DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending Feb. 16. Rice junior first baseman Skyler Ewing was named National Hitter of the Week, while Western Carolina junior right-handed pitcher Jeremy Null 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.

Ewing led a Rice offensive charge to help the Owls take two-of-three games in a weekend road series at nationally-ranked Stanford. Ewing batted a composite .583 (7-of-12) against Cardinal pitching with a team-high eight RBI. The junior first baseman from Arlington, Texas, knocked two home runs and a double for a 1.167 slugging percentage. He scored two runs, drew a walk and had a sacrifice fly to go along with a .571 on-base percentage. Ewing had steady production, collecting at least two hits and two RBIs in all three games.

Null lived up to his billing as the SoCon's Preseason Pitcher of the Year, opening the Catamounts' season by dominating No. 2 Mississippi State on the road. The junior from Claremont, N.C., struck out 12 Bulldog hitters in WCU's 3-2 win, allowing just three hits and one walk – and no runs – in eight innings of work. Null struck out seven of the first 13 batters he faced Friday en route to posting double-digit strikeouts on Opening Day for the second straight season.

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 NCBWA Division I National Players of the Week, contact NCBWA Assistant Executive Director Mike Montoro at West Virginia University at 304-293-2821.

2014 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 16: Skyler Ewing, Rice (Hitter); Jeremy Null, East Carolina (Pitcher)
• Feb. 23: A.J. Reed, Kentucky (Hitter); Reed Garrett, VMI (Pitcher)
• March 2: Ryan Seiz, Liberty (Hitter); Jake Stinnett, Maryland (Pitcher)
• March 9: Mac James, Oklahoma (Hitter); Javi Salas, Miami (Pitcher)
• March 16: Nic Wilson, Georgia State (Hitter); Heath Dwyer, VCU (Pitcher)
• March 23: Michael Katz, William & Mary (Hitter); Frankie Vanderka, Stony Brook (Pitcher)
• March 30: Clint Freeman, East Tennessee State (Hitter); Matt Imhof, Cal Poly (Pitcher)
• April 6: A.J. Reed, Kentucky (Hitter); Nathan Kirby, Virginia (Pitcher)
• April 13: Mitchell Tolman, Oregon (Hitter); Jordan Carter, St. Joseph's (Pitcher)
• April 20: Byron Campbell, UMES (Hitter); Jeff Hoffman, East Carolina (Pitcher)
• April 27: Auston Bausfield, Ole Miss (Hitter); Thomas Eshelman, Cal State Fullerton (Pitcher)
• May 4: Casey Turgeon, Florida (Hitter); Jace Fry, Oregon State (Pitcher)
• May 11: Connor McVey, Cincinnati (Hitter); Matt Fraudin, Gardner-Webb (Pitcher)
• May 18: Kane Sweeney, Morehead State (Hitter); Ben Wetzler, Oregon State (Pitcher)