crushed his first career home run against Troy (3/20)... Scored eight runs for the Eagles and tallied six hits... Drove in five RBIs, collected one double and tripled twice... Had a slugging percentage of .452 this season...Â
FRESHMAN (2020): Did not play…Â
PREP: Played at Kell High School in Marietta, Ga. under head coach Todd Harris... Batted .440 his senior year... In 2019 selected First Team All-Region, All-County and First Team All-State... In 2019 won the Class 5A Region Player of the Year... Was a three year football letterman playing slot receiver, punt returner and kick returner and safety... Played summer ball for the 6-4-3 DP Cougars under Danny Pralgo...Â
PERSONAL: Born Samuel James Blancato on September 20, 2001... Son of Frank and Chelle Blancato... Father Frank graduated from Georgia Southern... Older brother Josh played four years as a slot receiver, punt returner and special teams player for Georgia Tech... Cousin Zack Bowers played college ball for UGA and was a catcher in the San Francisco Giants organization...
MAJOR: Finance
