OMAHA, Neb. (NCBWA) – Texas
relief pitcher Corey Knebel is the 2011 recipient of the
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Stopper of
the Year Award, the NCBWA announced Tuesday at the College World
Series.
Knebel, the NCBWA Freshman Pitcher of the Year and a semifinalist
for the Dick Howser Trophy, set the Texas freshmen record with 19
saves and was 3-2 with a 1.13 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 55.2 innings.
He allowed just 28 hits and seven earned runs, while holding opponents
to a .151 batting average. With two saves in Super Regional play,
he has posted the most saves of any pitcher in the nation this season.
In addition, he has made 38 appearances, the most in the Big 12
this year.
The right-hander from Georgetown, Texas, was an All-Big 12 First
Team selection and a unanimous selection to the Big 12 All-Freshmen
Team. He has received first team All-America and Freshman Pitcher
of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball. The reliever also has
been named one of the 25 quarterfinalists for the College Baseball
Foundation's Pitcher of the Year Award.
Knebel helped Texas post a 49-19 record and reach the College
World Series for the 34th time, with NCAA Austin Regional and Super
Regional championships. The Longhorns also were the Big 12 regular
season co-champions and were ranked No. 5 in the latest NCBWA weekly
poll.
Knebel is the third Longhorn pitcher to take home the honor in
the award's seven-year history, joining J. Brent Cox in 2005 and
Chance Ruffin in 2010. He is also the first freshman to win the
award.
This year's finalists also included Branden Kline of Virginia,
Kyle McMillen of Kent State, Matt Price of South Carolina and Bo
Reeder of East Tennessee State.
More than 50 of the nation's top collegiate relief pitchers were
included in the selection process for this year's NCBWA Stopper
of the Year Award, beginning with initial preseason nominations
by baseball contacts at NCAA Division I schools. 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, Luke Prihoda of Sam
Houston State winning it in 2007, Georgia's Joshua Fields topping
the field in 2008, San Diego State's Addison Reed grabbing the honor
in 2009 and Texas' Chance Ruffin winning the award in 2010.
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to
the nation's top player. It also selects a Division I All-America
Team, Division I Coach of the Year, Division I and III Players of
the Week, Division I District Players of the Year and Division II
and III Players of the Year.
The Stopper of the Year will also be recognized on the College
Baseball Awards show, July 3 in Lubbock, Texas. This event will
feature the presentation of the Dick Howser Trophy to the National
Player of the Year. Other awards scheduled to be presented during
the show include the Brooks Wallace Award, honoring the nation's
best shortstop, and the Pitcher of the Year Award. All of the NCBWA
season awards will be recognized during the show.
For more information on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, contact
Tami Cutler at Wichita State at 316-978-5559 or Russ Anderson at
Conference USA at 214-774-1351.
2011 NCBWA Stopper of the Year key dates:
• Tues., Feb. 1: Preseason Watch List
• Thurs., April 21: Midseason Watch List
• Tues., June 7: Stopper of the Year finalists announced
• Tues., June 21: NCBWA Stopper of the Year announced
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