DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending March 18. West Virginia sophomore shortstop Tyler Kuhn was named National Hitter of the Week, while Mississippi State sophomore right-hander Ricky Bowen was named National Pitcher of the Week.

The NCBWA board reviews candidates from each Division I conference each week and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.

Kuhn led the Mountaineers to an 8-1 week with his outstanding numbers. The senior was 16-for-31 (.561) at the plate, with 18 RBI and 14 runs scored. The Louisville, Ky., native used five home runs, three doubles and a pair of triples to tout a 1.126 slugging percentage. He added three stolen bases and played errorless ball in the field.

Bowen quieted the SEC's No. 2 hitting team, No. 5-ranked Ole Miss, with a two-hit complete-game shutout in a series-ending 4-0 win. The Jasper, Ala., native came within an out of registering State's sixth no-hitter and first since 1985. He struck out a career-high and staff season-high 11. Bowen retired the first 14 batters faced and faced one batter over the minimum through eight innings. He yielded a pair of two-out hits in the ninth but registered his 11th strikeout with the bases loaded to end the game. It was MSU's first complete-game shutout win since 2003.

With this week's honor, Bowen automatically is named to the watch list for Roger Clemens Award, given to the national collegiate pitcher of the year, sponsored by the Greater Houston Baseball Organization.

Fort Worth-based Pro-Line Athletic supplies the official cap to more than 100 Division I college teams and official uniforms and team wear to six Division I college teams. This is the fourth season Pro-Line has sponsored the NCBWA's Players of the Week. The sponsorship provides for plaques to be awarded to each of the weekly winners and other promotional consideration. For more information about Pro-Line, visit their Web site at prolineathletic.com.

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 on the Pro-Line Athletic Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.

2008 Pro-Line Athletic Players of the Week:
• Feb. 26: Dustin Ackley, North Carolina (Hitter); Lance Lynn, Ole Miss (Pitcher)
• March 4: Sawyer Carroll, Kentucky (Hitter); Barry Bowden, Southern Miss and Joey Seal, Norfolk State (Pitcher)
• March 11: Aaron Murphree, Arkansas (Hitter); David Coulon, Arizona (Pitcher)
• March 18: Tyler Kuhn, West Virginia (Hitter); Ricky Bowen, Mississippi State (Pitcher)
• March 25: Mike McKenna, Florida Atlantic (Hitter); Aaron Crow, Missouri (Pitcher)
• April 1: Alan Ahmady, Fresno State (Hitter); Brandon McClurg, Lipsomb and Josh Romanski, San Diego (Pitcher)
• April 8: Ryan Pond, N.C. State (Hitter); Nick Haughian, Washington (Pitcher)
• April 15: Jacob Priday, Missouri (Hitter); Stephen Strasburg, San Diego State (Pitcher)
• April 22: Dexter Fontenot, Louisiana-Monroe (Hitter); Christopher Manno, Duke (Pitcher)
• April 29: Ty Wright, Georgia Southern (Hitter); Chris Hernandez, Miami (Pitcher)
• May 6: Clay Whittemore, Jacksonville State (Hitter); Kenn Kasparek, Texas (Pitcher)
• May 13: David Anderson, Coastal Carolina (Hitter); Andrew Liebel, Long Beach State (Pitcher)
• May 20: Jeremie Tice, College of Charleston (Hitter); Scott Swinson, Maryland (Pitcher)

Related link:
• Pro-Line Athletic Player of the Week plaques