April 24, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame junior and All-American candidate Dan Slania was one of 51 players named to the mid-season watch list for the ninth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as announced by the association on Tuesday.
Slania has been nearly unhittable in 2013. The Tucson, Ariz., native is 3-1 on the season with a 0.31 earned-run average and eight saves (in nine opportunities). The only pitchers in the BIG EAST with an ERA lower than Slania have logged fewer than 3.1 innings this year. He leads the conference and ranks tied for 33rd in the NCAA in saves. Slania also ranks second in the conference in games finished (14). He has allowed just 17 hits in 29.0 innings of work and opponents have registered a .170 batting average. Slania has struck out 25 and walked five.
Slania has collected 25 saves over his three-year career, which equals Kyle Weiland’s (2006-08) school-record total. His career ERA of 1.59 also is tops in school history with a minimum 60 innings pitched.
Nominations for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award were made by baseball sports information/media relations contacts. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 5, prior to start of NCAA Super Regional tournament competition.
The NCBWA’s All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year’s recipient to be announced during the 2013 College World Series.
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.
2013 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Mid-Season Watch List
Hugh Adams, Florida Atlantic, Sr.
Kyle Bartsch, South Alabama, Sr.
David Berg, UCLA, So.
Robby Coles, Florida State, Jr.
Ryan Connolly, Coastal Carolina, Sr.
Chris Cotton, LSU, Sr.
Kyle Crockett, Virginia, Jr.
Jordan Dailey, Bethune-Cookman, Sr.
Josh Davis, Belmont, Sr.
Trace Dempsey, Ohio State, So.
Bubba Derby, San Diego State, Fr.
Jacob Dorris, Texas A&M-CC, So.
Jacob Evans, Oklahoma, Fr.
Eric Eck, Wofford, Jr.
Michael Fain, Nevada, Fr.
Trevor Frank, UC Riverside, Sr.
Ian Gibaut, Tulane, Fr.
Ronnie Glenn, Penn, So.
Trevor Gott, Kentucky, Jr.
Gavin Guarrera, NC Central, Sr.
Preston Hatcher, Western Carolina, Sr.
Matt Hicks, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.
Dylan Hills, Southeastern Louisiana, Jr.
Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State, So.
Brett Huber, Mississippi, Sr.
Skylar Hunter, The Citadel, Fr.
Andrew Istler, Duke, So.
Jason Jester, Texas A&M, Jr.
Corey Knebel, Texas, Jr.
Zech Lemond, Rice, So.
Michael Lorenzen, Cal State Fullerton, Jr.
Seth Lucio, Tennessee Tech, So.
Johnny Magliozzi, Florida, So.
Zach Mawson, Rider, So.
Sutter McLoughlin, Sacramento State, Fr.
Brian Miller, Vanderbilt, So.
Eric Nedeljkovic, Miami (Fla.), Sr.
Jordan Piché, Kansas, Jr.
Reed Reilly, Cal Poly, So.
Tyler Rogers, Austin Peay, Sr.
Scott Schultz, Oregon State, Jr.
Jimmie Sherfy, Oregon, Jr.
Dan Slania, Notre Dame, Jr.
Travis Stout, Jacksonville State, So.
Michael Swanner, Pepperdine, Jr.
Ryan Thompson, Campbell, Jr.
Mathew Troupe, Arizona, So.
Jonathan Van Eaton, Memphis, Jr.
Tyler Webb, South Carolina, Sr.
Eric Yardley, Seattle, Sr.
Nate Young, Elon, Sr.
— ND —