MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (NCBWA) - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week awards presented by The Game Headwear for the period ending March 12. Kentucky senior first baseman Hunter Gilliam was named National Hitter of the Week, while Western Kentucky senior left-handed pitcher Devyn Terbrak was named National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.
Gilliam, a Farmville, Virginia native, was unconscious at the plate during the Wildcats’ 5-0 week that culminated in a three-game sweep of Southern Illinois on the road. He batted .619 (13-of-21) with four runs, five doubles, a triple, 11 RBI and 20 total bases. For the season he has started all 16 games and is batting .410 with nine extra-base hits and 22 RBI, tying Devin Burkes for the team lead.
He had multiple hits in all five games last week and multiple RBI in four of five while capping the week with five RBI and a pair of doubles on Sunday.
A look at Gilliam’s performance over the full week: five games, 13-for-21 (.619) with four runs, five doubles, a triple, 11 RBI, two walks and an HBP. He had 20 total bases, .952 slugging percentage and 1.592 OPS.
Terbrak complied a career outing in his fourth consecutive Sunday start on March 12 against South Dakota State. The lefty tossed the first Hilltopper no-hitter in a complete-game shutout against the Jackrabbits, while surrendering just one walk and one hit batter to go along with a career-high 14 strikeouts.
His performance marked the first nine-inning complete-game shutout by a WKU pitcher since March 5, 2022, when Sean Bergeron accomplished the same feat in an 11-0 win against Hartford. The Perryville, Missouri native's 14 strikeouts are tied for the second-most by a Hilltopper since at least 2005 – as far back as WKU game records go – just shy of Bergeron's 16 in the complete-game shutout against Hartford.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com. For more information, contact NCBWA Executive Associate Director Mike Montoro (304-293-2821, mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu).