Beal Named To NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Watch List
February 14, 2024 | Baseball
DALLAS, Texas (NCBWA) – East Carolina senior RHP Danny Beal has been tabbed as one of 73 pitchers selected to the 2024 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List according to an announcement by the organization Wednesday afternoon. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball.
Â
Beal's inclusion marks the fifth-straight season that a Pirate has landed on the prestigious list as he joins Garrett Saylor (2023), C.J. Mayhue (2021 and 2022) and Alec Burleson (2020) in receiving the accolade.
Â
A 2024 Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection, Beal finished the 2023 campaign appearing in a team-high 31 games out of the bullpen. He compiled a 6-2 record and 2.70 earned run average with 65 strikeouts against 12 walks in 53.1 innings of work while also pacing the club with three saves. Beal limited opposing batters to a .195 average and notched multiple strikeouts in 15 outings - including a career-high nine over five innings of a 7-3 ECU victory over visiting Old Dominion.
Â
Beal racked up a 4-0 record and 2.31 ERA in American Conference play with 25 strikeouts opposite four walks in 23.1 frames and was excellent in the league tournament, allowing just one earned run in nine innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks over four appearances on the way to AAC All-Tournament recognition.
Â
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player and the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year to the nation's top coach. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.
Â
2024 NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Award Preseason Watchlist
Ben Abeldt, TCUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Austin Anderson, Oregon
Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&MÂ Â
Micah Ashman, Utah    Â
Hudson Barrett, UC Santa Barbara       Â
Ethan Bates, Louisiana Tech
Danny Beal, East Carolina
Chris Beilenson, Duke
Hayden Berg, Western Michigan
Ryan Bilka, Wagner
Radek Birkholz, Notre Dame
Mason Burns, Western Kentucky
Will Cannon, Auburn
Nick Clayton, Clemson
Aaron Combs, Tennessee
Jake Cubbler, USC Upstate
Liam Dabagian, Elon
Chandler David, Sam Houston
Alton Davis II, AlabamaÂ
Brandon Decker, Oakland
Josh Emanuels, Washington
Garrett Ferguson, Missouri State
Bennett Flynn, Notre Dame
Reed Garris, Clemson
Ben Gorski, Rutgers
Chase Grillo, Washington State
Gavin Guidry, LSU
Blake Hammond, Santa Clara
Nate Hardman, Notre Dame
Cole Heath, Western Kentucky
Carson Ozmer, Penn
Leo Harris, UAB
Sam Hart, Iowa
Justin Honeycutt, UNC Asheville
Johnny Hummel, Kentucky
Ryan Kraft, Indiana
Kyle Kramer, UCF
Ethan Lanthier, Kansas
Carson Lore, Samford
Chris Lotito, Jacksonville
Carter Lovasz, William & Mary
Josh Mallitz, Ole Miss
Noah Manning, Troy
Izaak Martinez, UC San Diego  Â
Justin Murray, Houston
Brandon Neely, Florida
Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State
Fran Oschell III, Duke
Dalton Pence, North Carolina
Sam Portnoy, Rutgers
Matt Poston, North Carolina
Easton Rakers, Lindenwood
Jackson Reid, Western Carolina
Zane Robbins, Eastern Illinois
Joshua Romero, Cal State Northridge
Rashad Ruff, UCLA
Caleb Rutledge, Stephen F. Austin
Cam Schuelke, Mississippi State
Tanner Smith, Presbyterian
Nate Snead, Tennessee
August Souza, Santa Clara
Jared Spencer, Indiana State
Eli Sundquist, Utah Valley
Tommy Szczepanski, Michigan State
James Tallon, Duke
Eli Trop, Penn
Chris Veach, South Carolina
Najer Victor, UCF
Zach Voelker, Iowa
Nathan Ward, Grand Canyon
Ryan White, Western Carolina
Parker Whittle, Winthrop
Gage Wood, Arkansas
Â
Â
Beal's inclusion marks the fifth-straight season that a Pirate has landed on the prestigious list as he joins Garrett Saylor (2023), C.J. Mayhue (2021 and 2022) and Alec Burleson (2020) in receiving the accolade.
