DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 3. Niagara sophomore outfielder Tanner Kirwer was named National Hitter of the Week, while UNC Greensboro sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Wantz 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.

Kirwer was instrumental in Niagara’s three-game sweep of Saint Peter’s over the weekend. He went 10-for-14 at the plate and had seven runs scored. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native led the team in RBI with 12 and went 3-for-4 in stolen bases. In game one, he helped Niagara to a 21-2 victory with one home run, four runs scored and five RBI. He finished the weekend batting .714, had a .750 on-base percentage, a 1.286 slugging percentage and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Wantz finished the weekend 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in nine innings over three appearances on the week. Striking out 17 batters. Against North Carolina A&T, the Holly Spring, North Carolina native started his first game of the year and allowed one run on two hits, striking out six while earning the win. He worked in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen in Friday’s win over VMI, allowing just one hit and getting six of his seven outs via the strikeout. UNCG took game one, 10-4 over the Keydets.

In Sunday’s series finale against VMI, the sophomore logged 2.2 innings, allowing two walks and striking out five batters. Wantz entered with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth and shut VMI down, striking out the side and keep an inherited runner from scoring and picking up the win. He struck out 11 Keydet batters in just 5.0 innings of work over two appearances in the series.

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.

2016 NCBWA Division I Players of the Week:
• Feb. 21: Jeren Kendall, Vanderbilt (Hitter); Zach Muckenhirn, North Dakota (Pitcher)
• Feb. 28: Brandon Gutzler, Murray State (Hitter); Logan Shore, Florida (Pitcher)
• March 6: Darik Hall, Dallas Baptist (Hitter); Lucas Humpal, Texas State (Pitcher)
• March 13: Joe Cronin, Boston College (Hitter); Jesse Scholtens, Wright State (Pitcher)
• March 20: John Jones, South Carolina (Hitter); Seth Romero, Houston (Pitcher)
• March 27: Tyler Chadwick, Coastal Carolina (Hitter); Ryan Hingst, Arizona State (Pitcher)
• April 5: Tanner Kirwer, Niagara (Hitter); Andrew Wantz, UNCG (Pitcher)
• April 12: Michael Davis, Texas Tech (Hitter); Zac Gallen, North Carolina (Pitcher)
• April 19: Greg Guers, Penn State (Hitter); Shane McCarthy, Seton Hall (Pitcher)
• April 26: Logan Gray, Austin Peay (Hitter); Cody Sedlock, Illinois (Pitcher)
• May 3: J.B Woodman, Ole Miss (Hitter); Chad Donato, West Virginia (Pitcher)
• May 10: Brandon Soat, IPFW (Hitter); Kyle Simonds, Texas A&M (Pitcher)
• May 17: Blake Benefield, Middle Tennessee (Hitter); Eric Lauer, Kent State (Pitcher)
• May 24: Dillon Cooper, Alabama State (Hitter); Sam Perez, Missouri State (Pitcher)

2016 NCBWA Division I Players of the Month:
• February: Taylor Braley, Southern Miss (Hitter); Brendon McKay, Lousiville (Pitcher)
• March: Seth Beer, Clemson (Hitter); Seth Romero, Houston and Clarke Schmidt, South Carolina (Pitcher)
• April: Hunter Melton, Texas A&M (Hitter); Will Hibbs, Lamar (Pitcher)
• May: Daniel Johnson, New Mexico State (Hitter); Dakota Hudson, Mississippi State (Pitcher)