Garcia Named to Stopper of the Year Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – For the second consecutive year, junior closer Bryan Garcia was named to the Preseason Watch List for the Stopper of the Year Award, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced Tuesday.
Garcia was among the 70 players named to the initial Watch List for the 12th annual award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
Garcia, a Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, served as Miami’s closer for the second straight season as a sophomore. Garcia continued his ascent in the Miami record books with 10 saves in 2015, finishing with a 6-2 record and a 2.50 ERA in 39.2 innings.
The Miami native was named to the 2015 All-ACC Third Team.
Garcia enters 2016 ranked fifth in all-time saves at Miami (25) and has a career 2.08 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 91.0 innings. His career record at Miami stands at an impressive 13-6.
The Atlantic Coast Conference led the way with 10 players on this year’s Watch List, while the Big Ten and Pacific-12 each had eight honorees and the Southeastern Conferences had seven.
The NCBWA’s All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year’s recipient to be announced at the 2016 College World Series.
Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006 and Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007. Georgia’s Joshua Fields topped the field in 2008, San Diego State’s Addison Reed grabbed the honor in 2009 and Texas’ Chance Ruffin earned the honor in 2010. The Longhorns’ Corey Knebel won in 2011, with Southeastern Louisiana’s Stefan Lopez picking up the honor in 2012. UCLA’s Berg was crowned the winner in 2013, Louisville’s Nick Burdi took home the 2014 honor and Berg became the award’s first two-time winner in 2015.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation’s top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I and III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year and Division III Players of the Year.
2016 NCBWA Stopper of the Year key dates:
• Mon., Feb. 15: Preseason Watch List
• Wed., April 27: Midseason Watch List
• Wed., June 8: Stopper of the Year finalists announced
• TBA at College World Series: Stopper of the Year winner announced