Â
A 2024 Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection, Beal finished the 2023 campaign appearing in a team-high 31 games out of the bullpen. He compiled a 6-2 record and 2.70 earned run average with 65 strikeouts against 12 walks in 53.1 innings of work while also pacing the club with three saves. Beal limited opposing batters to a .195 average and notched multiple strikeouts in 15 outings - including a career-high nine over five innings of a 7-3 ECU victory over visiting Old Dominion.
Â
Beal racked up a 4-0 record and 2.31 ERA in American Conference play with 25 strikeouts opposite four walks in 23.1 frames and was excellent in the league tournament, allowing just one earned run in nine innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks over four appearances on the way to AAC All-Tournament recognition.
Â
The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player and the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year to the nation's top coach. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.
Â
2024 NCBWA Stopper Of The Year Award Preseason Watchlist
Ben Abeldt, TCUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Austin Anderson, Oregon
Evan Aschenbeck, Texas A&MÂ Â
Micah Ashman, Utah    Â
Hudson Barrett, UC Santa Barbara       Â
Ethan Bates, Louisiana Tech
Danny Beal, East Carolina
Chris Beilenson, Duke
Hayden Berg, Western Michigan
Ryan Bilka, Wagner
Radek Birkholz, Notre Dame
Mason Burns, Western Kentucky
Will Cannon, Auburn
Nick Clayton, Clemson
Aaron Combs, Tennessee
Jake Cubbler, USC Upstate
Liam Dabagian, Elon
Chandler David, Sam Houston
Alton Davis II, AlabamaÂ
Brandon Decker, Oakland
Josh Emanuels, Washington
Garrett Ferguson, Missouri State
Bennett Flynn, Notre Dame
Reed Garris, Clemson
Ben Gorski, Rutgers
Chase Grillo, Washington State
Gavin Guidry, LSU
Blake Hammond, Santa Clara
Nate Hardman, Notre Dame
Cole Heath, Western Kentucky
Carson Ozmer, Penn
Leo Harris, UAB
Sam Hart, Iowa
Justin Honeycutt, UNC Asheville
Johnny Hummel, Kentucky
Ryan Kraft, Indiana
Kyle Kramer, UCF
Ethan Lanthier, Kansas
Carson Lore, Samford
Chris Lotito, Jacksonville
Carter Lovasz, William & Mary
Josh Mallitz, Ole Miss
Noah Manning, Troy
Izaak Martinez, UC San Diego  Â
Justin Murray, Houston
Brandon Neely, Florida
Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State
Fran Oschell III, Duke
Dalton Pence, North Carolina
Sam Portnoy, Rutgers
Matt Poston, North Carolina
Easton Rakers, Lindenwood
Jackson Reid, Western Carolina
Zane Robbins, Eastern Illinois
Joshua Romero, Cal State Northridge
Rashad Ruff, UCLA
Caleb Rutledge, Stephen F. Austin
Cam Schuelke, Mississippi State
Tanner Smith, Presbyterian
Nate Snead, Tennessee
August Souza, Santa Clara
Jared Spencer, Indiana State
Eli Sundquist, Utah Valley
Tommy Szczepanski, Michigan State
James Tallon, Duke
Eli Trop, Penn
Chris Veach, South Carolina
Najer Victor, UCF
Zach Voelker, Iowa
Nathan Ward, Grand Canyon
Ryan White, Western Carolina
Parker Whittle, Winthrop
Gage Wood, Arkansas
Â
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballECU Baseball Breaks Ground for the Dick and Sarah Bennett Baseball Building.
Friday, September 05
ECU Baseball NCAA Selection Show
Monday, May 26
ECU's Cliff Godwin Celebrates AAC Championshipmp4
Sunday, May 25
Cliff Godwin ECU Baseball Media Day
Monday, January 27
