Simmons Named To Stopper Watch List
February 01, 2011 | Baseball
Feb. 1, 2011
Complete Stopper-of-the-Year Watch List 
IRVING, Texas - East Carolina's Seth Simmons is one of 45 relief pitchers named to the initial watch list for the Seventh Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper-of-the-Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as announced by the association Tuesday.
Simmons appears for the second straight season as he begins his third year as the Pirates closer. He opens his senior season ranked second on the school's all-time list and 10th on Conference USA's all-time saves list with 20. Simmons held opposing hitters to a .252 average last season, striking out 44, walking 25 and allowing 20 earned runs on 39 hits in 41.0 innings. He recorded nine saves, tying his career-high mark (2009) to rank fourth all-time on ECU's single-season chart.
Joining Simmons from Conference USA on the list are Collin Cargill (Southern Miss), Nick Pepitone (Tulane) and Joe Rogers (UCF). With its four preseason nominees, C-USA is tied for the most selections among the conferences with the Big 12 and SEC.
Nominations for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award were made by each school's baseball sports information contact. At the end of the regular season, the Division I leader in saves and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the award's finalists. These finalists will be released on Wednesday, June 1, just prior to the beginning of NCAA regional play.
From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee will select a winner. The sixth annual winner will be announced in Omaha on June 18, the opening day of the College World Series.
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 earning the award last season.
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.
ECU will open the 2011 campaign at home against Youngstown State with a first pitch scheduled for Friday, February 18 at 3 p.m.
