DALLAS (NCBWA) – With the final stretch of the 2024 collegiate regular season underway, 59 of the sport’s top relief pitchers were named to the Midseason Watch List for the 19th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year award, members of the association announced Wednesday. Relievers who are not on the midseason list still have an opportunity to be named a finalist for the award.
Fourteen of the 59 players were on the preseason watch list, released in February, including Evan Aschenbeck (Texas A&M, 5), Micah Ashman (Utah, 10), Ethan Bates (Louisiana Tech, 11), Chris Beilenson (Duke, 9), Mason Burns (Western Kentucky, 12), Chandler David (Sam Houston, 7), Alton Davis II (Alabama, 4), Johnny Hummel (Kentucky, 5), Noah Manning (Troy, 2), Dalton Pence (North Carolina, 3), Joshua Romero (CSUN, 6), Rashad Ruff (UCLA, 6), Nate Snead (Tennessee, 3) and Nathan Ward (Grand Canyon, 7). Ashman (third team), Manning (third team) and Romero (second team) were all named to the Preseason NCBWA All-America Team.
WKU’s Burns leads the nation with 12 saves in 26.2 innings pitched. Fellow Conference USA competitor Bates of Louisiana Tech is second with 11 saves while Utah’s Micah Ashman follows in third with 10. East Carolina’s Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman currently leads the nation with a 1.00 earned run average, while Little Rock’s Jacob Weatherley is 25th with a 2.39 ERA and UTSA’s Ruger Rijoas 29th with a 2.49 mark.
There are 20 conferences represented on the list with the Southeastern Conference leading the way with 11 relief pitchers. The Sun Belt Conference follows with six, while the Big West Conference and Pac-12 Conference each had five selections. Other multiple-selection leagues include the American Athletic Conference (4), Conference USA (4), the Atlantic Coast Conference (3), the Big 12 Conference (3), the Missouri Valley Conference (3), the Southern Conference (3), the Coastal Athletic Association (2) and the Southland Conference (2). In all, 12 of the 20 conferences have multiple selections.
The NCBWA will announce the finalists on Wednesday, June 5 with the winner being named on Friday, June 14 at the 2024 College World Series.
| 2024 STOPPER OF THE YEAR MIDSEASON WATCH LIST (59) | ||||
| Davis Aiken, College of Charleston, Jr. | Logan Mercado, Oregon, Sr. | |||
| Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&M, Sr. | Noah Manning (3), Troy, Sr. | |||
| Micah Ashman (3), Utah, Jr. | Matthew Matthijs, North Carolina, So. | |||
| Ethan Bates, Louisiana Tech, Sr. | Will McEntire, Arkansas, R-Sr. | |||
| Chris Beilenson, Duke, Gr. | Bradley Mullan, Oregon, Sr. | |||
| Mason Burns, Western Kentucky, Sr. | Austin Neal, Lamar, Jr. | |||
| Ryan Cabarcas, FIU, R-Sr. | Zachary Nichols, Bryant, Gr. | |||
| Zach Cameron, Niagara, Gr. | Bryant Olson, Mercer, Jr. | |||
| Chase Centala, UCF, Sr. | Dalton Pence, North Carolina, R-So. | |||
| Stone Cushing, BYU, Jr. | Andres Perez, Lamar, Jr. | |||
| Chandler David, Sam Houston, Sr. | Owen Pierce, William & Mary, So. | |||
| Alton Davis II, Alabama, So. | Anthony Pron, Southern Illinois, Sr. | |||
| Nick Davis, Georgetown, Gr. | Ruger Riojas, UTSA, So. | |||
| Joey DeChiaro, Rutgers, Gr. | Joshua Romero (2), CSUN, Sr. | |||
| Chandler Dorsey, USF, So. | Rashad Ruff, UCLA, Gr. | |||
| Tanner Douglass, Portland, So. | Tanner Sagouspe, Cal Poly, R-So. | |||
| Gabe Gaeckle, Arkansas, Fr. | Brayden Sanders, Memphis, Jr. | |||
| Garrett Gainey, South Carolina, Sr. | Brennan Seiber, Vanderbilt, Fr. | |||
| Ryan Ginther, Vanderbilt, Jr. | Nate Snead, Tennessee , So. | |||
| Jacob Gomez, Old Dominion, Sr. | Jonathan Todd, Western Carolina, Sr. | |||
| Simon Gregersen, Indiana State, R-Jr. | Ricky Tibbett, UC Irvine, Gr. | |||
| Stone Hewlett, Arkansas, Sr. | Jack VanDoran, LIU, Gr. | |||
| Bridger Holmes, Oregon State, Jr. | Mike Villani, Long Beach State, Jr. | |||
| Matthew Holzhammer, Louisiana, Jr. | Joe Vogatsky, James Madison, Sr. | |||
| Johnny Hummel, Kentucky, Gr. | Nathan Ward, Grand Canyon, Sr. | |||
| Owen Kovacs, East Tennessee State, Gr. | Jacob Weatherley, Little Rock, Sr. | |||
| LP Langevin, Louisiana, Jr. | Jackson Wentworth, Kansas State, R-So. | |||
| Reece Lawler, UIC, R-Jr. | Grant Wood , South Alabama, R-Jr. | |||
| Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman , East Carolina, Jr. | Brian Zeldin, Georgia, Gr. | |||
| Izzak Martinez, UC San Diego, R-Sr. | ||||
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.