OMAHA, Neb. (NCBWA) – Texas freshman relief pitcher Sam Cozart has been named the 2026 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year, recognizing the nation's top relief pitcher, the organization announced Friday.
Cozart becomes just the second freshman in the award's 21-year history to earn Stopper of the Year honors, joining former Texas standout Corey Knebel (2011). He is also the fourth Longhorn to win the award, joining J. Brent Cox (2005), Chance Ruffin (2010) and Knebel, giving Texas the most recipients of any program in the award’s history.
A native of High Point, North Carolina, Cozart emerged as one of the nation’s most dominant relievers during his freshman campaign. Entering the NCAA Men’s College World Series, the freshman right-hander is 6-0 with nine saves and a 1.65 ERA in 22 appearances. Over 49.0 innings, he has struck out 71 batters and issued just 12 walks while holding opponents to a .132 batting average. Cozart leads all Division I pitchers with at least 45 innings pitched in both WHIP (0.69) and batting average against (.132), while his 1.65 ERA ranks second nationally behind UC Santa Barbara’s Jackson Flora (1.06).
Cozart allowed multiple runs in only one outing all season and tied for the national lead among freshmen with nine saves. In addition to being named the 2026 NCBWA National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, he was a finalist for Baseball America's National Freshman of the Year award and earned NCBWA All-America First Team, All-Southeastern Conference First Team and SEC All-Freshman Team honors.
Cozart has helped guide Texas to a 45-12 record and a berth in the Men's College World Series. The Longhorns earned the No. 6 national seed, swept through the NCAA Austin Regional and Super Regional and advanced to Omaha for the program's 39th College World Series appearance. In last week's NCAA Super Regional victory over Oregon, Cozart delivered another standout performance, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts to help send Texas back to Omaha.
The remaining finalists for the 2026 Stopper of the Year Award were John Abraham (Florida State), Caden Aoki (Georgia), Nick Bonn (Cal Poly), Tanner Bradley (Oregon), Clayton Freshcorn (Texas A&M), Caden Glauber (North Carolina), Cooper Harrington (Liberty), Easton Hawk (UCLA), Skyler Hutto (Jacksonville State), Ethan McElvain (Arkansas), Wylan Moss (UCLA), Albert Roblez (Oregon State) and J'Shawn Unger (Nebraska).
Cozart joins an elite list of past NCBWA Stoppers of the Year: Texas' J. Brent Cox (2005), Kansas' Don Czyz (2006), Sam Houston’s Luke Prihoda (2007), Georgia's Joshua Fields (2008), San Diego State's Addison Reed (2009), Texas' Chance Ruffin (2010), Texas' Corey Knebel (2011), Southeastern Louisiana's Stefan Lopez (2012), UCLA's David Berg (2013, 2015), Louisville's Nick Burdi (2014), Miami's Bryan Garcia (2016), Louisville's Lincoln Henzman (2017), Florida's Michael Byrne (2018), UCLA's Holden Powell (2019), Arkansas' Kevin Kopps (2021), Texas State's Tristan Stivors (2022), Oral Roberts' Cade Denton (2023), Texas A&M's Evan Aschenbeck (2024) and Arizona's Tony Pluta (2025). The award was not presented in 2020 due to the COVID-19-shortened season.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA presents the Dick Howser Trophy presented by The Game Headwear to the nation's top collegiate baseball player, the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year Award and the Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy. The organization also selects Division I All-America teams, a Freshman All-America team and Players of the Week and Year across all NCAA divisions.
ALL-TIME NCBWA STOPPERS OF THE YEAR
2026 – Sam Coazrt, Texas (Fr.), High Point, N.C.
2025 – Tony Pluta, Arizona (Jr.), Palatine, Ill.
2024 – Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&M (Sr.), Brenham, Texas
2023 – Cade Denton, Oral Roberts (Jr.), Rowlett, Texas
2022 – Tristan Stivors, Texas State (Sr.), Castroville, Texas
2021 – Kevin Kopps, Arkansas (r-Sr.), Sugar Land, Texas
2020 – None awarded (COVID-19 pandemic)
2019 – Holden Powell, UCLA (So.), Visalia, Calif.
2018 – Michael Byrne, Florida (Jr.), Orlando, Fla.
2017 – Lincoln Henzman, Louisville (Jr.), Lexington, Ky.
2016 – Bryan Garcia, Miami (Jr.), Miami, Fla.
2015 – David Berg, UCLA (Sr.), Covina, Calif.
2014 – Nick Burdi, Louisville (Jr.), Downers Grove, Ill.
2013 – David Berg, UCLA (So.), Covina, Calif.
2012 – Stefan Lopez, Southeastern Louisiana (Jr.), New Iberia, La.
2011 – Corey Knebel, Texas (Fr.), Georgetown, Texas
2010 – Chance Ruffin, Texas (Jr.), Austin, Texas
2009 – Addison Reed, San Diego State (So.), Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
2008 – Joshua Fields, Georgia (Sr.), Bogart, Ga.
2007 – Luke Prihoda, Sam Houston (Sr.), Weimar, Texas
2006 – Don Czyz, Kansas (Sr.), Overland Park, Kan.
2005 – J. Brent Cox, Texas (Jr.), Bay City, Texas